NAGPUR: The ever-increasing environmental degradation can be attributed to various causes. But human or anthropogenic activities are the biggest culprits. Yet it is science and technology developed by man which alone can restore the environment. And good agriculture practices and use of biotechnology can play a very big role in this direction.
These views were expressed by Raviprakash Dani, vice-chancellor of Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) here on Wednesday. He was delivering the Ashok Juwarkar memorial lecture organized by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri). Juwarkar was a senior institute scientist who died in a plane crash while on duty. He had conducted many environmental restoration projects, including the remediation of mine dumps of MOIL in Dongargaon.
The talk titled 'Biotechnology and environmental reclamation: The agriculture factor' though focused on agriculture, it did raise issues of environmental pollution by industry, transport and domestic sources. Agriculture activities like excessive use of pesticides, fertilizers, illegal cleaning of forests besides pollution and degradation of soil, water and air have also reduced the biodiversity.
Dani suggested certain solutions for restoration of environment through minimizing use of pesticides and fertilizers, preventing soil erosion, phyto-remediation of contaminated soil, conversion of agri-waste into valued added products, development of new technologies to mitigate climate change and green house gases. Of course organic and natural farming are the most tried methods for improving agriculture related pollutions.
Biotechnology, Dani said, also can help mitigate environment pollution. Diseases and drought-resistant varieties, use of biotechnology in conservation of biodiversity, improving soil fertility through nitrogen fixing, bacteria use of genetic engineering and manipulations are some of the biotechnological methods of minimizing environment degradation. Biotechnology, he said, could also be used for reclamation of toxic waste sites.
He advised scientists to pursue research which is justified by community and revisit their research work regularly based on the updated information and changed circumstances. He emphasized on the need for community managed sustainable agriculture.
Earlier, Satish Wate, Neeri director, apprised the gathering of various achievements of the institute in the recent past. He stressed on the need for proactive research to solve pollution-related issues. He said the research work done by Dr Juwarkar laid a new foundation in the area of agriculture and environment, and Neeri is continuously progressing in this area.
Jaya Sabjiwale conducted the proceedings while Prakash Kumbhare, head, R&D Planning Division, proposed a vote of thanks.
