Keeping the well being of the society, community, and the environment in mind, various sustainability programmes and activities have been carried out in the Gahirmatha Area during the construction phase of the Dhamra Port. The activities encompass social, economic, environmental and cultural dimensions. The programmes have been carried out to include all communities in the peripheral areas to establish the wellness of the people and environment around the place. The activities integrate effectiveness along with sustainability.
A 7-day long training camp on Yoga and Meditation, particularly for elderly villagers and school children of Dosinga and Dhamra was organised by DPCL from February 16 to 22, 2009. The camp was attended by nearly 200 villagers, including women and members from the local fishing communities. Separate sessions were held for school children wherein about 400 students were trained.
The event was supported by Maa Dhamrai Fisherman Association, Dhamra.
Two expert Yoga Instructors from Patanjali Seva Kendra, Cuttack - Manoranjan Rath and Rajkishore Behera imparted the training to villagers and gave them basic tips on how to remain healthy and stress free. Literature containing brief description of daily exercises prescribed by Baba Ramdev along with information on naturopathy medicines for various diseases were distributed among the participants.
Volleyball Challenge – 2008
An annual tournament for local sports clubs and youth associations, DPCL has started Volleyball Challenge in its project site. 'Volleyball Challenge – 2008', held in September 2008 was the first tournament of this kind held in Dosinga market ground, Dhamra. As many as seven volley teams – Two from DPCL, One team of the local police personnel and One team each from the periphery villages – Dosinga, Dhamra, Kaithakhola and Kaninali – played the tournament. The final match was played between Dosinga and Kaithakhola teams wherein the Kaithakhola Sports Club emerged as the winner.
Youth Camps for Personality Development
There has been a continuous effort by DPCL for personality development and skill improvement of youths, living in periphery villages of the port project. One such attempt has been the two Youth Camps held so far by DPCL, which got wide response from local youths. As many as 90 youths attended the youth camps held in April and July 2008 respectively. Majority of the participants were from affected families. Teachings on etiquettes, health and hygiene, public behaviour, teamwork and service to the society, were imparted to the participants. This apart, youths from Dosinga and Dhamra attended a 5-day long Moral Re-armament camp held in Bhubaneswar.
Participation in Dhamrai Festival
he Dhamarai Mahotsav, is the biggest festival in Dhamra region. The festival is celebrated during the Makar Sankranti occasion in the month of January, and is a 10-day affair. DPCL is associated with the Dhamrai Festival Organising Committee in making elaborate arrangements for safety of the people coming to the festival. This year DPCL had opened a First Aid centre at the festival venue. A medical team from the company's health centre at Dosinga was on job along with several volunteers to provide emergency health services to the visitors.
A stall was put at the festival to display master plan of the Dhamra port and progress of the work, for knowledge of the local people.
Biota Bandan Festival
The biota bandana festival has a rich history of maritime trade in Orissa. Every year in the month of November, the local communities of Dhamra and Chandbali, in Bhadrak district, celebrate the festival in a grand way. Decorated boats ferry "sadhavas" (maritime traders) and a symbolic barter of goods take place between the local villagers. The festival is also marked with two-day long colourful celebrations and cultural programmes at both sides.
DPCL partnered with the festival organizers of Dhamra and Chandbali with a view to promote the age-old tradition and make it better.
Bali Yatra Festival at Chandbali
Cultural troupes from various parts of Orissa gave performances at a colourful function organised by Chandbali Kala Parishad in association with DPCL at the Bali Yatra festival in November last year. Dance groups from tribal dominated Koraput, Kandhamal and Mayurbhanj districts performed in the programme, which had a big gathering of local villagers.
Celebration of Community Holi with periphery villagers
Community Holi was celebrated with much pomp and show in Dosinga, a panchayat situated next to the port boundary. Officers of DPCL played the festival of colours with local villagers and members of the fishing community.
Encouraging Extra-Curricular Activities
By organising essay and drawing competitions DPCL is encouraging extra-curricular activities among school children. A drawing competition among students of class-VI and VII was held at Dosinga on the occasion of Children's Day. Nearly 250 students participated in the competition. As many as 10 best drawings were selected for prizes.
Spreading Conservation Message among Students
‘Catch them Young’, has been the idea behind an on-going awareness programme on turtle conservation by DPCL. Mostly children from Class-VI to Class-X in schools in Dosinga, Dhamra and Chandbali areas of Bhadrak district and Talchua area of Kendrapara district are targeted. These schools are situated close to possible turtle nesting areas and, the villages inhabited largely by the fishing community members.
A band of dedicated youths engaged in the IUCN-DPCL turtle observer programme are carrying out the school awareness drive. With simple descriptions and use of pictures, the school children are taught about different species of turtles found world-wide, the arrival of Olive Ridley turtles to Orissa nesting beaches and about various reasons of their large casualties. Through the school awareness programme, interest is being created among the children for turtles, and thinks about their conservation.
Inter-School Essay Competition on Turtle Conservation
As part of its awareness programme on Turtle Conservation, the Dhamra Port Company Ltd (DPCL) organised an inter-school essay competition among students of class VIII, IX and X.
Over 300 students from nearly 25 schools from Dosinga, Dhamra, Talchua and Chandbali areas participated in the competition by sending essays on the given topic through their respective school headmasters. After proper scrutiny as many as 27 students were selected, who were given certificates and prizes at a function held at Dhamra.
A student from Chandbali Girls High School, Chandbali Snigdhashree Mallick topped among the participants to win a special prize. In her essay she made an emotional appeal to the human society to show concern towards the Olive Ridley turtles who die in large numbers every year during their visit to the Orissa coast for nesting. She has also given some good and simple reasons why we should stress on the conservation of turtles for better future of the fishing community and the environment at large.
The essays were invited from students during school awareness programmes on turtle conservation, being carried out by a group of dynamic youths, who are part of the DPCL-IUCN turtle observer programme.
Street Theatre for Awareness among Fishermen
A street theatre programme to sensitise members of the fishing community on turtle conservation and teach them about the relationship between turtles and fish, street theatres at important fish landing centres of Bhadrak, Balasore and Kendrapara districts were staged in November 2008. A theatre troupe from Jagatsinghpur – Sachetan Natya Parishad staged 20 plays in the fishermen habitations near the fish landing centres. There was large audience to all the stage shows and, the feedback taken from the locals after each show was very much encouraging.
