An International Workshop on Environmental Pollutants and their impact on Human and Animal Health is going to be organized on 24th January by the Department of Veterinary Public Health, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University .
Dr VK Taneja Vice-chancellor, GADVASU informed that keeping in view of alarming impacts of environmental pollutants on animal and human health in Punjab, rise in cases of cancer and chronic diseases in cotton belt of Punjab, this workshop has been organized in collaboration with University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. Dr Taneja said that most of pollutants like pesticides, heavy and toxic metals can accumulate in the environment and cause damage to ecosystems and animal and human health. The biological effects of intense contamination at the interface of human and animal health viz. endocrine and hormonal disturbances and carcinogenicity need to be investigated. In view of serious impacts of environmental pollutants on animal and human health through food chain in Punjab, it is expected that the workshop will pave way for better understanding of the problem for mitigation of the threats emanating from such environmental pollutants.
Dr JPS Gill, Organizing Secretary and Professor-cum-Head, Veterinary Public health has informed that this workshop is meant for brainstorming and finalizing policies required for implementation of the International Project. A number of luminaries in the field of Environmental Pollutants Research will be participating in the workshop. Notable among them are Dr. John Gordon, Director of Canadian Center for Health and Safety in Agriculture, Dr. Baljit Singh Gill, Associate Dean, Research, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, experts from PAU, Ludhiana, PGI Chandigarh, pollution control agencies will be participating. The scientists will exchange their expert views on pesticides, heavy and toxic metals, air pollutants in this workshop. Dr. Gill said that GADVASU has taken up a collaborative research project on “Environmental pollutants and zoonotic pathogens in Punjab: their impact on animal and human health” with University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada under International Fund Programme. The Panel Discussion of project coordinators, investigators with Canadian counterparts will be held on 25th January at GADVASU to plan future strategies of this research project.
