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Jatindra Dash in Bhubaneswar
Noted environmentalist and political leader Banka Behari Das died of a heart attack on Saturday, his family has announced. He was 79.
Das leaves behind two daughters and two sons. His wife Sudhamanjari, an educationist, died a few years ago.
Das suffered a heart attack at 1100 IST and was rushed to hospital, but the doctors failed to revive him.
A large number of social activists, politicians and common citizens gathered at his house as news of his death spread.
"The death of Das is a great loss to the state," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in his condolence message.
Das was known at home and abroad for his campaign to protect the Olive Ridley turtles in Orissa's Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary. He had successfully waged a struggle to save the Chilika Lake, a world-renowned bird sanctuary, and it was largely due to his efforts that the industrial house of Tatas had abandoned its plans to construct a steel plant in the area.
Das also formed a farmers' body named the Orissa Krushak Mahasangha [Orissa Farmers' Organisation] that took up the cause of agriculturists.
Born in 1923 in Kalyanpur village in the coastal district of Cuttack, Banka Behari Das began his political career in 1957 when he was elected to the Orissa assembly on a Congress ticket. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1967 to 1971. From 1972 to 1975, he served as minister for finance, planning and co-ordination in the Cabinet of Orissa Chief Minister Nandini Satpathy.
Indo-Asian News Service
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