MANGALORE: Students of Sudana High School – Deepika CN and Ayesha Fahima – studying in the IX standard have been selected to represent India in the International Science Fair INESPO – Environment Sustainability Olympiad 2014 to be held in the Netherlands in June. Trying to find an economic use for a weed was the main aim of this project that these students undertook.

Deepika and Ayesha had participated and won at the regional level competition conducted by Science Society of India held here. At the national level competition held in Chennai in January conducted by INSEF (National level Science and Engineering fair) in collaboration with SSI this project won the gold medal and a chance to participate in the international fair.

They used a very common weed eupatorium popularly known as Communist plant to extract fibres. After process of retting in water, the fibres are extracted and processed to give additional strength. These fibres can be made into ropes, woven into mats or gunny cloth. These fibres can have practical application in the form of mats, doormats and so on.

These are comparable and better in durability and strength than items derived from other natural fibres. Sadhana Hebbar, Prathima and Gayathri, staff members with encouragement of the correspondent Rev Vijay Harvin, and headmistress Shobha Nagaraj and Jayashree have guided the students who had brought laurels to the district and the state with their achievement.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangalore / by Jaideep Shenoy, TNN / March 19th, 2014