Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 04 February 2025
The Department of Geography at Mahatma Gandhi Government College (MGGC), Mayabunder, in collaboration with the Department of Environment & Forest (DoEF), North & Middle Andaman, celebrated World Wetlands Day on January 31, 2025. The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands and their conservation.
The celebrations commenced with a rally, flagged off by Dr. S. Dinesh Kannan, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), at the Helipad. The rally concluded at the Forest Club, Mayabunder, spreading awareness among the public about the ecological significance of wetlands.
Following the rally, a gathering was addressed by Mr. Thomas Varghese, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Mayabunder. He emphasized the crucial role wetlands play in sustaining biodiversity. Dr. S. Dinesh Kannan further elaborated on biodiversity conservation strategies, while Dr. B. Prabhuram, Principal of MGGC, also shared his insights on the occasion. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Monideepa Chowdary, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Mayabunder Division.
As part of the celebration, a beach cleanup and a mangrove plantation drive were conducted at Karmatang No. 9. Students from the Department of Geography, MGGC, actively participated, collecting and segregating around 16 bags of marine litter, including plastic water bottles, juice bottles, glass bottles, beverage cans, food packaging wrappers, and discarded fishing gear. The segregated waste was then handed over to the nearest Solid and Liquid Resource Management (SLRM) Center for proper disposal.
The event concluded with a mangrove plantation drive, where students and faculty members planted approximately 50 saplings belonging to eight different mangrove species. The initiative underscored the importance of preserving and restoring wetland ecosystems, reinforcing the need for continued environmental conservation efforts.