Destruction of illegal cultivation of Cannabis by Odisha Police in Left Wing Extremist affected areas

Bureau,Odishabarta

Bhubaneswar: Illegal cultivation of cannabis in some pockets of Odisha has been a major cause of concern for police and other drug law enforcement agencies. The fact that most of these pockets lie in hilly, forested, inaccessible and sometimes in Left Wing Extremist affected areas, makes the issue even more difficult and challenging.

Odisha Police launched a major drive against this illegal cultivation during the crop year 2020-21 (usually the crop season starts in September-October and lasts in February- March). The drive has resulted in all time record of  destruction of more than 23000 acres of illegal cultivation of cannabis. This is worth to mention that during the crop year 2019-20, this figure was 18000+ acres and in 2018-19 it was 11600+ acres.

During this drive, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Boudh and Rayagada districts were top performers.

This is not only an all time highest figure for Odisha but probably for entire Country in one crop year.