BHUBANESWAR: The second preparatory camp for Expedition Himsikhar, a joint venture by Department of Sports and Youth Services and Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), East Zone kicked off at Panchalingeswar in Balasore.
A group of 38 students, including 12 girls, selected from the first camp held at Sandakhphu, Darjeeling is taking part in the camp. They will undergo training on natural rock climbing, rappelling, river crossing and other activities during five days where 10 instructors have been engaged apart from other support staff. Chairman of IMF - East Zone, Kolkata Manik Banerjee inaugurated the camp.
Besides the training, IMF has started a campaign to clean the writings and paintings on the surface of rocks at Panchalingeswar as part of an awareness programme ‘Save The Beauty of Natural Rocks’ in association with Nature and Wildlife Conservation Society of Odisha and Balasore Wildlife Division.
Susanta Das, wildlife enthusiast and Member of IMF- East Zone said the campaign will create awareness among tourist and locals not to deface the natural rocks of Panchalingeswar which is part of the famous Kuladiha Wildlife Sanctuary.