COIMBATORE: Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University C. Ramasamy highlighted the need to develop cost-effective strategies to reduce heavy metal contamination in the soil.

Nanotechnology would help develop technologies that would reduce emissions and also the use of raw materials, promising faster and cost-effective solutions for pollution control, he said.

Speaking at the valediction of a 10-day training on “Heavy Metal Contamination in Soil and their Remediation by Physio-Chemical and Biological Methods” at the university Tamil Nadu Agricultural University here on Friday, he underlined the need for such strategies, as heavy metal remediation was expensive.

“Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation have resulted in profound deterioration of the air quality in the country. Of the three million premature deaths in the world that occur each year due to air pollution, the highest is in India.

It has also led to toxic heavy metal contamination of groundwater and soil, which poses major environmental and human health problems,” the Vice-Chancellor said.

Burning of fossil fuels, municipal wastes, indiscriminate application of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, sewage effluents, industrial wastes, urban solid wastes and inappropriate regulatory mechanisms had all contributed for accumulation of heavy metal ions in the environment, especially in the soils above critical limits, he said.

He called for environmental education to promote and preserve the vision to restore natural resources.

He urged environmental and ecological economists to play a major role by developing policy frameworks for mitigating soil pollution.

Some 25 agricultural scientists from different parts of the country participated in the training.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/17/stories/2007121752620300.htm