Punjab Government on Wednesday issued instructions to the village panchayats to focus on weeding out Congress grass as a measure to check the degradation of the ecosystem.
Punjab Government has already issued a notification declaring the parthenium weed, also known as Congress grass or carrot grass, as noxious weed under the provisions of ‘The East Punjab Agricultural Pests, Diseases and Noxious Weeds Act, 1949’.
This weed has been not only degrading the ecosystem in the State but was also a potent cause of various diseases in humans and animals, said a spokesman of the Rural Development and Panchayat Department.
He said that after declaration of this weed as noxious, any land owner would be duty bound to carry out preventive or remedial measures to control the weed, failing which he would be liable to be punished.
Spokesperson said that the Government has already issued instructions to all the Block Development and Panchayat Officers to visit the villages under their respective jurisdictions twice a week.