Film Screening: ‘Chilika – Jewel of Odisha’, 25th Sept 2013, SCCS, IISc, Bangalore

Chilika — The Jewel of Odisha

A Chilika Development Authority Presentation
Produced, Photographed and Written by: Shekar Dattatri
Duration: 21 minutes
Screening: 5pm, open to public

This is the story of Chilika, a dying lake that was restored to life. Situated on India’s East Coast, in the state of Odisha, Chilika is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia. It is also the largest wintering ground for waterfowl on the Indian subcontinent, attracting migrants from Europe, Central Asia and Siberia. Chilika is home to the highly endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, and is also a treasure trove of other biodiversity. In 1981, it was designated as India’s first Ramsar Site. However, by the late 1990s, it had become a weed-infested, dying lake due to changes in its ecological characteristics. Thanks to careful, science-driven restoration by the Chilika Development Authority, it is once again a reliable source of livelihood for local communities and a vibrant refuge for wildlife.

The film screening will be part of The Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) – Bangalore. SCCS aims to facilitate interaction, exchange of research ideas and methods, building contacts and building capacity of young researchers in all aspects of conservation science. SCCS-Bangalore focuses on attracting student participants, primarily from countries in South and South-east Asia and Africa. The 2013 conference will be held at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, from 25th to 28th September 2013. SCCS Bangalore is organized by a conglomerate of institutions listed on our organisers page and hosted by the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, the National Centre for Biological Sciences and the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust.