Over four lakh ganja (hemp) plants were destroyed at Bubdengia, Rabingia, Gerupada, Bairikumpa, Nediraha, Birakia and Bhrungijodi villages under Phiringia block in Kandhamal district on Wednesday.
A joint raid by excise and police personnel found about 20 acres of land under hemp cultivation being carried out by tribals, according to district Collector Dr NT Nayak and SP Dr K Bishal Singh.
The cost of the destroyed plants was estimated at over Rs 3 crore in the open market.
The joint squad in the first phase raided villages like Bubdengia and its neighbouring three villages and seized 80,000 plants and then raided villages of Rabingia, Gerupada, Barikumpa, Nediraha, Birakia and Bhrungijodi and destroyed about 2,20,000 plants cultivated in nearby forests.
The raids were conducted as per the decision of the District Multi-Disciplinary Coordination Committee for identification of areas having ganja cultivation.
As many as 16 joint raids were conducted last year by excise and police personned, in which about 12.70 lakh hemp plants were destroyed, particularly under Phringia block costing about Rs 119.40 crore official sources said.
Another report from a separate raid said the joint squad destroyed 1,40,000 hemp plants at Bunduli village under Phiringia block worth about Rs 1.40 crore.