WORLD WETLANDS DAY 2020 CELEBRATION

World Wetlands Day Conference 2020 Saturday, 1st February, 2020 Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal, Thane, Maharashtra, India Vision: To be a strong and self sustained organization working for safeguarding the environment, conserve the natural resources and biodiversity. Mission: Empower youth- • To face the challenges of development in this dynamic world. • To harmonize development and conservation of nature so as to make it sustainable. • To encourage research in order to develop novel and sustainable techniques of conservation of nature Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal is an environmental NGO working in the city of Thane in Maharashtra, India for the past 20 years. The main objective of this NGO is to spread awareness among the communities with special focus upon school and college students through research and education. One of the initiatives of this NGO is a movement called “Cleaning the Thane Creek” movement. Thane city is situated and is sprawling around the vast expanse of Thane Creek which was extremely rich and teeming with biodiversity almost until 1990s. Then the creek waters provided means of livelihood to thousands of local fishermen communities all along the creek. However, rapid industrialization and urbanization gradually changed the scenario resulting in massive destruction of biodiversity in and along the creek waters and the worst communities to sustain heavy economic losses were those of the local fishermen. Due to heavy pollution loads, the creek almost ‘died’ and fishery was endangered. Increased urbanization enhanced the habitat destruction as the people dumped their domestic wastes along the banks of the creek and the urban local bodies released the untreated sewage into the creek water. During 1980s and 1990s, local college professors were engaged in extensive research activities on the flora and fauna of the creek. Physico-chemical and biological parameters of the sediment and creek waters was extensively studied by the researchers and vast data was generated which is still available for references. On this background, we at Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal decided to take an initiative some 13 years ago to bring these researchers, academicians and the students as well as local fishermen community members on a common platform on the occasion of the World Wetland Day on 2nd February 2007 by organizing a day long conference on the topics related to wetland conservation with special focus on Thane Creek. Since then, we are organizing such conference in local colleges every year on World Wetlands Day. This year, it was the 14th Wetland Day Conference. Here we present a brief report of this conference. Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal had organized the 14th WWD National conference on Saturday, 1st Feb. 2020 in association with D. G. Ruparel College, Mumbai and Association of Teachers in Biological Sciences in the auditorium of Ruparel College. The inaugural programme began with a Ruparel Song followed by plantation of a sapling in a pot by all the dignitaries. PDM’s Magazine Apala Paryavaran‘s February 2020 issue was released at the hands of dignitaries. This was followed by Welcome address by Dr. Neeta Tatke, Vice Principal, D. G. Ruparel college. Highlights of the Conference:  Introduction of PDM & Participatory Clean Creek Movement- Prof. Vidyadhar Walavalkar, President, Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal. Sir gave detailed introduction of Clean Creek Movement in Thane & how consistently Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal is following it for last 13 years.  Scientific Perspective of Clean Creek Movement- Dr. Prasad Karnik, Vice President, Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal. He presented scientific data of the creek water analysis & its findings in all. The consistent analysis has made the study stronger year by year. • Dr. Kodarkar Memorial Lecture was delivered by Dr. Raghunandan Aathalye. He presented a review of the research on various aspects of Thane Creek over the period of last 25 years. He emphasized the need of study & analysis of the reports of various observations of surrounding wetlands & then correlates between the factors to conclude the study. This will lead to following concrete things: - Spread awareness about the environment. - More experts in the field of environment will become available. - Help in the management of the ecosystems Lakes/Ponds/Rivers/Creeks/Estuaries/ other wetlands. - If we sincerely do these things the wetlands will pay to us much more in return.  