Drive launched for a plastic-free Kalijai Island

On the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik on Monday, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) embarked upon an innovative initiative to make the Kalijai Island plastic and garbage-free.

Biju Patnaik was the founder and first Chairman of the Governing Body of the CDA. The CDA launched its drive to create a trash-free experience for the visitors and reducing the plastic waste flow to the lake ecosystem.

Spread over an area of 45 acres, the island houses Goddess Kalijai, immortalised by poet Godavarish Misra. The shrine was built in 1717 by King of Banpur Jagannath Mansingh which is visited by thousands of tourists every month while during winter the visitors’ footfalls go past lakhs in number. The largest gathering in the island is on Makara Sankranti day with lakhs having darshan of the deity.

However, this pilgrimage tourism brings in its destructive consequences in form of huge plastics and non-degradable solid wastes strewn all over the island and polluting the waters of the Chilika lagoon.

Micro plastic is already a cause of concern world over due to such indiscriminate dumping in marine ecosystem.

Thus, to keep the lagoon safe from further degradation and to enhance the visitors’ experience in the place of reigning deity of the lagoon, the campaign to clean the island and change the behaviour of the boatman and tourists was initiated.