In a piece of good news for environmental science, Pankaj Saini who is working as coordinator of department of environmental science at Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar has been selected for Bharat Gaurav Award 2016 by New Delhi-based voluntary organisation, India International Friendship Society (IIFS).
The award would be conferred on the scientist on August 13. After an intense research of three years on State Industrial Development Corporation Uttarakhang ltd (SIDCUl) area of Haridwar and the effect of the industrialisation on environment, his technical report will be submitted to department of science and technology, Government of India. Saini shared some of his findings with The Pioneer.
Saini is also vice- president and founder member of society of environmental education and mass awareness (SEEMA), Haridwar and reviewer of international journal of environment and humans (ISSN-2373-8332), US and has received many awards earlier for his contribution in the field of environmental science.
His work on industrial pollution, human health and epidemiology of Malaria, is being widely cited by various researchers in their research communications.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Saini said, “I started my career as a research fellow in a UGC Research fellowship during 2009-10 in Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar and served as assistant professor in various colleges and universities. The major breakthrough was getting selected as principal investigator in a research project, funded by department of science and technology (Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India) under SERB fast track research scheme for three years.”
When asked about his major findings as a young scientist working under DST, Saini says, “I have just completed the three- year project on impact of SIDCUl on environment in and around Haridwar with special reference to human health.”
Deliberating further, he said, “There are always two sides to urbanisation. On one side, it brings development and on the other, it leads to degradation of the environment. The environment is deeply affected from sociological point of view and there is pollution at all levels of air, water and soil which need to be addressed before it is too late.”
As a suggestion, the young scientist said, “The environmental laws must be enforced with the setting up of industries. The awareness of the environment conservation must be spread and the people must understand their role in plantation and environment conservation.”
Notably Saini has nine years’ research experience and till now he has published 21 research papers in journals of international and national of high repute. He has attended and contributed his research work in more than 25 conferences and also participated in number of training workshops at international and national levels.