Amity University Gurgaon organized a public lecture on “Air Pollution and Your Health: What Science is Telling Us?” which was delivered by Dr. Srikanth S Nadadur at Amity Campus, Manesar Gurgaon.
Delivering the lecture, Dr. Srikanth S Nadadur said that degradation of air quality in the metropolitan cities of India has become a matter of grave concern as it directly impacts the health of the people. Cardiopulmonary disorders, severe asthma and even Cancer have been identified as being directly related to the degradation of air quality.
He further stated that as per WHO air pollution India has the world highest death rate from chronic respiratory diseases and asthma. In Delhi, poor quality air irreversibly damages the lungs of 2.2 million or 50 % of all children. One of the major pollutants in the air is the particulate matter PM 2.5 (particles up to 2.5-micron gram per cubic metre, about 100 times thinner than a human hair that cause chronic asthma).
“There is a strong scientific basis associating air pollution to cardiopulmonary diseases, diabetes and blood pressure at the very low level of particulate matter PM 2.5. The current high levels of PM 2.5 in Delhi & NCR are to be addressed immediately said Dr. Nadadur.
The lecture was presided over by Dr. Aseem Chauhan, Chancellor Amity University Gurgaon and he said, “The problem of air pollution is one of the huge proportions that needs to be addressed through research, science, innovations, public awareness and most importantly actions. Here at Amity we shall contribute to all these aspects and work towards a more livable society for future generations”.
Dr. Aseem Chauhan also announced the establishment of Amity Center for Environmental Health Sciences at Amity University Gurgaon. The center shall be the nodal agency for all the Amity Universities to mount studies and R&D with a special focus on mitigating air pollution.
During the occasion, Dr. Srikanth S Nadadur was conferred upon Honorary Professorship by Dr. Aseem Chauhan.
The invited lecture was attended by large number of students and faculty members, notable among those present on the occasion included Dr W Selvamurthy, President of Amity Science, Technology & Innovation Foundation, Dr AK Nagpal, Chairman Board of Governors of Amity Medical Science Foundation, Dy Vice Chancellor Maj Gen Suhag and Dr Padmakali Banerjee, Pro-VC.