A model of the first aquatic biopark of the country that was inaugurated in Kozhikode.
KOZHIKODE: Chief minister Oommen Chandy laid the foundation stone for the proposed Malabar Aquatic Biopark project which will host the largest collection of aquatic plants in the country at the Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences (MBGIPS) at Olavanna on Thursday.
The aquatic biopark, the first such facility in the country, will come up in 15 acres of wetland at the botanical garden in a phased manner. The chief minister also declared the institute as a constituent R&D institution under the Kerala state council for science technology and environment (KSCSTE). He said that the government has earmarked Rs three crore for development of research facilities at the institute. Oommen Chandy added that the government would provide young research fellowships worth Rs 3 lakh each to ten students in the field of biodiversity.
The aquatic biopark will feature various model ecosystems including mangrove vegetation, marshy lands and fresh water systems. The Malabar botanical garden already has a collection of 403 aquatic plants.
Also, the project involves setting up a national level conservatory for rare and endemic aquatic plants. A circular pond spread over 5.5 acres will be developed in the centre of the wetland. An open-air auditorium will also come up in the middle of the water body. The botanical garden will also be upgraded as the Lead Garden in aquatic biodiversity in the country.
A novel ecosystem service facility project under which rare, threatened and endangered (RET) plants propagated through tissue culture will be reintroduced back into their natural ecosystems was launched at the function which was presided over by agriculture minister K P Mohanan.
The RETTI scheme (Rural Empowerment through Technology Intervention) project implemented in collaboration with Kerala State Youth Welfare Board (KSYWB) was also inaugurated at the function.
"We will be setting up a conservatory and there will be a centre for eco education intended to create awareness among visitors including students and researchers on the underutilized and valuable aquatic resources of the country. There will be boating services and walkways through the water bodies which will enable visitors to see various water plants from close quarters," Dr. R Prakashkumar, Director of MBGIPS who presented report on MBGIPS said.
Kozhikode MP, M K Raghavan, P T A Rahim MLA, KSYWB vice chairman, P S Prashanth spoke at the function
The aquatic biopark, the first such facility in the country, will come up in 15 acres of wetland at the botanical garden in a phased manner. The chief minister also declared the institute as a constituent R&D institution under the Kerala state council for science technology and environment (KSCSTE). He said that the government has earmarked Rs three crore for development of research facilities at the institute. Oommen Chandy added that the government would provide young research fellowships worth Rs 3 lakh each to ten students in the field of biodiversity.
The aquatic biopark will feature various model ecosystems including mangrove vegetation, marshy lands and fresh water systems. The Malabar botanical garden already has a collection of 403 aquatic plants.
Also, the project involves setting up a national level conservatory for rare and endemic aquatic plants. A circular pond spread over 5.5 acres will be developed in the centre of the wetland. An open-air auditorium will also come up in the middle of the water body. The botanical garden will also be upgraded as the Lead Garden in aquatic biodiversity in the country.
A novel ecosystem service facility project under which rare, threatened and endangered (RET) plants propagated through tissue culture will be reintroduced back into their natural ecosystems was launched at the function which was presided over by agriculture minister K P Mohanan.
The RETTI scheme (Rural Empowerment through Technology Intervention) project implemented in collaboration with Kerala State Youth Welfare Board (KSYWB) was also inaugurated at the function.
"We will be setting up a conservatory and there will be a centre for eco education intended to create awareness among visitors including students and researchers on the underutilized and valuable aquatic resources of the country. There will be boating services and walkways through the water bodies which will enable visitors to see various water plants from close quarters," Dr. R Prakashkumar, Director of MBGIPS who presented report on MBGIPS said.
Kozhikode MP, M K Raghavan, P T A Rahim MLA, KSYWB vice chairman, P S Prashanth spoke at the function
Source : Times of India
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