Training programme on “Capacity building for Environmentally Sound Management of PCB oil and PCBs containing equipments at ship breaking yard, Alang, Gujarat, India”

CSIR-NEERI organized a training programme on “Capacity Building for Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of PCB oil and PCBs Containing Equipments at Ship Breaking Yard, Alang, Gujarat, India” during November 21st – 29th, 2011 supported by Secretariat of Stockholm Convention, Geneva. The training programme was the first activity of the centre with a goal to build the capacity for ESM of PCBs to inspire the concerned authorities to understand risk associated with handling of POPs including PCBs, urgency to stop their use permanently, and decontaminate the contaminated sites in a scientific manner.

National and International participants (Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka) from various agencies attended the training programme. The programme started with the welcome address by Dr S. R. Wate, Director, CSIR-NEERI, at CSIR-NEERI auditorium on 21st November 2011. Mr. V. R. Patel, Sr. Env. Engineer, GPCB was the Chief Guest of the inaugural ceremony. The inaugural function was followed by inaugural address by the Chief Guest, who emphasized on the current scenario and need for the ESM of PCBs and the other POPs. Mr. V. R. Patel also inaugurated the web page of Stockholm Convention Regional Centre (SCRC) for Asia. Dr Asha A. Juwarkar, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NEERI and Coordinator, SCRC, gave an overview of the nine days training programme and activities to be taken up by the center for mitigation of POPs. The inaugural ceremony was followed by eight extensive technical sessions in which eleven lectures by the experts throughout the country covered all the aspects with respect to ESM of PCBs. Also, the team of participants along with the experts of CSIR-NEERI visited Ship Breaking Yard, Alang, Gujarat, to have a firsthand experience on ESM of PCBs. During the training programme, lab visits were also organized to show various facilities available in CSIR-NEERI for analysis of PCBs and other POPs along with various projects going on in the institute. A field visit to Gumgaon Reclamation site was also organized to give participants a live experience on successful implementation of bioremediation.

The training programme was concluded on 29th November 2011 in the gracious presence of Dr. Tapan Chakrabarti, Scientist Emeritus, CSIR-NEERI, appreciated by the participants and they requested to organize such programme in future.