Outline of the course:

First session: Wednesday, September 6, 2006

Health and environment are intricately linked but few seem to realize this. Today we are faced with a complex situation: on one hand, India's burden of disease is alarmingly high, with respiratory, gastro-intestinal and vector-borne diseases and cancers taking a heavy toll. We have a large number of young and aged people. Both these groups are confronted with afflictions and diseases, of different kinds, with AIDS looming not far behind us.

Our environment, on the other hand, is fast degrading, even threatening our survival. India's water, air, soil, and green cover are facing great threats. As a nation, little attention is being paid to the waste generated (solid, liquid and gaseous). These problems will get aggravated as increasing numbers settle in urban areas and as India increases its industrial base. At another level, one can well question the developmental model which we are trying to adopt.

These and other related issues will be studied/ discussed in the class.

Assessment based on things to do: Read, discuss, write, analyse and make tables, charts, graphs, etc.

Books to read:

1) Health Matters: HBCSE publication

 2) Microbes and Disease: OUP

 3) HEAL Reports: HBCSE publication

 4) World Development Report: 1992, and others

 5) Books published by the Centre of Environment: Ahmedabad

 6) Books published by the Centre of Science and Environment: Delhi