Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Odisha and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon'ble Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel today jointly launched the Bindu Sagar Lake Cleaning Project at Ekamra Khetra, Bhubaneswar. This CSR initiative of IndianOil in collaboration with the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai - IndianOil Campus, Bhubaneswar (ICTM-IOCB) is a part of the much-awaited Swachh Bindu Sagar project. Also present on the occasion were Shri Prafulla Kumar Mallik, State Steel and Mines, Works Minister, Shri Ashok Chandra Panda, SSEPD, Public Enterprises, Science and Technology Minister, Govt. of Odisha, PadmaBibhushan Dr Raghunath Mohapatra, MP, Rajya Sabha, Smt Aparajita Sarangi, MP, Bhubaneswar, Shri Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil, Prof. Aniruddha Balchandra Pandit, Vice-Chancellor, ICT-Mumbai, Shri Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Director (HR), Indian Oil, Shri B. N. Thorat, Director, ICT, IOC and Shri Jaya Krishna Das, MD, Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation Ltd were also present at the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon'ble Chief Minister, Odisha said, "I congratulate Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, IOCL and ICT for extending their supports for this gracious initiative. Bindusagar is associated with socio-cultural life of Bhubaneswar people. It is considered as one of the holiest lakes of our country as it is linked to every holy water body of our country. It is an embodiment of national integration and it's our responsibility to keep it clean and green. It is also our responsibility to keep all other holy ponds and ghats around this Ekamra Khetra clean and green. I seek all your cooperation to keep this lake clean. In coming days, other water bodies in and around the city will also be cleaned and we all should come forward and put a joint effort to keep them clean".
Addressing the occasion, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon'ble Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas extended his New Year greetings and said, "Bindu Sagar at Lord Lingaraj's holy Ekamra Khetra, Bhubaneswar has a distinct identity. Being the largest water body in Bhubaneswar it carries rich divinity and closely associated with Odia culture and tradition. Various rituals of Lord Lingaraj are closely associated with this lake. So, this is a cordial initiative of IndianOil to take forward this Swachha Bindu Sagar initiative. As part of this initiative, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) - IndianOil (IOC) campus, Bhubaneswar in joint collaboration with Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC), the most awaited project is being unveiled. With ICT's patented world-class innovative technology being used to clean this water body, the dream project Swachh Bindusagar is going to be fulfilled".
Shri Pradhan further added that Odisha is going to become the nerve centre of industrialisation through rapid development in petrochemical, chemical, polymer, textile and fibre sectors. Very soon in collaboration with the state government, a textile park is going to be set up at Dhamra, Bhadrak.
Addressing the occasion, Shri Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil said, as an organization driven by a strong environmental conscience, IndianOil's CSR outreaches have also focussed on environmental sustainability and it is indeed our honour to be a part of the similar drive at the temple town of Odisha. It feels me with great joy as IndianOil has embarked on this CSR project Swachh Bindusagar. The project worth Rs. 70 lakh includes running and maintenance costs for three years which is being invested from IndianOil CSR fund.
IndianOil has undertaken this Swachh Bindu Sagar (Cleaning of Bindu Sagar Lake) initiative in collaboration with the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai - IndianOil Campus, Bhubaneswar (ICTM-IOCB) under its CSR ambit in the financial year 2020-21. The project is being executed in collaboration with Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation Ltd. (OBCC). This project dovetails GOI's Swachh Bharat Mission and shall result in improvement of lake ecology, adding to the aesthetic and tourism value. ICT patented 'Hydrodynamic Cavitation Technology' is used to reduce Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) & microbial population in the water body.
Cavitation is basically a phenomenon of nucleation, subsequent growth and implosion of vapour/gas-filled cavities. This can be achieved by alterations in the flow and pressure, which is the basic principle behind the hydrodynamic cavitation technique. The process enhances the overall rate of degradation/mineralization of the pollutant in the wastewater. Four pumping systems along with HDC reactor will be projected around the Bindu Sagar which will make this holy water clean.
K. John Prasad
Chief General Manager
Corporate Communications
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.