Wonder weed

Weeds are more often a
nuisance.,
and so was the case
with Banmara or
Eupatorium adenophorum
which
was the bane of farmers
in the eastern Himalaya and Uttar
Pradesh.
Shunned even by
animals, the weed
had no uses except for
being used as
an antiseptic and
anti-bleeding
agent at times by some
locals.
However, it is now
being used to
make high grade
handmade paper
which is providing
gainful employ-
ment opportunities in
these areas
and also has export
potential. A
green dye has also been
extracted
from Banmara which is
being used
in textile mills in
place of synthetic
dyes. The dye is fast
in colour and is
also water resistant.