Our Food, Our Culture’ Celebrates Nuapada’s Traditional Flavours in a Plastic-Free Spirit

65 Officials and 33 SHGs Honoured for Outstanding Contributions to କଲେଵାଂଲିନେସସ Nuapada, Sept 5: Celebrating the rich culinary heritage of the region while spreading a strong message of environmental responsibility, the ‘Ama Khadya, Ama Sanskruti’ (Our Food, Our Culture) plastic-free food festival was organised at the Collectorate premises in Nuapada on Friday. The event was jointly organised by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) and the Nuapada district administration, with a focus on promoting traditional local cuisine and culture while encouraging people to reduce the use of single-use plastics and protect the environment. Nuapada Collector Madhusudan Dash, Superintendent of Police Amritpal Singh, Additional Collector Subash Chandra Rait, Sub-Collector Surmi Soren, Regional Officer of the OSPCB, Balangir Regional Office, Babita Singh, Range Officer Jayadev Majhi, along with district-level officials, members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and media representatives attended the programme. A major attraction of the festival was the display of a wide variety of traditional Nuapada delicacies and indigenous food preparations by different Self-Help Groups. The food was prepared and served using traditional methods without plastic, showcasing the district’s culinary traditions while highlighting the importance of sustainable practices. During the programme, the district administration highlighted various initiatives being undertaken to transform Nuapada into a single-use plastic-free district. The need for greater public participation in reducing plastic consumption, maintaining cleanliness and protecting the environment was also emphasised. Addressing the gathering, Collector Madhusudan Dash appreciated the dedicated efforts of the sanitation teams and the people of Nuapada. He said that sustained and focused efforts had enabled the district to make significant progress towards the single-use plastic-free campaign. He called upon everyone to work together to make Nuapada a model plastic-free district and take its achievements to the global level. Superintendent of Police Amritpal Singh said that the changes taking place in Nuapada under the leadership of the Collector were increasingly visible to the public. He assured that the Police Department would extend all possible cooperation towards making the district plastic-free. He also stated that steps would be taken to make police stations and other government premises free from single-use plastics. In recognition of their outstanding contribution to cleanliness and environmental initiatives, 65 officials and members of 33 Self-Help Groups were felicitated during the event. In the ‘Ama Khadya, Ama Sanskruti’ competition, Naomi Self-Help Group secured the first position, Samruddhi Producer Group stood second, while Om Sairam Self-Help Group bagged the third position. The programme concluded with all participants taking a cleanliness pledge, reaffirming their commitment to keeping the district clean and promoting environmentally responsible practices. DRC Anil Kumar Lenka conducted the proceedings of the programme.