JOGIBARI (DERGAON), Jan 28 - A two-day-long Bird Festival, organized with a view to save birds, got under way today at Jogibari Beel under Khumtai LAC in Golaghat district about 20 km off Dergaon town. The festival organized under the aegis of Jogibari Rural Tourism Project was inaugurated by the Khumtai MLA as well as the president of Jogobari Birds Festival Organising Committee Mrinal Saikia in presence of thousands of audience in the morning today.
In his welcome address, the MLA said that the event is being organized to create an awareness among the masses for conserving nature and wildlife. In the inaugural session, Press Adviser to the Chief Minister Hrishikesh Goswami, Bokajan MLA Dr Nomal Momin, Golaghat DC Gaurav Bothra, SP Manabendra Dev Roy, Golaghat DFO Rajib Kr Das, two tourists from Israel along with other dignitaries were present. The dignitariesinaugurated different programmes on the occasion. Several cultural programmes were also presented to mark the event. A dance drama on bird conservation �Pakhir kakolire sushuvito dharani�, composed by Sanjoy Kr Hazarika and presented by the students of Dergaon Sankardev Shishu Niketan under the direction of Pankaj Rajkhowa, was praised by the audience. After the cultural programme, an art competition was held among the students, besides an open photography contest.
Talking to this correspondent, MLA Mrinal Saikia said that he is trying to create an awareness among the masses through this type of events. Uttam Bora, an audience, said that the festival will have a positive impact on the masses towards nature conservation. A symposium on birds and nature will be held tomorrow. The festival will come to an end end tomorrow with a cultural function in the evening. It is pertinent to mention that the audience could not see enough birds in the beel as the entire area is covered by tea gardens.
