Baliguda: Baliguda police and officials of the state Excise department in a joint operation destroyed 175 acres of ganja cultivation in Kandhamal district Thursday. They reportedly destroyed cannabis plants worth Rs 17.50 crore. The raids were conducted in Sindiri, Nilipada and Temangi villages under the Baliguda Police limits of the district.
Baliguda police limit SDPO Manas Ranjan Barick said, “Ganja cultivation was being done on forest land near the three villages. Coming to know about it the raid was conducted by a joint team of police and excise personnel. The cultivation was cut and put on fire. The team torched more than 1,25,000 ganja plants during the raid.”
Along with the 40-member team of the police and Excise department, 30 labourers were also pressed into service to cut the plants, the SDPO informed.
Cannabis cultivation and smuggling have gone up substantially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many unemployed youths and those who have lost their jobs due to the virus are turning to ganja cultivation as it is very lucrative.
PNN