Environment Health Division

University of Pune
Pune, Maharashtra, India

Please note that the copyright for this profile is retained by the institution.


The Environment Health Division (EHD) of the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Pune (Pune, India) is a division having a multifaceted role in the field of environment and health. Problems related to the environment, health and development are often complex and call for a comprehensive approach. Individual disciplines can rarely provide solutions to such problems and it is here that multi- and interdisciplinary cooperation comes into the picture. Such a kind of cooperation is not a goal but a tool for solving problems. The School of Health Sciences uses this interdisciplinary approach keeping a focus on health. The most serious environmental problems are of global nature and call for international cooperation. Such cooperation is necessary to gain access to international data, consolidate knowledge and prevent superfluous duplication of research, helps in developing and maintaining national expertise. The EHD not only determines the levels of critical pollutants and their impact on individuals but also offers scientific education, training and creates awareness among citizens regarding different environmental issues and its conservation. The division is established, but is in the process of being upgraded and is looking forward to support from other agencies for capacity building.

What the EHD offers:What the EHD seeks:
Connecting the Environment and Health

Due to rapid urbanization many Indian cities including Pune are facing new challenges in public health. Air, water and noise pollution are producing short and long term impact on human health. Demographic and socio-cultural transitions are adding to this problem. As a result, there has been an increasing trend in the risks to health.

The Environmental Health Division of the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences is a pioneering laboratory concerned with environmental issues related to human health. The primary aim of the School of Health Sciences is to generate health professionals capable of addressing the challenges in the area of environmental health, nutrition, genetics, biotechnology, health promotion, epidemiology, disease biology, disease prevention and control. Research is an essential component of the activities of the School. Such research projects are funded by local agencies such as the municipal corporations, national agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology, India and International agencies such as Ford Foundation and Impact Asia Pacific. In the field of Genetics, regulation of sex determination in Drosophila and molecular etiology of genetic diseases such as hemophilia is being studied. Research in the field of Health behavior aims at developing insight in reproductive health and to understand the impact of lifestyles on health. In the field of Environmental Health, several environment related problems are studied as detailed in the following sections, and consultancy is provided to local and municipal bodies. In addition the EHD is involved in creating environmental awareness among citizens by organizing seminars, and translating important and relevant information and documents on environment in vernacular language for local citizens.


Environmental Health Division

Operations
The EHD has a multifarious role which includes teaching, training and research in the areas of environmental health. It also aims at establishing and promoting interactions between government institutes, non-government organizations, the corporate sector and academia so that health is put on priority agenda. Thus there is a direct involvement with local authorities, national institutions, government bodies and voluntary organizations. The laboratory is therefore involved in applied research. This enables the drawing up of practical, relevant and action-oriented health promotion programs.

Research Projects
Major research project: An environmental monitoring program of Pune city has been developed at the laboratory in collaboration with the Pune Municipal Corporation. A periodic assessment of air, water and noise pollution is made. The main aim of this project is to create a body of information regarding the status of different pollutants in Pune city and to publish the possible health hazards of such pollution in the interest of the citizens. A bulletin, the Environmental Pollution Bulletin (EPB) is published from time to time. Five issues of the same have been released so far. (A copy of the EPB No. 5 is included below.)

Short-term ProjectsConsultancy ProjectsSeminars OrganizedOther ActivitiesAssociated InstitutionsFuture plans

Monitoring the environment of Pune city and finding out the impact of pollutants on the citizens. For this purpose, an Environment Health Division, equipped for analyzing pollutants such as pesticides, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, gaseous pollutants, etc. is in the process of being established. A part of this laboratory has already been set up with the financial assistance from the Pune Municipal Corporation. This facility will be extended to citizens, government bodies, non-government organizations and to the industrial sector.

Proposal for establishment of a Center for Environmental Networking Training, Education and Research (CENTER) with a broad objective of education, training extension and monitoring, research and development in the area of environment with special emphasis on sustainable development at national and global levels and to meet the suitable objectives of Agenda 21 in the national interest. The other objectives will also be to sensitize individuals and empower local authorities regarding environmental issues.

Proposal for Comparative Environment Risk assessment for Pune city. The main aims of this proposal would be to determine the best estimates of risk from exposure to particular chemicals in specific situations. Communication of risk assessment to key clients such as the municipal bodies and the community. This in turn would help the municipal bodies to make decisions regarding the qualitative and quantitative adequacy of municipal services and facilities. As a result an Urban Development Plan reflecting the consensus decisions of the municipal bodies and the community can be developed.

Pune, the city in which is one of the fastest growing medium-sized cities in India with a large number industrial units and a very high density of vehicular population. Studies related to the environment and its impact on individuals have thus become of prime importance. It is therefore essential, to conduct local research on problems of environmental pollution and health projections. Such an activity would in turn, assist in finding effective and acceptable solutions in moving towards sustainable development.

Readers should note that the Environment Health Division is interested in collaborating with others for air pollution management, particulraly to curb particulate pollution from vehicular emissions.


