BHUBANESWAR: With the commencement of ganja cultivation season, Odisha Police have started a drive to create awareness among people in areas where the contraband is grown to shift to other cash crops and vegetables.
Rayagada police in association with Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department, Directorate of Horticulture, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation Limited and other agencies have started a campaign to make locals aware of the various government schemes on cash crops and their benefits.
Sources said the majority of people involved in ganja cultivation are poor and unaware of various government schemes relating to farming and animal husbandry. Usually, the financiers take away a major chunk of profits and pay a meagre amount to persons involved in ganja cultivation.
In the first phase, the programme was launched at Muniguda under Bissamcuttack police sub-division in Rayagada district on Wednesday. School and college students along with NGO members took out a rally while adhering to Covid-19 guidelines in the town to create awareness about the legal consequences of engaging in ganja cultivation.
“In the second phase it will be taken up in Gunupur police sub-division. Ganja is mostly cultivated in areas under these two police sub-divisions,” Rayagada SP Vivekanand Sharma told TNIE. The objective of the campaign is to change the mindset of people involved in the illegal ganja trade for the last several years, he added. Rayagada police and officials of other departments will next hold the awareness programmes at Dangsorada on September 4, Hanumantpur on September 6 and Bijapur on September 8.
The SP warned that stringent action will be taken against those found involved in cultivation of ganja, its peddling and transportation. “So far this year, 7.80 lakh ganja plants spread over 665 acre land have been destroyed. At least 19 cases have been registered and 29 persons arrested for their involvement in ganja cultivation,” said Sharma. Similarly, the district police have seized 15, 522 kg ganja, 12 heavy vehicles, 16 light motor vehicles, Rs 4.28 lakh in cash, registered 58 cases and apprehended 87 drug peddlers during the period.
New action plan
Campaign launched to make locals aware of govt schemes on cash crops
In first phase, the programme was launched at Muniguda
In the second phase, it will be taken up in Gunupur police sub-division