Scientists Deliberate On Soil, Air And Water Pollution And Mitigation Strategies At PAU

Ludhiana, November 23, 2016: The 30th National level, three weeks training course on “Soil, Air and Water Pollution and Mitigation Strategies” organized by Centre of Advanced Faculty training (CAFT), Department of Soil Science and sponsored by ICAR saw the participation of 25 scientists from 11 states representing different ICAR institutes and State agricultural universities.

Dr O.P. Choudhary, Chief-coordinator, CAFT revealed that the participants went through rigorous lectures, interactive sessions by eminent scientists on environmental issues associated with intensive agriculture, effect of mass scale residue burning on air pollution and climate influence of industrial effluents and city waste waters on heavy metal pollution and crop nutrition, ameliorative techniques for mitigating heavy metal toxicity, Influence of nutrient management and changing climate on Carbon sequestration, Role of nano-technology in reducing soil and water pollution etc.

Hands on training were given to the participants on advanced equipments such as ICAP-AES, ICAP-MS, Gas Chromatograph etc. The scientists were also taken to Sewage treatment Plant, Bhattian, BISA Farm, Ladhowal and PFDC Farm. Five distinguished resource persons were invited to deliver lectures related to various aspects of pollution and their ameliorative measures. ICAR nominated Dr P R Prasad, Assoc. Director of Research at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lam, Guntur, interacted with the participants and shared his thoughts on the topical theme of the training “Impact of environmental pollution on Agriculture- & Vice versa – Indian Context”.

In her concluding address, Chief Guest, Dr (Mrs) Neelam Grewal, Dean Post Graduate Studies, PAU, highlighted the issue of pollution and its impact on agricultural productivity. She applauded the research accomplishments of the department and hoped that the training would sensitize the participating scientists about the need of reducing pollution levels and conserving environment for our coming generations. Dr Grewal exhorted the participants to continue to sustain linkages with faculty of Soil Science in future too.

Earlier while welcoming the Chief Guest, Dr. B.S. Brar, Head of the Department of Soil Science and Director, CAFT shared that on the basis of achievements and distinguished faculty, Department of Soil Science was awarded ICAR sponsored CAS in 1994. Since 1995, the department has organized 29 CAS /CAFT trainings and trained more than 500 scientists so far.