SAMBALPUR/BOUDH:Braving the scorching sun and intense heat, thousands of bike-borne youth members of BJD led the Mahanadi Surakhya Abhijan into Boudh on Friday. All through the journey, the rally was accorded a rousing reception by people.After the Mahanadi Aarati at Marwaripada Ghat in Sambalpur on Thursday evening, the rally, which was flagged off from Jail Chowk, moved towards Sonepur via Maneswar, Dhama under Rairakhol Assembly segment.
BJD leaders held a street corner meeting at Dhama where they appealed to people to join the Mahanadi fight and lend their support against Chhattisgarh which is threatening the culture and identity of Odisha.
Later, the rally covered Ulunda, Binka in Birmaharajpur Assembly segment and Sonepur and crossed over to Manamunda in Kantamal Assembly segment in Boudh.
At Boudh, street corner meetings were held in the night. The rally will move towards Daspalla in Nayagarh on Saturday enroute to Khurda, Brahmagiri, Puri, Nimapada before reaching Paradip.
Besides holding street corner meetings, Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) members are also distributing leaflets and handbook on plight of Mahanadi.
Working president of BYJD Sanjit Mohanty said he was touched by the response and enthusiasm among people on the issue. He said the Abhijan has sent across the message to people to get united and fight for Mahanadi river which is drying up fast.