Adivasis call it Gajar Ghas. Bengalis dub it as Congress Ghas. Botanists name it Parthenium hysterophorus. It is green colour plant of maximum one metre size with white flowers of 4-7mm each.

A native of West Indies, Central and North America, Parthenium is a very aggressive invader that grows prolifically and flowers throughout the year. The major components of toxin being parthenin and other phenolic acids such as caffeic acid, vanillic acid, ansic acid, p-anisic acid, chlorogenic acid, and parahydroxy benzoic acid are lethal to human beings and animals. It causes asthma, eczema and contact dermatitis.

With the onset of monsoon, this dangerous plants were flourishing in Morabadi, Dhurwa and Kanke dam-sites. Aware of the risk involved for the morning walkers, a socio –cultural body Sanskar decided to launch a campaign to weed out these plants from these places.The campaign began today morning at 5 A.M.

During the morning hours hundreds of plants of parthenium were rooted out and dumped in a place. “These plants will be burnt”,said Sanskar’s Coordinator Ajay Bharatiya. The campaign is being backed by CMPDI’s CMD AK Deonath.