TIMERGARA: The Lower Dir agriculture department on Wednesday launched a campaign to combat parthenium, locally known as Gajar Boti, which is an invasive weed spreading fast and causing harm to crops and livestock.

A meeting in this regard was held at Balambat here with district director agriculture Murad Ali Khan in the chair. It was also attended by district director livestock Dr Rahimullah and agriculture experts.

Briefing the participants, Murad Ali said that the department had planned to launch an awareness campaign for rooting out parthenium weed. He said that parthenium, which could grow and spread fast, was a dangerous plant species found in all parts of the country. He said that majority of the people and farmers were not aware of the health hazards posed by parthenium seeds that spread through air and animals.

The agriculturist said that parthenium weed could cause asthma, eye irritation, allergies and chest and throat infections. He said that steps should be taken to root out the weed to protect people, crops and livestock from its harm.

ANTI-DENGUE DRIVE: The Lower Dir administration and health department on Wednesday started fumigation and spray to curb spread of dengue and malaria in the district.

An official of the health department told this scribe that so far 39 cases of dengue fever had been reported in the district. He said that Samarbagh was the most affected area with a total of 17 patients.

Lower Dir district health officer Dr Shaukat Ali in consultation with MNA Bashir Khan and MPA Bahadar Khan deployed a team comprising of malaria supervisors, lady health workers and volunteers to carry out anti-dengue activities.

An official said that a health team had collected water samples for surveillance of dengue larvae in Kambat, Qandary and Samarbagh. He said that outdoor and indoor surveillance activities were continuing in high-risk union councils.

WARNED OF ACTION: Principal of government girls higher secondary school, Ziarat Talash, Nargis Begum on Wednesday told mediapersons that legal action would be taken against those who motivated a handful of girl students to stage a protest demonstration against the school administration the other day.

She said that the students of first and second year classes would reach the school late on which they were reprimanded.

She claimed that a driver bringing the students to school drove them to Timergara under a planned conspiracy where the students chanted slogans against the school administration.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2019