Pathanamthitta: Protection of environment is the duty of every individual and ignoring this prime duty will be an unpardonable mistake to the posterity, Fr K.M. George, renowned theology scholar and Sopanam Academy director, has said.

Fr George was inaugurating the ecology seminar organised by the Ecological Commission of the Malankara Orthodox Church in connection with the 113rd feast of St Gregorios and the annual Church festival at Parumala on Tuesday.

The Ecological Commission chairman, Kuriakose Mar Cleemis Metropolitan, presided over the function. The Church of South India Ecological Commission convener, Mathew Koshy Punnackad, delivered the keynote address on ‘sustainable consumerism’.

Youhanon Mar Chrysostomos Metropolitan, and Joseph Mar Divannasius Metropolitan delivered the benedictory speeches. Fr M.C. Kuriakose, Parumala Seminary manager; Fr Varghese John, vice president of the Niranom diocese; , Varghese John; M.K. Varghese Corepiscopa, Michael Zachariah, Binoy P. Thomas, and Shibu P. Varghese, also spoke, reported The Hindu.

Mar Cleemis inaugurated the Biodiversity Expo organised by the Ecological Commission of the Church along with the Kerala State Biodiversity Board at Parumala, later.