Conference speaks for effective waste management

S Vishnu Sharmaa, INN/Chennai, @Svs037 

Industry, academia and society must go hand-in-hand if waste management is to be effective. This was the point driven home at the three day international conference on industrial waste management and bio-energy. 

The conference took place at SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST)’s campus at Kattankulathur. Co-ordination between industry, academia and society gives a breakthrough in tackling air and water pollution also was another point driven home. 

Panel discussion during the conference highlighted the above points. S Mani, president, Orchid Pharma Ltd and former Chairman of Industrial Waste Management Association said there is tremendous scope for re-enginnering and reverse engineering to destress the environment. 

Industry and Academia can not work in solo and somewhere bridges have to be built to come up with solutions, he said. 

Inaugurating the conference Dr Alok Dhawan, Director, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow said high-end science must be used to solve local issues related to air and water pollution.

‘We have done our bit to destroy the environment and are transferring the baton to the younger generation to handle. We need to understand how important it is to treat Mother Earth as she does not need us but we need her,’ he said alluding to various bioremediation methods to solve local contamination around Lucknow. 

SRMIST vice-chancellor Sandeep Sancheti said there was no policy to handle waste disposal regarding automobiles or old houses. ‘We should follow the nuclear industry to be more conscious of waste disposal.’