National
Workshop on Aquatic Weeds: Threat to Environment or Boon in Disguise
By:
Shailendra Mathur
A National Workshop on ‘Aquatic Weeds –
Threat to Environment or Boon in Disguise’ was held at College of
Technology and Engineering, Udaipur-313 001 India on September 4, 2004
with special attention to the water hyacinth. The objectives of the
workshop were to identify the problems created by aquatic weeds and to
identify the various technologies to control them. This workshop was
inaugurated by an Agronomist Dr. A. S. Paroda, Chairman, Agricultural
Scientist Recruitment Board, New Delhi and presided over by Dr. K.N.
Nag, Ex Vice Chancellor of Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner.
Dr. A. N. Mathur, Dean of the College delivered the welcome address and
Dr. S. M. Mathur Convener of the workshop highlighted the aims and
profile of the scientists participating in this workshop. Eminent
scientists, from all corners of the country and from the field of
engineering, agriculture, environmental sciences, Botany, Chemistry,
Pollution control etc. participated in the workshop. Many postgraduate
students from various disciplines were also registered for the workshop.
This workshop was
divided in two Technical Sessions. The first session dealt with the
discussion on the general aquatic weeds whereas the second session was
dedicated to the water hyacinth. The presented papers were discussed at
length and recommendations were formulated for the management of aquatic
weeds. A poster session was also arranged to explain the various uses
of the water hyacinth. Dr. S. M. Mathur also developed a multimedia on
theme of the workshop entitled ‘Water hyacinth-Threat to Environment or
Boon in Disguise’ and presented it in the workshop. It was very much
appreciated by the students and scientist. A water hyacinth chopper cum
crusher developed by Dr. Mathur at CTAE, Udaipur India, was also
demonstrated in this workshop. The machine was capable of reducing the
volume and weight of water hyacinth to reduce the cost of
transportation.
Scientists were of the
opinion that water hyacinth should not be allowed to grow in fresh water
lakes as a crop but it should be allowed to grow in sewerage water or
in the downstream of the industrial waste. Various control methods like
chemical, biological, mechanical and manual were discussed at length in
this workshop. Scientists were of the opinion that chemical control of
water hyacinth in the fresh water lakes should not be advocated because
the water stored in these lakes is utilized for drinking purpose. On the
other hand many scientists had presented their work on biological
control of water hyacinth but it was suggested that it is a slow
processes and the results are not much encouraging. Therefore, it was
concluded that in the fresh water lakes precautionary measures should be
taken not to allow the water hyacinth to grow. To control it in fresh
water one should use the mechanical and manual methods. Scientists also
presented their work on the utilization of water hyacinth. The
harvested water hyacinth should be chopped and crushed on the site
itself and transported to the various places for utilization such as in
biogas plants, as soil mulch, as fertilizers etc. It will compensate the
cost of harvesting also. The workshop was concluded with the concluding
remarks of Prof. B. L.Chaudhary, Vice Chancellor of the Mohanlal
Sukhadia University, Udaipur, India. He mentioned that water hyacinth
should be controlled and utilized as per the need of the situation and
each aquatic plant should not be considered as a weed. Some aquatic
plants play very important role in nutrient recycling in the fresh
water. For more details of the workshop and technical reports please log
on to www.mpuat.ac.in/workshop.htm or contact to Dr. S. M. Mathur
convener of the workshop at
[email protected]
Dr. S. M. Mathur is
Associate Professor at the Department of Farm Machinery & Power
Engineering, College of Technology & Engineering, Udaipur-313 001
(Rajasthan), India. |
