Drumstick panacea for nutritional deficiency

LUCKNOW:The annual plantation drive of the state forest department will start in the first week of July, in which a large number of drumstick trees (commonly called Sehjan) will be planted.

Forest department officials said that the drive will help raise the nutritional status of people, particularly children, through drumstick. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) 52.4% of women aged between 15 and 49 years are anaemic. Among men, this percentage is 23.7%.

Under-five mortality rate (the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children) between birth and five years of age was 78 in 2015-16. Infant Mortality Rate (the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children) under the age of one was 64 (2015-2016). “The drumstick tree is full of nutrition and each part of the tree is a nutrient. That is why against a demand of 55 lakh saplings for the plantation drive, we have developed 1.25 crore saplings in our nurseries,” said additional principal chief forest conservator (biodiversity) Mukesh Kumar. The tree has vitamin-A, calcium, potassium, and antioxidants that can help people. “We have got education department letters circulated among schools to plant ‘Sehjan’ while common areas will have plantation by various agencies, including the forest department. Also, individuals finding a suitable place can plant them,” he said.

› Against a demand of 55 lakh saplings for the plantation drive, we have developed 1.25 crore saplings in our nurseries MUKESH KUMAR, Additional principal chief forest conservator (biodiversity)