Citing the controversy over Ockhi cyclone warning, the Union Minister of State for Tourism, Alphons Kannanthanam, has called for ensuring the efficacy of technologies used for forecasting such disasters.

He was speaking at the second international symposium on the Societal Applications in Fisheries and Aquaculture using Remote Sensing Imagery, organised by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute here on Tuesday.

There is a need to develop adequate technologies to deal with such disasters. Scientists working in the area should ensure the efficacy of the existing technologies, reliability of the data and models. Satellite and remote sensing data could be used to improve the system, he added.

The Minister called upon scientists to focus on community-oriented research works. The studies in the area of fisheries and marine sector should be helpful in upgrading the socio-economic status of the fisherfolk, Kannanthanam said.

He also said satellite and remote sensing data would be used for developing eco-tourism in the country.

Discussions were held at the symposium on aquatic environment and ecology; harvest fisheries; fisheries management; socio-economics, communication technologies in disaster management; and aquaculture.

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