Mangroves which play a large role in reducing pollution are fast vanishing and its conservation is the need of the hour, said Deputy Mayor B Bhadra.
She was inaugurating the seminar and lab to field programme on mangrove propagation and conservation jointly organised by the School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology and Swadeshi Science Movement on Thursday.
As the mangrove ecosystem is shrinking and rare species vanishing, measures are being taken to restore them.
Around 25 rare saplings reared in the nursery by the Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry were planted at Mangalavanam as part of the programme.
The Department plans to plant saplings at Chellanam, Vypeen and other parts of the city in association with NGOs.
Awareness programmes alone are not enough for conservation of nature. Each one should realise that he too gains by it in the long run, said P Sreekantan Nair, director, Environment and Climate Change, in his keynote address.
Cusat Vice-Chancellor Ramachandran Thekkadath presided over the function.
D Rajendran, assistant conservator of forests of Ernakulam Social Forestry, and N G K Pillai, secretary of Swadeshi Science Movement offered felicitations.
S Bijoy Nandan of the department welcomed the gathering and research scholar Sreelakshmi S proposed a vote of thanks. Technical sessions were held on conservation of mangrove.