Port Blair, Oct. 13: The one-week compulsory training course on Coastal and Marine Biodiversity of Island Ecosystem for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officers conducted by Zoological Survey of India, Port Blair during 9th – 13th, October 2023 culminated on 13th October 2023. The training course organized in collaboration with Department of Environment and Forests, sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. Total of 21 service officers from different States & Union Territory including Daman & Diu, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The valedictory function of the five-day training course held on 13th October 2023 at TSG, Grand, Dollygunj, Port Blair. Shri. Devesh Chandra Srivastava, IPS, Director General of Police was a Chief Guest; Shri. Surendra Mehra, IFS, Advisor, Niti Aayog, was a guest of honour. This training course on coastal and marine biodiversity was designed to achieve the objective of promoting integrated management of coastal and marine biodiversity in India. This course aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect, preserve, and conserve the marine ecosystem and biodiversity.
This training also designed to provide participants with the competencies needed for developing and managing marine tourism in coastal areas, on small islands, and in Marine Protected Areas, through a combination of theoretical learning, case studies, and practical exercises. This training had class room exercises and field training. The field training provided in Swaraj Dweep (Rani Jhansi Marine National Park) to understand about the ecotourism planning in the ecologically sensitive coastal and marine areas; Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, and Chidiyatappu Biological Park to understand the effectiveness of the Management Plan with special reference to livelihood and biodiversity conservation linkages; conservation and management of endemic, endangered and threatened species; Baratang to study the mangrove ecosystem; Integrated Management of Coastal and Marine Protected Area, also conducted hands on field experience on intertidal marine fauna at Burmanella, South Andaman
Shri. Devesh Chandra Srivastava, IPS, Director General of Police, in his valedictory address greeted the participants for actively participating in the five days training course. The DGP highly appreciated ZSI for conducting such an important course in order to create greater awareness in conservation of marine biodiversity wealth of our country. He was fortunate seeing the course syllabus and specified Malacca which carries more than 66-60% of the commercial sea transportation which takes place from the Southeast Asia to Europe and Africa. He further added that a GNI project over there likely to be completed by 2040 in which we will have a transshipment port at the southernmost tip of the country i.e., Indira Point of Campbell Bay. He mentioned the historical importance of our island and the inhabited islands in which English, Dutch and French tried to occupy these lands because of its strategic importance. He further encouraged the officers to take radical responsibility in conversation and how it is necessary to develop new skills and improve expertise to serve the public interest. He congratulated all the participants and distributed the certificate to the trainees.
Shri. Surendre Mehra, IFS, Advisor, Niti Aayog, in his felicitation address, congratulated and appreciated ZSI for conducting such an informative training program. He stated the importance of such training programs and how it has benefitted the officers. He has mentioned two aspects of the training program, the field visits and sharing experiences with officers who have come from different parts of the country which will be very useful in the near future. He further added how it is important to manage the coastal ecosystem and marine biodiversity for future generation. He stated the livelihood concerns of local communities, impact of global warming and climate change on forests and biodiversity, geographical information system. He also stated the practical skills in marine monitoring and conservation techniques.
Dr. C. Sivaperuman, Officer-in-Charge, ZSI, Port Blair, greeted the dignities, and guest invites. In his welcome address, he mentioned about the training course conducted over the period of five days, and briefed about the programme. The programme concluded with vote of thanks.