Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday showered praises on ‘canal man’ Daitari Naik, who was recently selected for Padma Shri Award for his noble work. Modi narrated Naik’s story while addressing the nation during the monthly radio programme ‘Man Ki Baat.’
“You must have heard about Odisha’s Daitari Naik, who is not nicknamed the ‘Canal Man of Odisha’ for nothing. Daitari Naik chiseled through the mountain literally with his hands and carved a three kilometers long canal in his village, and put to rest forever the problem of irrigation and water by the sheer dint of his labour,” said Modi in his 53rd episode of his monthly radio-broadcast.
Septuagenarian Naik had single-handedly carved out a three km canal from Gonasika mountains in Keonjhar district to the parched land downstream to ensure flow of water for cultivation.
In January, Naik (70) along with two other personalities – Kamala Pujari and D Prakash Rao from Odisha were chosen for this year’s Padma Shri award.
