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Young World
Student-scientists do it
S.S. KAVITHA
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The projects were replete with facts discovered by children.
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PHOTO: S. JAMES
In appreciation:Books and certificates being given away.
The Edward Hall in Madurai was teaming with student-scientists from rural areas in and around Madurai. P. Palanimurugavel and his team members of Panchayat Union Middle School, Thenpzhanchi, received an applause when he narrated his experience on the five-month project on “Rare medicinal plant – Accorus” at the felicitation function organised by Tamil Nadu Science Forum for about 100 student-scientists.
With an introduction on what is accorus and how it is known among locals as “vasambu”, “persollathathu” and “pillai valarppan”, Palanimurugavel said that villagers wanted to end the cultivation of accorus for lack of sufficient water. But the team members told them to use vermicompost, and natural manure that allows the growth of micro organisms. “Natural manure would yield better results and it is less costly when compared to chemical fertilizer,” said M. Sujitha and P. Ranjitha. “Though our aim was to explain the medicinal values of the plant, we learnt that accorus is a pesticide.”
Accolades
The other team that had won accolades at the National level congress from Madurai are students from Capron Hall H.S. School that worked on “Diversity of aquatic fauna in Vaigai and Nubraganga.”
K. Kannan and his team members of Kumaram village worked a strategy of uprooting parthenium plants, besides documenting the bad impact of the plants on other vegetation.
The other projects were on greens, seeds, minor millets, types of mosquitoes, difference between indigenous crops and present day crops, bio-diversity of plants and animals around Meenakshipatti, students and their food habits, and types of birds. As many as 175 students from in and around Madurai villages presented 32 projects of which 12 projects were from non-formal centres such as Thulir Science Centre for the NCSC, said P. Rajamanickam, advisor, Thulir Science Centre.
Science books worth Rs. 200 were distributed to all student-scientists to set up a library in their school premises. Later, the Chief Education Officer, Rama. Pandurengan, distributed certificates.
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