Plannings of FEW , Problems for generations

Pankaj Oudhia

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A farmer of Pondsari village Shri Deen Dayal Verma still remembers those days
when the state Agricultural department introduced Ipomoea plant in Chhattisgarh
as useful plant.It was braught from foreign country and promoted as green manure
crop.Shri Verma informed that there was a big celebration at Raipur when the
authorities braught it in special truck from Bhopal.It was the time of mid
sixties.Every one was eager to touch this plant.The farmers purcahsed it and
started using it as green manure crop. Very soon they realised that they were
cheated and they threw away the socalled precious Ipomoea plants.Today Ipomoea
is present with us as problematic weed .Its omnipresence has given it a name
Beshram(Shameless).This introduced species is causing great damage to our
environment specieally to the ecosystem of waterlogged regions.Our farmers are
invsesting much to manage it as problematic weed.The big question is that
whether our planners were aware of its weedy status in other countries before
its introduction in our country or not? Whether any studies were conducted to
assess its impact on our ecosystem or not? Unfortuntaely no one is with us to
answer these questions.But the literatures of that time clearly indicates that
sufficient information was available at that time about the weedy status of
Ipomoea.

Centuries back Water Hyacinth was introduced in India as ornamental aquatic
plant.Today this herb ,locally known as Jal Kumbhi,is present every where and we
are investing crores for the eradication of this problematic weed.

There are several examples of such mistakes we have done earlier.The
introduction of Lantana,Eupatorium ,Eucalyptus etc. are some well known
examples.

Although we claim that we are progressive and not willing to repeat the mistakes
again.Is this true or a big lie? We are in process of introducing another
Foreign plant Jatropha in our motherland. We means not all the Indians but very
FEW technocrates .They are going to decide the future of our coming generations.

Jatropha is under promotion as Bio-diesel crop .In one Indian state Chhattisgarh
the authorities are planning to plant Jatropha in over 10 lakh hactares. I have
no objection regarding bio-diesel project.It is good project and need of the day
as our natural source of fossil fuel is decreasing. There are several plants
having potential to be used as bio-diesel plant. Most of it are indigenous
plants.These plants are present in our ecosystem since generations. I would like
to quote Dr.A.D.Karve, a botanist from Pune .He has developed bio-diesel from
sugarcane waste.The bio-diesel project from waste can be more useful as we will
get the raw material at cheaper cost.The promotion of Jatropha is leading to
large scale plantation .This monoculture will cause what type of damage to our
ecosystem ?The planners have no answer.Possibly they have never considered this
important aspect before planting this exotic plant.


Jatropha is a native to tropical America. In developed countries Jatropha is
known as problemtaic weed.The references literatures are full of information
regarding its weedy status. They have reasons to declare it as obnoxious weed.
While preparing a plant fact sheet on Jatropha with the leading scientists of
thirteen countries ,for the UK based research organisation,I got these facts.We
have prepared crop weed compendium in which Jatropha is present as prominent
weed.

Jatropha is harmful to humanbeings ,animals and also to other plants.The
research conducted in Thailand has revealed that Jatropha oil is having chemical
contents that can cause skin cancer. Later the researchers of other countries
have prooved it. In Chhattisgarh the large scale handling of this oil by the
villagers will cause great health problem because the state authorieites are
claiming that the villagers will have to establish processing plants by their
own in order to get real profits.

The natives of Chhattisgarh are aware that Jatropha is very poisonous plant.They
plant it as fence and keep it away from the access of little children. They use
it as folk medicine but with much care speically under the supervision of the
traditional healers. Its seeds are most poisonous and few seeds can take a life
of small child .Unfortunately the seeds are sweet in taste and children like it
very much.The incidences of Jatropha poisoning are very common in region .You
can imagine the chances of accidental feeding when we will have the plantation
in ten lakh hactares.Some experts say that its seeds are bitter in taste .I feel
there is a need to serve these seeds to such researchers for real confirmation.

Jatropha plants are known as Raja Van (King Plant) among the traditional healers
as it dominates in forests and are having negative impact on growth of small
herbs.These small herbs are used traditonally as medicine in Chhattisgarh.Now
this King plant is in promotion is all types of land.Be ready for mass scale
destruction of native flora.

The cattle do not feed on Jatropha but there are many incidences world wide
stating that during drought period the cattle accidentally feed on Jatropha like
plants and this feeding results in death of the cattle.In Chhattisgarh the years
of drought are very frquent.The natural pastures are decreasing and the trend of
open grazing ‘Charai’ is becoming popular.Large scale of Jatropha plantation
will pose serious theat on our cattle.


The technocrates claim that the arid condition of Chhattisgarh are suitable for
Jatropha cultivation.It seems that they are lacking practical experiences.Due to
heavy monsoon rains the process of seed setting is very poor in Chhattisgarh.You
will find vegetatively rich Jatropha plants in Chhattisgarh but it is very hard
to get seeds.Most of the pods remain empty.Jatropha may be good crop for
Rajashtan.


Jatropha is having many drawbacks.We are having many indigenous alternatives
like Karanj. Then the questions comes why it is under promotion in
Chhattisgarh.Who has taken this decision?Why this issue was not kept among the
common people for open discussion before such big planning. The technocatres
involved in this mission are not elected by the common people.

Many species of Jatropha are present in our forests ,although it has introduced
in recent past-as the traditional healers claim.An important qustion is that if
the authorities are having full confidence then why they donot use this natrual
population for making bio-diesel.This use will reduce the pressure on natural
herbs.The cost of seeds will be reduced and our tribal youth will get
employment.The interest of authoriites is to purchase the plants from FEW
suppliers for large scale plantations.

In this article the word FEW is coming very frequently.The govenrment is not
elected by FEW .Also it should not work for FEW. The authorities are under
influence of FEW.The project is for FEW.The advantages for natives are also very
FEW.Although the persons opposing this destructive plantation are also FEW but I
feel that the the support of common people in this mission will end this chapter
in (FEW )days.

(More research articles by Pankaj Oudhia are available on-line at
http://botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/poudhia_index.html )