Bhubaneswar, Jan 09 (UNI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today appealed to the

Civil Societies for protection, preservation, cleaning and beatification of Bindusagar, a holy

tank close to Lingaraj temple along with 20 other holy water bodies in Ekamra Area.

Launching the Bindusgar Cleaning Project, Mr Patnaik said Bindusagar is ever attractive

for him.

He said each drop of water of Bindusagar as sacred said that this pond is the symbol of

national unity and integrity.

Mr Patnaik further said that the pond is intimately connected with the socio-cultural life of

people in Old Bhubaneswar and its cleaning is our moral responsibility.

He said pure water is a major challenge for the whole world now a days, and all out effort

and cooperation of all shall make the transformation goal realised.

The Chief Minister thanked Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra

Pradhan, for the cooperation extended by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. and Indian Chemical

Institute.

Mr Pradhan called upon all to work together to make the great Odia heritage reach the

world and assured all cooperation from ASI and Government of India to expedite Ekamra

project.

Among others, Science & Technology, Minister Ashok Chandra Panda, Steel & Mines and

Works Minister Prafulla Mallick and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi were present on the occasion.

Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC), the Institute of Chemical Technology

(ICT), Indian Oil Odisha Campus (ICT-IOC), have signed an MoU to clean Bindusagar at an

estimated cost of Rs 70 lakh under CSR programme of the IOCL.

UNI BD BM