The State police have so far destroyed 4,407.73 acres of illegal ganja cultivation in eight districts against a target of 3,050 acres set during the current year, 2017-18.
In Angul district, against the target of 200 acres, farming in 51 acres was destroyed; in Boudh, the target is 500 acres, but 789 acres was destroyed and in Gajapati, ganja farming was destroyed in 842 acres against a target of 400 acres. Similarly, in Kandhamal, ganja farming in 1,500 acres destroyed against target of 2,227 acres; in Rayagada, farming in 200 acres destroyed against target of 272 acres; and in Malkangiri, target was 100 acres but 199 acres of ganja cultivations were destroyed.
During 2017, as many as 420 NDPS cases were registered in which 476 quintal 2 kg 707 gm was seized and 700 persons were arrested. During the same period 1 kg, 861 gm, 180 mg brown sugar and 8,925 bottles of cough syrup were seized and 37 and 24 accused persons respectively were arrested in these cases. Direct transfer of funds was facilitated by the STF to the district SPs to avoid delay and coordinated multi disciplinary approach.
supplemented with use of satellite imageries have helped in better results in inaccessible and interior areas of Maoist affected districts like Kandhamal, Boudh, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput.
There is a sharp decline in illegal cultivation of ganja in districts like Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul and Nayagarh due to constant efforts by the district SPs in destruction of ganja in previous years and awareness drive during the current year.