Awareness campaign on Parthenium weed eradication held at Nagaon

A CORRESPONDENT

NAGAON: Zonal Research Station, Shillongani, in collaboration with Assam Government and Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, along with the district administration and agriculture department, organized an awareness programme on the eradication of Parthenium hysterophorus, a highly invasive and harmful weed.

The programme was held at the Uriagaon bypass Chariali and attended by District Commissioner Debashish Sarma, scientists from Zonal Research Station, Shillongani and Assam Agricultural University, and local residents. The programme was initiated with a welcome address by Chief Scientist of Zonal Research Station, Shillongani Dr Hiranya Kr Borah while Dr Niranjan Deka, Principal Scientist of Zonal Research Station, Shillongani, mentored the event. Dr Mrinal Saikia, Associate Director of Research (Agri), Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, and Dean, Faculty of Agriculture Dr Prasanna Kumar Pathak attended the event and expressed their respective concerns over the harmful effects of poisonous weeds like Parthenium across the state.

While addressing the occasion, DC, Nagaon Devashish Sarma said that Parthenium hysterophorus was a major problem in Assam and India, affecting agriculture and the environment. The weed’s pollen causes skin allergies, respiratory issues, and asthma in humans, and reduces milk production in cattle, he added further.

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