Port Blair, Sept. 18: World Ozone Day celebration was held in Zoological Survey of India on Friday 16th September 2022. The year 2022 is the 35th anniversary of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which was agreed on this day in 1987.
Dr. K. Ravichandran, IFS, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Department of Environment & Forests, A & N Islands graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Dr. Ramakrishna, Former Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata; Dr. E.B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, Dr. S. Senthil Kumar, IFS were Guests of Honor. The inaugural programme was started with invocation and lightening the Lamp by the Chief Guest and Guests of Honor. 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 celebration of the Ozone Day.
In his felicitation address, Dr. S. Senthil Kumar, IFS, has emphasized on the effect of tourism on the Ozone layer and how it has been dealt in these past years. He has highlighted the involvement of youth of these islands in developing a better platform which will encompass the ambitions to achieve a better environment. Dr. E.B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair accentuated how the pandemic shaped the Ozone layer and the underlying effects. He stated the various prominent factors in reduction of ozone layer and relevancy of those to the evolution of this Anthropocene era. In his address, he also mentioned the drastic difference that scientists have seen during the lockdown and how the ozone layer reformed around the world. Dr. Ramakrishna, Former Director, in his felicitation address he has taken in the journey of origin of climate change and continental drift. He also addressed on the major components of biogeography of various ocean and how it has been ameliorated by the gradual change in ozone layer in our planet. He summarized with how the depletion in ozone layer has caused habitat loss, increase in invasive species, threatened species, over exploitation and lastly extinction with interconnection to climate change.
Dr. K. Ravichandran, IFS, APCCF in his inaugural address summarized the emphasis of protection of climate through cooperation and involvement of students. The speech embodied the amendments of Montreal protocol throughout the year and its role in identifying the ozone depleting substances. He also prioritized the role of UV-Rays in crop and fodder damage. He also added powerful insights how to attain an eco-friendly environment which can take place from our households. The speaker attractively abridged his speech by conveying how to develop best behaviour to attain a greener environment. The inaugural session was dissolved through a heartfelt vote of thanks from Dr. C. Sivaperuman, Officer in charge ANRC/ ZSI, Port Blair.
In the technical session, four talks were made by eminent scientists working in the field of climate change. The first lecture delivered by Dr. Sanat Kumar Das, Associate Professor, Bose Institute, Kolkata whose primary research works involve in investigations on optical and physical properties of aerosols, and their impact on perturbation in Earth’s radiation budget and alteration in cloud formation. The second speaker Dr. R. Gopichandran, delivered a talk on Changing Ozone Layer and our duty to protect. He has enlightened audience how the Government of India has entrusted the work relating to the ozone layer protection and implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances the Ozone Layer to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The third talk delivered by Dr. C. Sivaperuman, Officer-in-Charge on an overview of Antarctica, details of expedition carried out by India. He also highlighted about the faunal diversity of Antarctica. The fourth talk by Dr. P.M. Mohan, Professor, Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University, Port Blair has delivered a talk Carrying all life under the sun. He has highlighted about the importance of the preserving the ozone layer and how it protects all living things from too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
As a part of the celebrations, a one-day workshop was organized by Zoological Survey of India to create greater awareness among students. A total of 120 students participated from the Department of Botany & Zoology from Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidhyalaya (JNRM), Andaman College, Andaman Law College, Pondicherry University, Regional Medical Research Centre, Tagore Government College of Education, Kendriya Vidyalaya - II, St Mary’s Senior Secondary School, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Government Senior Secondary School, Mohanpura, Kamaraj English Medium School, Nirmala Senior Secondary School, Ummat Public School, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean studies, Government Arts & College; besides 3rd year B.Sc. students, Department of Zoology, Arignar Anna Govt. Arts College, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu and M.Sc., students of Centre for Advance studies in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, North Andaman Forests Division, Diglipur were attended the workshop online.
The inaugural function also attended by Officers and Staffs from different Central Government Organizations of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and mainland. The theme of the World Ozone Day of the year 2022 is “Montreal Protocol@35: global cooperation protecting life on earth”