Berhampur: A 26-year-old man from West Bengal, who is on a cycle expedition to create awareness on plantations to counter global warming, was in silk city on Monday after covering over 4,700-km in over three months.
Prasanjit Das, a trader from Lalgola, Murshidabad in West Bengal started from Murshidabad on Jan 4. After covering West Bengal, Jharkhand and some parts of Odisha, he reached Berhampur.
Holding placards along with some other local social activists, he raised awareness among the people visiting Thakurani Yatra at Desibehera street. He also visited some colleges before proceeding towards Andhra Pradesh from where he plans to go to Tamil Nadu and then Sri Lanka in June. After returning to India, he will cycle towards north India.
“People are now feeling the pinch of global warming due to destruction of forest and chopping down of trees. To counter it, one has to plant trees. Similarly, to protect the environment and to keep fit, one needs to ride the bicycle and minimise use to vehicles. I spread this message everywhere,” said Das.
Das said he found it difficult to cycle on NHs in Odisha with the temperature touching 38°C to 40°C. After sunset, he used to rest and start his journey early in the morning. Social activists and police in different places arranged for his night accommodation.
He said this was his fourth cycle expedition. In 2019, he had covered West Bengal, in 2021 he had toured 19 states and six union territories and in 2023 he had peddled across Uttarakhand but has never received any financial support for it. Sibaram Panigrahy, president, Sabuja Bahini, a Berhampur-based organization, felicitated him upon his arrival in the city.