Parthenium Awareness Week 2023

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Aug
23

Parthenium Awareness Week Organised by KVK Cuttack

KVK Cuttack organized an awareness campaign on Parthenium Awareness Week from August 16-22, 2023,in different villages, schools and its campus covering about 355 school children, 55 extension officials and 48women self-help group members from Cuttack district. Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus) known popularly as Gajar ghas or Congress grass or Famine weed due to its resemblance to carrot plant and its dominance character as a ubiquitous invasive weed. This grass is an exotic weed came to India from North American countries through wheat grains. Now it is spread in around 35 million hectares of land area and seriously affecting crop production, livestock and human health. It affects livestock by reducing their appetite, feed intake, different allergic conditions thereby decreasing milk yield, altering milk taste, causing deleterious health. In human being, it causes skin irritation, allergies, dermatitis, eczema, stomach pain, itching etc. It dominates crops and causes many adverse effects for reducing growth, maturity and production potential of crops. In this regard, the awareness programs focused on elimination of the weed from the human habitations for a better health. Dr. S Sethy, Head, KVK, Cuttack requested the participants to ensure parthenium free campus and improvement in health status. Dr. Dillip Ranjan Saragi, SMS (Soil Science) briefed about the control mechanism and effective utilization of parthenium weed for making compost. The organizer of the event, Dr. Ranjan Kumar Mohanta, SMS (Animal Science) described its ill effect on human being and livestock. Grassroot level extension functionaries from Tangi-Choudwar block namely krushimitras and pranimitras, farmers and member of women self-help group of Napanga panchayat, students and teachers from Siddhagiri Bidyapitha, Govindpur, CRRI High School, Bidyadharpur, Rampur UP School, Rampur and Mania UP School, Mania, participated actively in these programs and took a vow to weed out Parthenium and spread the message to others. Dr TR Sahoo, Sri Prasant Pradhan, Sri Ksheerod Pradhan, Sri Ranjit Rout and other members of KVK team coordinated the programs.