With a few days left for the Hockey World Cup to begin, the Odisha government is leaving no stone unturned to beautify the state capital to woo players and sports lovers from across the world.
According to sources, as many as 15 courtiers will participate in the World Cup which will be inaugurated on January 13 and continued till January 29. The government has roped in the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) to carry out the plantation drive across the Temple City Bhubaneswar to increase its green cover.
Meanwhile, labourers employed by OFDC are seen busy carrying out plantation drives in important squares and crossroads of the state capital. The labourers are seen planting saplings apart from creating grass lawns at major junctions.
Grass plotting has already been done at AG Square and Raj Bhawan while plans are afoot to beautify Kalinga Stadium, Airport Square, Lokseva Bhawan and Master Canteen Square with green cover.
OFDC employee Dipti Prakash Pradhan said, “We are trying our best to give a greenery look to the entire Bhubaneswar city ahead of sports extravaganza. We have set a deadline to finish the project work before commencement of the sports carnival.”
Another OFDC worker Pratap Kumar Sethy said, “We have been told to give a greenery look to entire Bhubaneswar. That’s why all OFDC workers are working day and night to finish the project on time. We have started planting different variety of flower plants apart from creating grass lawns at major squares. Damana, Xavier Square and AG Squares will soon get facelift.”
Kalpataru Das, an OFDC employee, maintained: “Apart from creating grass lawns, we are planting different flower saplings. We have been told to finish the project in 15 days. The state capital will, no doubt, get a makeover before inauguration of Hockey World Cup.”
Reported by Niranjan Reddy, OTV