By Alok V Saldanha, Team Mangalorean
 
Mangalore: Speaking in the College of Fisheries seminar hall here on Tuesday June 5, Laboratory of Applied Biology (LAB) director at St Aloysius Fr Leo D'Souza SJ gave a call to people to wear a 'green' attitude.

He spoke on the occasion of a programme organized by the department of Aquatic Environment Management and National Service Scheme of College of Fisheries, in collabration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Animal Care Trust, Mangalore .

In his address accompanied by a Powerpoint presentation, he recalled with photographic evidence how 'green' coastal region Mangalore was, and how 'brown' it has now become. He was grateful to the environmentalists who took a lead forty years ago by creating awareness programmes about the environment.

"A few trees which took a thousand years to grow are now cut by making use of modern equipments within an hour,"  he explained. "Villagers weaving baskets are now not finding those vines easily in forests and they have to go walk miles to find them," he rued, attributing it to deforestation.

Commenting on the planting of casuarina and eucalyptus trees, he said that these trees would not provide a niche for earthworms as the trees are foreign and also observed that naturally-grown medicinal plants that had been treasured by 'pandits' could not survive there.

Fisheries College dean Dr K M Shankar in his presidential address said that the World Environment Day was an eye-opener and it should not be followed as a ritual. "Each of our attempts to make the Earth greener counts" he said.

Daniel Tauro, an active volunteer from Animal Care Trust was also present on the dais.

Teak Saplings sponsored by the Animal Care Trust were planted in the campus before the programme. A ninety-minute documentary titled 'Home - The Journey of Mother Earth ' was screened to mark the day. It was appreciated by one and all present as it was successful in opening the eyes of the awestruck audience.

Staff and students from the college, members from Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Animal Care Trust were also present on the occasion. The programme began with an invocation by Manjula Shenoy followed by the lighting of the traditional lamp by the dignitaries present.

Fisheries College professor and AEM HOD Dr Gangadhara Gowda welcomed the gathering. Fisheries College professor Dr Shivakumar Magada compered the programme.

Associate professor and NSS programme officer of the college Dr A T Ramachandra Naik delivered a vote of thanks.