It’s almost been two decades since the Biodiversity Festival (Pata pantala Jatara) has been initiated by Deccan Development Society (DDS) near Zaheerabad.
This year, the DDS has decided to celebrate the festival in new villages, through which the decked-up bullock carts would travel, creating awareness among villagers about the importance of biodiversity. As many as 16 bullock carts have already been moved to the villages for the event.
Every year, the month-long festival begins on January 14. The bullock carts travel through several villages before culminating at Machanur, the activity centre of DDS.
On Monday, the festival would commence at Arjun Naik Tanda in Zaheerabad mandal and conclude at Pastapur on February 13. The bullock cart procession would pass through 23 villages in Zaheerabad, Kohir and Mogudampally mandals, of which about 80% of new ones.
State Civil Supplies Commissioner Akun Sabarval would participate in the inaugural programme.
“The festival has made villagers understand what biodiversity is. They now know their valuable heritage and the need to protect it,” said DDS director P.V. Satheesh.
