Chief Minister Harish Rawat recently directed officials to facilitate the licensed cultivation of industrial hemp in the State to capitalise on its fibres.
While academic institutions have been asked to conduct research to 'develop' industrial hemp with Tetra hydro cannabinol (THC) content of0.3 to 1.5 percent, observers point out that similar instructions had been issued by the BJP led State Government in 2010 but after a few steps, the project had failed to progress.
Traditionally the cannabis plant has been used in Uttarakhand for its fibers, nutrition, oil and psychoactive properties but the authorities were unable to find the suitable variety of the plant though cannabis plants with negligible THC content have long been traditionally used for fibers in the State.
It is pertinent to mention here that during the term of the BJP-led State Government, the then Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had in 2000-10 directed officials to facilitate the farming of industrial hemp on about 30,000 hectares of barren land in Uttarakhand. The fiber and wood pulp from such hemp was to be utilised for manufacturing fabric and paper in the initial stages.
The State Khadi and Gram Udyog Board was expected to pay a minimum support price of Rs 35 per kg for the raw fiber obtained from industrial hemp cultivated on barren land.
Barren land at two sites totaling to about 40 hectare area was also marked in Khirsu block of Tehri District and Satpuli block of Pauri District for industrial hemp cultivation which was slated to begin in May 2010.
However, the plan could not be executed that year because the seeds available were not those of plants with minimal THC. The scientists of GB Pant Agriculture and Technology University were said to be working on developing seeds of a variety of industrial hemp with minimal narcotic content which then was to be sowed on the barren lands in 2011.
Uttarakhand Bamboo and Fiber Development Board (UBFDB) was executing the plan with the assistance of the State Horticulture Department and `5 lakh was released from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) fund for tasks including the development of seed for a cannabis strain with less than 0.3 percent of THC content.
However, evidently this was not done and now Chief Minister Harish Rawat has asked three institutions to 'develop' industrial hemp seeds. Skeptics are questioning the logic behind efforts to 'develop' such seeds without testing the cannabis plants with minimal THC content that are traditionally used for fiber in the State.
Traditionally, the cannabis plant has been used in Uttarakhand for its fiber which in turn was used for making clothes, shoes, ropes and apparel whereas in addition to the use of its narcotic properties the plant was and is still valued for the seeds which are used as a healthful traditional snack (non-narcotic) and for making a high-protein cannabis seed oil.