Collaborative Project on Environment with Pune Municipal Corporation

(Taken from the Environmental Pollution Bulletin, Number 5, February 1999.)

Summary
A brief introduction focuses on the activities of the School of Health Sciences in creating awareness among citizens by setting up a "Continuing Environment Education Programme." This issue of EPB summarizes the levels of pollutants in water and air recorded in the months of November, December 1998 and January 1999. The bulletin also gives the levels of noise recorded in different zones in Pune.

Background
The release of the Environmental Pollution Bulletins was initiated as a part of the collaborative Project on the Environment with the Pune Municipal Corporation. This kind of project happens to be the first of its kind in India where a local authority and an academic institution join hands in the interest of the city. There are several advantages of this project. It makes citizens aware of the quality of the environment, helps in finding benchmark levels of pollutants, their possible ecological and health hazard potentials. Continuous monitoring helps in determining whether the conditions are deteriorating or otherwise. Following the 74th amendment of the Indian Constitution, Municipal Corporations are to prepare an yearly Environment Status Report. The data collected is important for inclusion in such reports. PMC was providing the necessary financial support for pollutant monitoring and for facility building in the Environmental Health EHD of the School of Health Sciences. Equipment such as air samplers, water analyzers and gas chromatograph have been procured are being used routinely for samplings and analyzing various pollutants. PMC has not yet provided the financial aid for 1998-1999 required to continue this project and the study is facing a financial crisis. The School of Health Sciences still wishes to continue interactions with the Municipal Corporation. The School of Health Sciences is in the process of interacting with other agencies for financial support. The project for monitoring the levels of pollutants will continue within the limited resources in the interest of the citizens and the city.

Introduction
The Environmental Health Division of the School of Health Sciences is not only monitoring the levels of different pollutants in Pune city but is also actively involved in creating environmental awareness among citizens and empowering them with scientific information regarding various environmental issues. In this respect, a "Continuing Environmental Education Programme" has been initiated. The first topic selected for this is "The Rivers of Pune."

Pre-workshops for students, corporators, government officials, professionals and members of non government organizations are being conducted. Selected members from these pre-workshops will be invited for a three day workshop at a later stage. The first pre-workshop was on "Conservation and Development of Pune River System." This was conducted in association with Impact India Foundation (IIF) on January 11, 1999. The following gives an outline of the proceedings of this workshop. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Arun Nigavekar, the Honorable Vice Chancellor after an the introductory remark by Dr. Bhushan Patwardhan, Director School of Health Sciences. Mrs. Zelma Lazarus, (CEO, IIF) and Mr. A.H. Tobaccowala (Chairman, IIF) were the other speakers. This was followed by the release of cotton bags. The aim of this was to promote biodegradable cotton bags instead of the currently used non-biodegradable plastic bags. About fifty students from various colleges studying different courses participated in the workshop. Along with the students there were other professionals such as doctors and representatives of different NGOs, municipal corporations and eminent personalities. Reading material concerning the various aspects of rivers was also provided.

There were three sessions covering the different aspects of the rivers. The first session was on the geology, geomorphology and water quality. Prof. Rajguru gave a brief historical background of Pune City and presented archeological evidences for the ancient settlements in Pune. Dr. Vishwas Kale delivered a lecture on "Rivers: Their Response to Regulations and Channel Modifications." The next lecture in the session was by Dr. Anil Lalwani. He considered the "Geology of Pune City and its Implications on the River System." The third lecture in this session was by Dr. N.J. Pawar. The lecture was entitled "Controls on the Quality of Waters from Mula, Mutha and Pavana Rivers Flowing Through Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Areas, Maharashtra." Session I was continued by Dr. Rajendra Jagdale who talked about the flora of the rivers in his lecture entitled "Aquatic Flora." The next presentation was by Dr. Hemant Ghate who gave information on the "Aquatic Fauna."

In the second session, emphasis was given to the pollution of the rivers and the improvement action plans were discussed. Dr. V.R. Gunale talked about Pollution monitoring of the Mula Mutha and Pavana River systems Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. The next presentation was by Prof. Vijay Paranjape of Econet. He dealt with the ecological constraints of he Pavana-Mula Mutha Riverine system. Mr. M.R. Latkar made a presentation on behalf of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Mr. Kiran Kalamdani of the Pune River Group talked on the Project submitted by the Group to PMC on the Mutha River Improvement plan.

This series of lectures was followed by a third session, a group discussion wherein the students actively participated. Many of the students had queries which were answered by the team of experts present.

Efforts are underway to continually monitor environmental and health indicators, such as air quality, water quality and noise, in and around the city of Pune.

[Note: Some information has been deleted, for length considerations.]

This Bulletin is a joint effort of a team of researchers from the School of Health Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Pune and Department of Environmental Sciences of Bharati Vidyapeeth.


For additional information:
Dr. Bhushan Patwardhan
Professor and Chair
School of Health Sciences
University of Pune
INDIA
Email: bhushan@unipune.ernet.in



This document was last modified on 12/03/2001 02:58:35 PM


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