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– ASIA’s longest TOUR-DE-KALINGA creates massive civilian movement on pedalling to work as action against increased Global Warming.
Organised by ROOTS OF ODISHA FOUNDATION and supported by HIGH FIVE SOCIAL INNOVATION and MISSION ODISHA, the 4th edition of TOUR-DE-KALINGA ended on a grand note at Centre for Youth and Social Development (”CYSD”).
TOUR-DE-KALINGA categorised to be the longest community pedalling expedition 1300 km in 13 days was ended in Bhubaneswar yesterday on 23rd December 2022.
flagged of by Sh. Tushar Kanti Behera, Minister of Sports, Youth affairs in front of Kalinga Stadium Bhubaneswar on 11th December 2022, starting from Bhubanswar, Konark, Puri, the 20 member team visited the western part of Odisha viz, Satapada Chillika Lagoons, Berhampur, Taptapani, Chandragiri, Gerang, Parelakhemndi, Rayagada, Koraput, Bisham Cuttack, Kotagada, Daringi Badi, Phullbani, Nayagarh, Khurdha.
The team with their moto to sensitize public on the need of pedalling to work as action against increased global warming have visited schools, colleges, universities such as Khemundi College, Centurion universities, GIET, Phulbani Autonomous College, Nayagarh Autonomous College, Ranpur College etc to interact with students, the next gen citizen.
The team comprising of 69 year old retired professor of Delhi University Dr. Sunil Kumar from Nainital Uttarakhand, Sh. Bharat Chand retired principal and father of former Indian Cricket World Cup Winer (under 19) Unmukt Chand fascinated the public with their sheer determination to inspire and make change the mindset of public towards cycling.
Chairman of ROOTS OF ODISHA FOUNDATION and the Chief Organiser of TOUR-DE-KALINGA CA. Sudhir Kumar Dash while addressing the gathering at CYSD expressed his concern that Odisha has tremendous potential for Eco and adventure tourism that can create crores of employment for the people of Odisha but the Lethargy and Incapability of Officers of the Tourism Department is the only bottleneck that creates hurdles everywhere. Further explaining his anguish, he said we are doing Tour-de-Kalinga since 2015 which was inaugurated by then Minister of Tourism Ashok Panda and every second person knows why TOUR-de-KALINGA is organised every year but every successive officer of tourism department is self-confused whether it is tour or sports. The worst is every officer believes the other person in the department has the role in the matter of support or affiliation with the event when the organiser called for a discussion.
Why the Government of Odisha is spending so much on their salary and perks on these self-serving and highly paid junks rather should handover the tourism department to self-help group from civilians echoes Mr. Dash. The officers in the department are fit for nothing much less promoting tourism he regrets for the Government of Odisha.
While praising the Chief Minister and the Administration for their focussed approach in creating sports culture in the state, he said the state has emerged as the Sports Capital in the country, but the tourism departments displays to have no idea, intention and spine for making change in the tourism sector. Mr. Dash the founder who himself is a Chartered Accountant appealed to the Chief Minister saying an effective spending of mere 15 crore can create over 15 lakh jobs in the state in the tourism industry within just couple of years and there are many volunteers like him to contribute to the mother state in helping our state progress.
Presented in the Gathering Social Activist and Former member of Legislative Assembly Dr. Dileep Srichandan said that Odisha has a good forest coverage that requires strong protection but in the recent past its share of the forest region is rapidly losing grounds due to deforestation. The people should plant a tree and protect it in every birthday of theirs.
Former cricket Odisha coach Sh Himanshu Dash emphasized for increased efficiency in Bureaucracy and more private public participation for real time engagement in promoting eco and adventure torusm in the state. Unfortunately, there is little and defunct infrastructure which the department hardly cares. One indeed has to make a tough figth with officer for little thing s to happen on ground.
Social Reformer in Badri Narayan Mishra while praising the efforts of ROOTS OF ODISH FOUNDAION said we the various civil society members should join hands with the organiser of ROOTS OF ODISHA FOUNDATION for making TOUR-de-KALINGA even bigger, world class and a mass scale civilian movement.
The TOUR Director Yogendra Singh recalling his cycling tour in London Edenborough London (LEL) and Paris brest Paris (PBP) days said that the terrain of Tour-de-Kalinga is million times better than LEl and PBP for that matter. The Government of Odisha should not neglect the tourism potential of the state further.
Adding to his lines, CA. Sudhir Dash said I am not hoping against the hope but am confident on H.E. the Chief Minister of Odisha who has a silent magic wand to do unthinkable and will wave it more sooner than later to transform the tourism sector in the state. I have whole time in the world and I am watching to see says CA. Sudhir Kumar Dash.
In the gathering also present were Ollywood Singer Rama Krishna, Social Activist Bipin Mohanty, Senior Journalist Madhusudan Mishra.
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