JEDDAH — "When I look back at different environmental issues, I see great similarity between pollution and corruption. Corruption is generally referred in financial matters and pollution to natural resources. However, the root cause and impact is same. The basic reason for both is greed. When the society is governed by need, there is neither corruption nor pollution but as soon as greed replaces it, both come into action," said Dr. Salim Khan in an interview to Saudi Gazette recently. Dr. Salim Khan, an environmental specialist and a famous fiction writer, was in the Kingdom to perform Umrah. Referring to the Holy Qur'an he said, "As regards to the impact of corruption, it brings bankruptcy and hunger whereas pollution brings disaster of natural resources leading to the biggest threat for human survival. Verse 41 of Surah Rum refers to environmental problems as well. "[Since they have become oblivious of God,] corruption has appeared on land and in the sea as an outcome of what men's hands have wrought: and so He will let them taste [the evil of] some of their doings, so that they might return [to the right path]. (Surah Rum, Verse 41) " "I came across the field of environment during my Ph.D. work. Although my subject was nuclear chemistry the neutron activation analysis methods developed by me were applied on environmental samples. That was water, sediments, aquatic plants and crab (gills and muscles). "After joining a private company in Thane near Mumbai, I was exposed to air pollution because it was involved in developing air quality monitoring analyzers. Our company started a consultancy division related to air quality monitoring and environmental impact assessment studies under my supervision. "Finally I retired as environment health and safety specialist in the Western Region Municipality of Abu Dhabi," said Dr. Salim Khan about his professional career and specialization. Dr. Salim Khan's father Zardar Khan was a businessman in Mumbai. Salim Khan received his early education in Urdu medium in Mumbai. He has published many Urdu novels and short stories. He writes columns and articles for different Urdu newspapers. His collection of short stories "Hisar" has been awarded Maharashtra State Urdu Academy Award. He has published 3 parts of one of the longest series of his novel that has almost 2,000 pages. "I have gone through famous English novels. I got inspiration from the acclaimed fiction and short story writers like Krishna Chandra, Intizar Hussain and Rajendra Singh Bedi. I like Qurratulain Haider, Ismat Chughtai, Mumtaz Mufti and Ibne Safi too. I have gone through Naseem Hijazi's non-historical novels also," he said. "When I was in the United Kingdom, I was informed that there was a program in honor of Intizar Hussain in Leeds. I went there to meet him. Intizar Hussain's art of storytelling keeps his readers spell-bound," Salim Khan added.
