Quepem: The book Floristic Diversity of Goa Along Zuari and Sal Rivers, authored by Celly Quadros, Venecha Carvalho, and Krishnan Sellappan, was released on Saturday evening at a formal function attended by members of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs), students, faculty members, colleagues of the authors, and members of the public. The publication highlights the rich floral diversity along the Zuari and Sal rivers and contributes significantly to biodiversity documentation in Goa.
The book has been published by Government College, Quepem, in collaboration with Goa University. Dr Pravina Kerkar, Principal of Government College, Quepem, spoke on the importance of the publication and, drawing from her background as a geographer, reflected on the changes observed along the Zuari River over the years. Prof. Krishnan Sellappan provided an overview of the broader academic context and highlighted Goa University’s vision and contributions towards biodiversity documentation and conservation. Ms Venecha Carvalho gave insights into the contents of the book and shared the journey undertaken by the authors in bringing the work to completion.
The book was formally released by the Chief Guest, Harish Adconkar, Director, Department of Science, Technology and Waste Management (DST & WM). Dr Pradip Sarmokadam, Member Secretary, Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB), and Guest of Honour, underscored the importance of ecosystems, particularly riverine ecosystems, and the need for systematic documentation of biodiversity. He also appreciated the role of BMCs in documenting biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, and congratulated the authors on their contribution.
Addressing the gathering, Harish Adconkar commended the manner in which Celly Quadros integrated her scientific approach and field experience in the book. He also appreciated the contribution of the young author, Ms Venecha Carvalho, for her commitment to the project, and acknowledged Prof. Krishnan Sellappan’s mentorship as a key element in the successful completion of the work.
Ms Celly Quadros, Principal Investigator of the project and author, proposed the vote of thanks and briefly outlined the journey of the project since 2017, which brought together the Department of Science and Technology, Biodiversity Management Committees, and her doctoral research. She also acknowledged the support of Dr Levinson Martins, IAS, former Director of DST, and thanked all individuals and institutions who contributed to the project in various capacities.
Prof. Malapati Janarthanam, Chairperson of the Goa State Research Foundation, and Rev. Fr. Gabriel Coutinho, Manager of Rosary College, were other dignitaries who graced the event. Ms Priya Almeida, co-host and Chairperson of Navelim BMC, introduced the guest earlier, while Dr Deepa Prajith, HOD of the English Department, compered the programme gracefully.
