With cannabis plantation on the rise to alarming proportions, the State Government and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have intensified efforts to contain the menace by preparing a roadmap.
Principal Secretary of Department of Excise (DoE) Sudarshan Pal Thakur has been in touch with the country’s apex drug law enforcement agency for complete elimination of the ganja cultivation.
Deputy Director General of NCB for Eastern Region Ranjan Sahoo has also expressed grave concern at the speed with which the hemp cultivation is on the rise in the State. “Ganja supply from Odisha has overtaken that from Manipur and other States in recent past,” said Sahoo, adding as to how the NCB has helped the State in capacity building to deal with the disturbing trend.
According to sources, cannabis sativa (hemp plant) is illegally cultivated in at least 17 of the 30 districts of Odisha. However, in the tribals-dominated districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nuapada, Boudh, Kandhamal, Angul, Deogarh and Sambalpur, the ganja cultivation is done on a much bigger scale, said an official.
The cultivation areas are mostly in the bi/tri junctions of these districts which also happen to be Maoists-infested belts. Though earlier, hemp was cultivated in dense jungles, now on both sides of rivers Mahanadi and Brahmani people are cultivating it with impunity for earning rich dividends in quick time.
Ganja production is a major source of earning for the Maoists, and local youths are actively participating in this trade, revealed sources. Interestingly, in some districts like Angul and Deogarh, hemp cultivation is undertaken on a much wider scale posing a big threat to development of coal blocks in the areas, said sources.
Hemp plant cultivators are allegedly behind the resistance against industrialisation in the districts, pointed out DoE officials. There is a well-organised chain of cultivators, processors, couriers, suppliers, marketers, ringleaders, local sellers and consumers operating with ease making it difficult for the Government to track the racket, feel officials.
While DoE officials are regularly destroying the hemp plants in the accessible areas, the vast expanse of the cultivation in inaccessible terrains still remain out of reach, admit officials.
A recent CAG report revealed that during last five years, 23.28 million hemp plants worth Rs 2,328.60 crore were seized from 17 districts. This is the tip of the iceberg, and if a concentrated operation is organised, the ever-growing menace could be curbed, said the sources.
Sahoo, who has had a discussion with Thakur recently to expedite the elimination process, said that the NCB with support from the State police and DoE has asked for further capacity building of the DoE for the purpose. The DoE should place its demand with the Union Home Ministry for getting Central assistance for such capacity building, said Sahoo.
Even opium cultivation in the State, which could not be traced through field survey, has been detected from satellite imagery, said Sahoo, adding that joint operations by the State police, Excise and NCB are in the offing to curb the menace.