21/01/2008 00:00:00
India: Cannabis farming still flourishes
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Statesman News Service
ANGUL, Jan. 21: Cannabis cultivation continues to flourish on a massive
scale at Chendipada and its adjoining areas in the district despite
destruction of plantations each year by the excise authorities.
The reason is that the kingpin behind the racket has remained elusive so
far. The authorities ended their drive after destroying the plantations
and registering cases against some of the local villagers in this
connection.
What is appalling is that authorities despite conduct raids in each year
are yet to establish the identity of the main culprits though they admit
their existence.
The excise authorities conducted raids for a stretch of 17 days in seven
phases in December and January in some places under the Chhendipada
police station area. The operation, said to be the largest so far,
covered an area of about 1.5 lakh acres.
The officials who conducted the raid burnt about 4.5 lakh cannabis trees
raised on government and forest lands in the peripheral villages like
Patrapara, Patakmunda, Raipal, Pururanagarh, Marudhipa and Kanalaoi of
Chhendipada.
The district excise superintendent, Mr Biswajit Dash, who conducted the
raids named Kalia Dehury as the main agent behind the cultivation of
cannabis in these areas. Cases had been registered against three
persons, including kalia, They are all absconding.
The cultivation is not only limited to chhendipada area, but have spread
to Kishorenagar area of the district and beyond the adjoining borders of
Sambalpur and Deogarh district.
The local villagers of this belt have been allured by the agents and
have given away their lands for cannabis plantations. One of the
villagers of Raipal was offered Rs 8,000 to let out his half acres of
land for four months.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=186949
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13187
Author:
The Statesman via UKCIA
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