The State Government will formulate a manual for the cultivation of industrial hemp in Uttarakhand, said the State chief secretary Shatrughna Singh at a meeting with officials and subject experts here on Thursday. The meeting was focused on regulations, possibility of cultivation of industrial hemp and availability of market.
Discussions with representatives of the industrial sector and experts elicited focus on the fact that the cultivation of industrial hemp in considerable quantity is being carried out in 30 countries across the world with hemp/cannabis being used in about 25,000 different items. The cannabis plant has numerous uses and its cultivation can bring about an increase in the income of people.
Fibres of the industrial hemp cultivated are utilised for various purposes in varied sectors including the automobile sector, aviation, textiles, furniture making along with paper and pulp industry among others.
Apart from this, various components of the cannabis plant are utilised in the making of medicines found effective in treatment of various ailments and conditions including cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, epilepsy and various other afflictions of the body and mind. Its cultivation also helps in mitigation of land loss among other benefits.
It was decided in the meeting that a manual should be drafted for the cultivation of industrial hemp in Uttarakhand. The cultivation of cannabis varieties containing less than three per cent of the psychoactive ingredient Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) will be facilitated. The lands lying vacant and unused in the mountainous areas of the State should also be put to use for the cultivation of industrial hemp. A secure market facility should also be ascertained for the cultivated hemp.
The cooperation of Indo Australian enterprise linked to the pharmaceutical industry can also be sought for this purpose. Additional chief secretary Dr Ranvir singh, Excise commissioner Anil Sant, Industries Association of Uttarakhand head Pankaj Gupta, Dr S Farooq from the pharmaceutical sector, Vaidhya Dr Mayaram Uniyal and representatives of the Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Bharsar, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Vivekananda hill agricultural research institute and others from the industrial sector were also among those who attended the meeting.