BHUBANESWAR: Topics ranging from environmental challenges to laser systems were discussed by women scientists at the Women’s Science Congress.
Neeta Thacker, chief scientist and head of Analytical Instruments Division (AID), stressed release of harmful organic pollutants into the environment due to unplanned urbanisation and intensive agriculture and its repercussions. Commonly known as Persistence Organic Pollutants (POPs), these are highly toxic and can affect large areas.
She explained how the governing council of United Nations Environment Programme in 1995 tried to protect the environment by calling for global action against POPs. India is also a party to the Stockholm Convention on POP that provides international governing framework to manage emission of hazardous chemicals. She provided evidence on how these pollutants harmed human body.
In another session, Paramita Deb of Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, elaborated on multi-disciplinary research on laser systems. She added that women scientists form a chunk of the team contributing to the research.
Sucheta Priyabadini, joint registrar of KIIT University, expressed displeasure over the low percentage of girl students in engineering colleges. Blaming it on the conservative mindset, she said a study will soon be conducted on 250 girl students pursuing engineering in Bhubaneswar to find out the enrolment trends in technical education.