Port Blair, April 8: Gram Panchayat Ramnagar in association with the Forest Division, Diglipur organized a beach cleanliness and plantation drive at Ramnagar Eco Tourism Beach to mark the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The drive was inaugurated by Shri.Kuldeep Sharma (I.F.S), Divisional Forest Officer, Diglipur, accompanied by Shri. Ajit John, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Diglipur and Shri Alkab Hasan, Ranger Forest Officer Kalighat.

During the drive, 25 number of coconut saplings were planted at beach side by the PRIs and villagers along with the staffs of forest division. Beach cleaning was done by the youngsters of the village and all plastic waste were collected and shifted to the dumping yard of Gram Panchayat Ramnagar for segregation.

During the programme, the Pradhan, Ramnagar, Shri Mitun Das arranged for a meeting of villagers with the DFO at beach side for his ‘MargDarshan’ for the newly elected PRIs and general public.

Shri Kuldeep Sharma during the interaction sought public cooperation to protect the natural beauty of Ramnagar eco-tourism beach, especially the unique beauty of the tortoise breeding culture and its hatchery and to conserve the rare sighting of Leatherback turtles found in Ramnagar beach. This in turn will attract tourists in Ramanagar village and will boost the economic condition of the village. He also informed that the forest division is ready to collect local seeds of fruit bearing trees. Seed bank is available at all division of the forest department, he said appealing to the villagers to come forward to donate the local seeds of fruit bearing trees.

On the occasion, the villagers presented a photo frame conveying their gratitude to the Forest Division, Diglipur.