Port Blair, Sept 16: Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) organised a workshop on Island Biology in its premises to celebrate World Ozone Day, today. The workshop aimed at creating awareness about World Ozone Day and the importance of Ozone amongst the students of the islands. Total of 120 students from the Department of Botany and Zoology from Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidhyalaya (JNRM), Andaman College, Andaman Law College, and Pondicherry University attended the workshop besides Officers and Staffs from different Central Government Organizations.
Smt. Jayshree Ardey Chauhan, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning & Development), Department of Environment & Forests, A & N Islands graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Dr. P. Vijayachari, Director, Regional Medical Centre, ICMR, Port Blair and Prof. M.S. Soundarapandian, Principal Andaman Law College, Port were Guests of Honor.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Jayshree Ardey Chauhan, touched upon the importance of the celebration of the World Ozone Day. She urged the participants especially young students to be actively involved in prevention and reducing the global warming and ozone depleting gases in their day to day life by minimizing the use of domestic appliance and promoting vehicle sharing in the islands. She also congratulated the ZSI for initiating the steps for celebration of the World Ozone Day.
In his felicitation address, Prof. M.S. Soundarapandian, Principal Andaman Law College, congratulated ZSI on organizing the workshop. He also insisted upon the participants to make the workshop a great success by their fullest participation. In his speech, he highlighted the significance of this special day and emphasized on the importance of the need to celebrate World Ozone Day and its origin from Montreal Protocol. He briefed about ozone and its importance, with measures to save it from further depletion in respect to island ecosystem.
Dr. P. Vijayachari, Director, Regional Medical Research Centre, ICMR in his felicitation address explained to audience about the origin of Montreal Protocol and celebration of Ozone Day. He discussed about hostile effects of ozone depleting substances, its origin and measures to reduce. He also highlighted about three important domains i.e. human, animal, and environment which are important for the earth. “About 85 percent of the diseases origin from animals especially poultry and from animal faecal matters, therefore, we need to educate to keep the environment neat, clean and cool”, he said.
Earlier, Dr. C. Sivaperuman, Officer-in-Charge, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India welcomed the Chief Guest, Guests of Honor, invitees and participant of the workshop. He also highlighted about the importance of the Ozone day celebration.
The theme of the World Ozone Day of the year 2019 is “32 years and healing”. The year 2019 is the 32nd anniversary of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which was agreed on this day in 1987.