Various types of pollution: industrial pollution, acid rain, noise pollution, agricultural pollution, solid waste disposal, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, e-waste, nuclear waste were indicative of the need for trained manpower, lest the problems become irreversible, according to M. Ravichandran, head, environmental management department.

As a branch of environmental sciences, environmental management addresses these formidable challenges in a systematic manner, he said.

The course was being offered as UGC-innovative programme since 2005 with inter-disciplinary orientation.

Students across all branches of science, humanities, management and engineering are eligible to apply for the programme in which the teaching pedagogy envisages a blend of classroom teaching, laboratory experiments, industrial visits and extension activities.

The holistic training, said Dr. Ravichandran, would enable students to understand environmental problems from natural science, social science, legal and engineering perspectives.

Major courses include corporate environmental management, risk assessment, energy and environment, bioremediation, GIS and environment, ecological economics, forest resource management, industrial ecology, environmental ethics and environment, environmental planning, climate change, and clean development mechanism.

Placements in companies intending to switch over to green technology have been encouraging over the years. Candidates completing MBA in Environmental Management qualify for the post of environmental research officers in various organisations in India and abroad.

The recruiters include Hatsun, Salem; General Electrical company, Pune; Grass Roots Research and Creation Private limited, New Delhi; Sahara Computers private limited, Johannesburg; Water Treatment Technology Services India private limited, Tirupur; Geo-Envicare, Chennai; Birla Sensory Textile-ETP, Gujarat; and Evergreen managing Consultants, Coimbatore.

Graduates from all disciplines, particularly engineering graduates from any branch, can join the two-year MBA programme aimed at achieving sustainable development.

The total cost of the entire programme does not exceed Rs. 50,000, Dr. Ravichandran said.