Heritage campaign concludes with cultural programmes

Aurangabad: The two-day heritage conservation programme concluded in style on Saturday, with school and college students participating in a myriad of cultural programmes and officials and activists lending full support to the cause.
Municipal commissioner Nipun Vinayak clarified that this is just the beginning and that extensive efforts in heritage conservation would be made in the coming three years.
The second day’s programmes were inaugurated at 7.30 am at Satara Hill by Vinayak. Local corporator Sayali Jamadar, civic officials and members of Prayas Youth Foundation, mayor, students of MIT College and a significant number of citizens were present.
A total of 268 trees were planted on Satara Hill by the participants. Appealing to people to protect the trees, Vinayak said that MIT College will help in the process. “Earlier, Satara Hill was known as one-tree hill, but I hope that it will be known as the hill of many trees in the future,” he said.
At Khandoba temple at the foothill, students of AMC’s primary schools at Itkheda, Kanchanwadi, Banewadi, Hazrat Shah Urdu Primary School, MIT College NSS students and Shreyas Engineering College presented patriotic songs, group dance and various cultural programmes in the morning.
The participants were given certificates. The civic chief appealed to the headmasters of the schools to arrange trips for students to heritage sites in and around the city. Khandoba Mandir Devasthan felicitated the civic chief and other officials on the occasion.
A drawing competition was organised for schoolchildren at 22 places in the city. The drawings were adjudged by a team comprising AMC officials and faculty of Raja Ravi Verma Arts College. The winners were given certificates and books. The city also saw a signature campaign, poster exhibition and other programmes at 22 different locations.
At 8 am, mayor Nandkumar Ghodele inaugurated an information board on the 400-year-old African Baobab tree on the main road at Chikalthana. Nature lovers Kishor Pathak gave information about the tree. Garden superintendent Vijay Patil was present.