Varuna,
the God of water, is one of the most revered deities in Rig Veda. He occupies
such an important position that the ancient sages have dedicated so many verses
to Him. This is also due to the fact that 71% of the surface of the globe
is engulfed with ocean which is a home to million of aquatic species most of
whose behavior is yet to be recorded completely. It has remained a mystery
to the mankind and also will continue to be so in future. The scientific
community all over the globe has kept up its spirit to go into details of the
marine environment thus unraveling the mystery. Before the mystery
being unraveled, the coastal domain of this vast water body has been the focus
of discussion due to its vary nature of sensitive existence. The coastal
zone, comprising a variety of highly dynamic and sensitive ecosystems such as
lakes, lagoons, estuaries, bays, creeks, deltas etc. serve as a storehouse of
various living and nonliving resources. This area in general is thickly
populated and it is estimated that around 75% of the total human population have
their dwellings along the coast. The population explosion along the
coastline is a matter of great concern to all of us. The steady increase
in the polluting activities of man all along the coastal zone has led to
significant ecological changes threatening the very existence of fragile coastal
habitats. At this crucial juncture, efforts have to be initiated towards
assessing the point up to, which the ecology has been polluted, and also
devising ways to restore status quo with ample ways to manage the existing
resources. In this direction, Department of Ocean Development (DOD) has
pressed the right button in establishing an autonomous cell under Berhampur
University to look after such important issues, which rightly deals with
ecological aspects along the East Coast of India.
The Department of Ocean Development (DOD), Government of India on January 15, 1998 established an autonomous cell- Ocean Science & Technology Cell (OSTC) on Marine Coastal Ecology by signing an MOU with Berhampur University for promotion and implementation of advanced studies and research on marine coastal ecology. The OST Cell has started functioning inside the premises of Berhampur University since then.
THE MANDATE
To
encourage and promote the potential of research in frontier areas of the
designated field through projects, operative at the Cell and generating projects
after peer review at several stages.
Manpower development programme in various forms, such as: research projects,
conducting workshops, seminars, symposia, short term training programs
etc.
Promotion and linkage of activities of OSTC, Berhampur University with other
research institutions/industries in and outside the country for exchange
of ideas/ knowledge through collaborative planning.
Human resources development and socio-economic upliftment of people of the
coastal areas through such studies and research, and many such other
important functions.
