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Having already classified Parthenium — also known as the ‘Congress grass’ — as a noxious weed through a notification issued in May this year, the Punjab government has now launched a eco-friendly pilot project to control its spread.
The new project is in line with the state’s policy of taking necessary measures to eradicate or prevent the spread of Parthenium. According to a survey, around 35 lakh hectares of area is under this grass in the country.
Under its ‘The East Punjab Agricultural Pests, Diseases and Noxious Weeds Act, 1949’, the state government has made it mandatory for land owners to adopt measures to control the spread of Parthenium by December 31, 2015.
Deputy director of the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Naresh Gulati, said that block-level officers and village panchayats have been directed to launch the campaign. He added the growth of Parthenium can decrease crop yield by up to 40 per cent.
“If de-weeding operations are not undertaken well in time then this obnoxious weed, which is has long storage life and can quickly disperse through wind, will grow in abundance here,” he said adding that it produces about 5000-10000 seeds per plant.
Experts also said that this garass also causes various allergies like itching, coughing, skin problems and asthmatic problems. It is found in vacant agricultural plots, neglected green belts in the cites, beside railway tracks, among others. It is even harmful to animals. “Hand pulling is best solution to root it out. It should be burnt after that,” said experts.
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