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Title: GYSD\'2009
Location:
Global
Categories: Environment
Status:
In Progress
Timeline:
March 7 09 to April 30 09
Description:
GYSD is the largest global celebration of youth. We are one part of this event intiated by YSA, America. We feel proud to be involved in this. Our project is titled \\\"safe tourism-save lagoon\\\" is on the famous chilika Lake of Orissa in India
Background:
The Chilika lagoon is not only one of the mega biodiversity of Orissa but also one of the hotspots of India. Orissa forms a part of the global biodiversity hotspot with varieties of flora, fauna, rare and endangered species that provide strong base for promoting ecotourism industry. Queen of natural beauty, Chilika, the largest brackish water lake in Asian Continent covering an area of over 1100 Sq.K.M. is a great attraction for tourists for fishing, bird watching and boating. In winter Chilika flutters with thousands of indigenous and migratory birds of many varieties from far and near even from the distant Siberia. \\r\\nSatapada is the place located on the eastern shore of the lake, it is 55 Kms from Puri. It is bounded by the lagoon on three sides and thus offers an excellent view of the Lagoon. One main attraction of Satapada is irrawaddy Dolphins in the lake. During the months of Nov? to Feb? each year thousands of tourists visit the place. The State Tourism department has opened two resorts on the bank of Chilika at Satapada. Besides there are other 5 lodges owned by private hoteliers. Most of the times the tourists stay at Puri or Bhubaneswar and visit the place. There are as many as 100 shops developed by the local people for these tourists. \\r\\nDuring these years the lake is pointed to be in a dangerous position. There are international concerns to the loss of biodiversity and environmental problems in the great lake. That is why it came in to the Montreux Record - a comprehensive list of wetlands which have experienced changes in ecological character and need urgent conservation intervention. In the past two decades a lot of transformation has pointed in the ecological and social character of Chilika. Natural & anthropogenic problems included ?siltation? and thus increased salinity of the lake. It was also associated with huge growth of weeds. The threat was also increased due to increased aquaculture activities by the encroachers for brackish prawn. It was in 1991, the Chilika Development Agency (CDA) was established by the joint venture of India & Canadian ecology departments. In 2002 the threat on the lake was reduced in some extent and it came out of the Montreux Record. \\r\\nThe present issue is due to the unplanned ?tourism? to the place. Lack of proper ?eco-tourism? perspective of the stakeholders is now going to push the lake ecosystem in to a similar position. According to international union for the conservation of nature ecotourism is \\\"environmentally responsible to travels and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas in order to enjoy and appreciate nature; that promotes conservation, has now visitor impact; and provides for beneficially active social-economic involvement of local populations. There is absence of any such initiatives. \\r\\nThe tourists visiting the places take their food and water from these shops. They purchase food items and water packets from the shops and enjoy those on the bank of the lake. Each day thousands of rappers, polythene packets, plastic bottles etc gathers on the bank. No one uses the dust bins. The state Govt. has not provided any man power to clean the bank. Therefore the decomposition of these residue materials creates environmental problems in the area. No one is worried about the falling of these materials in to the lake water and thus creating problems for the biodiversity of the lake. Although there is ban on the use of plastic polythene bags but it is not strictly enforced due to poor monitoring facilities. \\r\\nKeeping the issues created by tourism in the lake system, the children of Alupatana village, Satapada (one of the lake side villages) has planned to initiate a campaign on the issue. The lead children for this project are reading in ?Basudev High school? at Satapada. The service project envisages to create the community participation in saving the lake from these environmental issues. The small initiatives by the small wonders can raise the concern of different adult stakeholders towards the issue. \\r\\nThe service project shall raise the awareness of the children on the environmental issue. This will be started as campaign against conservation of Lake Biodiversity and ecology from the increase lake-tourism conflict. The increased awareness of the local children can provide a long term perspective at the local level for the eco-tourism in the place.
Objectives:
The service project shall raise the awareness of the children on the environmental issue. This will be started as campaign against conservation of Lake Biodiversity and ecology from the increase lake-tourism conflict. The increased awareness of the local children can provide a long term perspective at the local level for the eco-tourism in the place.
Milestones:
Sensititation of young children on environment issues in Chilika Lake areas. \\r\\nii) Participation of local young children in eco-restoration activities in Chilika Lake.\\r\\niii) The young people will learn to organize programme for issues and to get involve in the global actions\\r\\niv) Sensitization of media and other stakeholders on the issue of ?Eco-tourism? for better Lake system management
Budget:
$739.50\\r\\n($240.00- shall be local contribution & $ 500 shall be supported by GYSD/ YSA)
Needs:
Please contact us to make this event of we the children more participatory and learning.
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