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Dipender Manta
Tribune News Service
Mandi, August 26
Despite persistent efforts by the state government to eradicate drug menace, organised cultivation of cannabis and opium is rampant in the remote areas of Mandi and Kullu districts.
Data retrieved from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) reveal that in Mandi district, over 465 bigha land was covered under cannabis cultivation, while in Kullu district over 2,700 bigha land was being used for the purpose.
Like every year, this year the Narcotics Control Bureau has started cannabis destruction campaign in Mandi district under six police station areas of Padhar, Karsog, Gohar, Janjehli, Sundernagar and Aut where cannabis cultivation was detected in remote areas.
In Mandi district, the Chohar valley is notorious for cultivation of cannabis and opium in an organised way. People are now demanding the tribal status to the area so as to generate alternative source of income.
After the police tightened noose, drug offenders shifted base to higher reaches on forest land to cultivate cannabis and opium in an organized way. They choose those areas, which are relatively inaccessible. Charas in large quantity was seized often by police in Mandi and Kullu districts round the year.
Ashish Ojha, Superintendent of NCB, Mandi Zone, told The Tribune, “The NCB initiated cannabis plant destruction campaign in Mandi district with the help of district police on August 23. The drive will continue till 5 September.”
“In Mandi district the police have identified over 465 bigha government land, where cannabis was cultivated at several places in an organized way, especially in remote areas. The NCB and district police administration have engaged workforce to uproot cannabis plants from the area. We are also taking help of local panchayats and mahila mandals to end the menace”, he remarked.
In Kullu district bad weather has delayed the cannabis plant destruction campaign. The NCB and the police are likely to now begin its campaign on September 5. Here cannabis was found cultivated on vast tracts of land. Around 2,700 bigha land has been indentified to be covered under the campaign.
Ashish Ojha said that discussions were underway with Kullu SP and a campaign would soon be launched there to destroy cannabis plants. The authority was using drone technique to detect illicit cultivation of cannabis in remote areas.
Offenders shifting base