Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: India hosted the 17th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant from October 4 to 9. The six-day event at IIT Hyderabad marked the first time the country held the conference in its 36-year history. Experts from 26 nations gathered to discuss mercury contamination, atmospheric emissions, and human health under the theme of reaching a decade of enforcement for the Minamata Convention. Professor Asif Qureshi of IIT Hyderabad and Dr. Jagannath Biswakarma of the University of Bristol chaired the proceedings.
The World Health Organization joined the conference series for the first time. Dr. Elena Jardan led a session on biomonitoring and public health. Monika Stankiewicz, executive secretary of the Minamata Convention, stressed the importance of research for international governance. Masami Ogata, a survivor of Minamata disease in Japan, provided a harrowing account of industrial contamination. He said, "His testimony linked the historical tragedy of Minamata disease, caused by industrial mercury discharge into Japan’s coastal waters, with ongoing global efforts to prevent similar disasters."
Researchers from South Africa, China, Russia, Brazil, and Argentina highlighted data gaps in developing economies. Northeast India gained a platform as Nagaon University presented findings on mercury in agricultural soil and crops. Dr. Farishta Yasmin served on the scientific committee, noting that historical coal mining in Assam’s Makum coalfield poses risks to the Brahmaputra basin. Gumjum Haider of Arunachal Pradesh also outlined community-led conservation efforts near the Pakke Tiger Reserve.
The event received backing from the Telangana government and India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It concluded by awarding 11 student researchers for their work. Attendees expect these new partnerships to sharpen the connection between science and policy action.
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