Rayagada: Rayagada district has turned into a hub of illegal cultivation of cannabis and its smuggling to destinations in and outside the state, a report said Saturday.
Ganja cultivation has become rampant with farmers and landowners taking it up on a large scale leaving aside cultivation of other crops. Large-scale illegal farming of ganja can be seen in Muniguda, Chandrapur, Padmapur and Kashipur blocks of Rayagada district.
Observers said that a well-oiled racket is working behind the cultivation and smuggling of the contraband whose network is spread in various parts of the country and even outside.
Farmers and landowners are seen getting increasingly drawn to the cultivation due to high profit margin. As a result, cultivation of other crops has suffered a setback while ganja cultivation has picked up in the district.
A farmer requesting anonymity said that he earns five times more profit from ganja cultivation than what he earns by growing other crops. Things have come to such a pass that people have even started leasing out their lands to ganja farmers. They said that their earnings increase manifold by leasing out land for cultivation of ganja instead of any other crops. This trend has spread to various parts of the district while the district excise personnel and police have failed to act tough on the cultivation and trade of the illegal plant.
Sources said that ganja cultivation is especially done in Muniguda, Kashipur, Padmapur and Chandrapur blocks. The rampant cultivation is not only linked to high-profit margins but also to financial and other assistance the farmers receive for the crop.
There is no dearth of money for the cultivation as ganja traders from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh visit the areas frequently and encourage farmers and landowners to take up the cultivation by providing them financial assistance. They also supply them with seeds, fertilisers and arrange motor pumps to draw water for cultivation.
Various hilly villages in remote Raghubari, Dimiriguda panchayats of Muniguda block, Sundarpadar, Kancharaguda, Jambaguda panchayats of Padmapur block and remote Bijapur village of Chandrapur block are the hotspots of ganja farming.
In Kashipur block, the cultivation is done on the hilly farmlands of Kapuguda, Taladeska, Jubapadar, Tureighati, Kichikhal and Pitajodi villages. Apart, farming is also done in abandoned and deserted areas of Kashipur and other blocks by concealing it from locals.
After harvest, ganja traders from Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Puri and Kendrapara visit the concerned areas of cultivation to smuggle the contraband in suitcases and bags through bus, train and various cargo vehicles. Later, it is smuggled outside of the state in a clandestine manner avoiding the prying eyes of police and excise personnel.
When contacted, district Excise Superintendent Abhiram Behera said that the excise, police and forest personnel are often conducting joint raids and destroying the ganja cultivation. They are also encouraging people to take up cultivation of cash crops where their earnings will increase and they will not face any problems in selling their produce.
The excise and police personnel conduct joint raids in November and December when Ganja is harvested, he added. Locals have demanded the district administration to intervene and take necessary action against the cultivation of the illegal substance.
However, what has surprised many is that despite tall claims by the Excise superintendent, illegal cultivation and smuggling of ganja is only increasing in the district.
PNN
