Pankaj Oudhia on Parthenium Management: Manuscripts from Medicinal Plant Database
Abstract
Since year 1990 Pankaj Oudhia is writing on various aspects
of Biodiversity and Traditional Healing. The regular writing of more than two
decades resulted in documents worth millions of pages. Very small part of these
documents is online so far. The present series is an effort to represent
excerpts of these documents available in Pankaj Oudhia’s Medicinal Plant
Database at pankajoudhia.com
Search Google or Bing for complete document. You can also write to Pankaj Oudhia at pankajoudhia@gmail.com with subject as
“Consultation” for related queries.
We have organized two international conferences and tens of
national and regional workshops throughout India, conducted scientific studies
and invested much on it, we are having many methods as well as field trials
claiming successful Parthenium management, also we are still conducting (re)
search to verify our results, we have written thousands of research papers,
many books and extension booklets, delivered countless lectures but still we
are having obnoxious weed Parthenium around us and its population is increasing
daily at alarming rate. Now it is time to ask this question to ourselves that
are we doing enough for Parthenium management?
I receive letters from different corners of India regarding
efforts in progress by governmental agencies to manage this weed. Unfortunately
I have no data. I am not aware of single agency working in field to manage this
exotic weed. I am aware of many awareness campaigns, release of bio-agents
through programs with much publicity, also about time-to-time press notes
pointing the need for immediate Parthenium management. Last year India TV
showed my work on Parthenium awareness through its programee “Jeene ki raah”.
During preparation the anchor Mrs. Maneka Gandhi raised the same question about
the effort in progress by different agencies. She needed the data about area
freed from Parthenium infestation by these agencies. We know that we have no
such data.
Few months’ back I was delivering lecture among the farmers.
A young farmer asked that how much we have invested so far in the name of
Parthenium research? Millions? His suggestion was to stop further investment on
research and to divert the money in management program at field level. We must
have time bound program for its management. During Second International
Conference on Parthenium Management at Bangalore the participants decided to
work hard on Parthenium management by declaring year 2006 as Parthenium
awareness year. Now after over seven months nothing has been done on this
aspect. Many organizations have started Parthenium week concept but we know
that days, weeks and years are not enough to make India free from Parthenium.
There is a need to declare war against Parthenium with no time limit.
In the field of Agriculture we are having many success
stories. Unfortunately we are not having such success stories in the field of
Parthenium management. I feel that there is a need to make ‘Parthenium free
model area’ as example. We can use this area for demonstration. Since over
decade I am running Society for Parthenium Management and IPRNG through my own
expenses. I started this work after attending First International Parthenium
Conference and seeing the sincere efforts of Dr. M. Mahadevappa. I worked hard
in the field of awareness and organized as well as published much. My dream was
to make India free from Parthenium. So I started work from my hometown Raipur.
After this long period I am not able to make the town free from Parthenium.
Even my small residential colony is having rich population of this weed. I am
using all available methods in my small budget but not getting much success. It
is bitter truth. I feel very awkward when I appear among farmers to deliver
lecture on Parthenium management. It is really very easy to instruct but very
difficult to show the results in field. My fight is still on in Chhattisgarh.
In India we
are having many Parthenium experts with wide experience. I feel that the
non-governmental organizations and unemployed youth can take the services of
these experts to plan Parthenium management program at field level. There is no
limitation for funds. There is a lack of willingness. Through this article I
would like to request the Parthenium workers and researchers to think seriously
on this aspect. The coming generation will ask this question to us. We are
still having chance to complete this pending task.
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