Guest Lecture by Dr. Manas Manjrekar, Deputy Director – Research and Capacity Building Mangrove Foundation. Dr. Manjrekar spoke about research & job/career opportunities in the areas like wetland biodiversity, wild life conservation to name a few. He also briefed the audience about various other organizations and NGOs working in the areas of conservation of wetlands, coastal areas, wetlands ecosystem as well as wild life conservation. It was very informative session for the students who are looking for the opportunities in these areas. Dr. Manjrekar also shared his experiences and introduced his organization namely Mangrove Foundation established under the aegis of Mangrove Cell, Forest Dept, Govt. of Maharashtra, explained his current organization, which areas they are exploring for research & capacity building for strengthening the wetlands ecosystem.  Special Talk on Diversity & Ecology of Zooplankton of Wetlands Of Western Ghats by Dr. Kalpana Pai. Dr. Pai is the Head, Dept. of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University. She took the audience on a journey through the kingdom of most precious and crucial organisms of the food chain, the Zooplankton. This lecture was very interesting.  Mr. Bhushan Bhoir- Asstt. Professor, Zoology Dept, Sonopant Dandekar College, Palghar delivered a lecture on Constructive Movement to Protect Local Wetlands. He presented detaile report of the coastline of Palghar, how anthropogenic activities are damaging the wetlands and how with students & citizens participation one can try to keep these threats away & conserve the wetlands.  Mr. Hemant Karkhanis, from Godrej Mangrove Center, Vikhroli presented the work of Mangrove Conservation. He gave special emphasis on how the Godrej Company is managing their waste not only from its offices and canteens, but also from the residential colonies of the Godrej employees. This is certainly reducing burden on the landfill thereby conserving wetlands as the wastes don’t go into any creek. Paper and Poster presentations: As a part of this conference, we had organized paper and poster presentation competitions. Participants were divided into Group A comprising of the Research Scholars and the Teachers and Group B comprising of the UG/PG students. There were 3 Oral presentations from Group A and 13 from Group B. For posters, there were 23 presentations from Group B and none from Group A. Following thrust areas were selected for Poster & Oral Presentation Competition: • Wetland Biodiversity • Public Participation in Conserving Biodiversity of Wetlands. • Wetlands as Dynamic Ecosystem. • Economics of Wetland Ecosystem. • Wetlands Trail-an Effective Tool For Biodiversity Education Total 170 students, researchers, academicians; activists from 15 different colleges participated in this one day 14th National Conference on Wetlands & Biodiversity. Dr. Purushottam Kale & Dr. Madhavi Indap evaluated Oral Presentations of Group A, whereas Dr. Kalpana Pai & Dr Rajan Rele evaluated Oral Presentations of Group B category. Judges for poster presentation were Dr. Dilip Kakvipure form B.N.N. College, Bhvandi, Mr. Hemant Karkhanis of Godrej Mangrove Center & Mr. Bhushan Bhoir from Dandekar College, Palghar. Concluding Session and Valedictory Programm During the valedictory session, environmental activists Mr. Rohit Joshi form Thane, Marine ecologist and expert in Mumbai’s coastal faunal diversity Mr. Pradip Patade & another wetland activist and very strong and active proponent of Mangroves conservation and protection, Mr. Nandkumar Pawar were felicitated to recognize their passion and dedication for wetlands and Mangrove conservation and to present them as the role models before the younger generation of college students. The felicitation was followed by prize distribution for the winners of oral and poster presentation competitions. Dr. Sanjay Joshi, Vice President, Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal, delivered his concluding address taking an overview of the day’s proceedings. Dr. Deepali Bhide proposed the vote of thanks & the conference ended with National Anthem. The students of Ruparel College did a fantastic job of making the relevant backdrop under the guidance of Dr. Shyam Palkar & Dr. Shashank. Dr. Gayatri Gadgil successfully did the comparing of the inaugural & valedictory sessions. Dr. Gayathri Narayan & Shabana Shaikh neatly organized the poster presentation section. Dr. Neeta Tatke & Dr. Meenakshi Sundaresan were very instrumental in conducting the conference. The hospitality in charge Dr. Abhaya Chitre & Prof. Arati Daftardar did excellent job by very good arrangements of tea, Breakfast & lunch. All the oral presentations were managed by Dr. Neha Sawant & Dr. Deepali Bhide. Excellent teamwork was demonstrated by the people working at PDM under the guidance of Ms. Sangita Joshi, Secretary, PDM. Special efforts were taken by Mrs. Rupali Shaiwale and Ms Surabhi Walawalkar of the PDM for organizing this conference.