Continuing a special campaign, Odisha Police has set a target to completely eradicate cannabis cultivation across the state by March 31st.
The State Director General of Police, Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, has ordered the eradication of cannabis cultivation throughout the state, with implementation occurring at the grassroots level.
In a review meeting held in Bhubaneswar today, DGP Khurania directed District Superintendents of Police (SPs) to identify the cannabis trafficking networks and take strict action against them.
This special campaign will run until March 31st, during which DGP Khurania expects senior officers to work towards the complete eradication of cannabis cultivation.
The campaign began on November 1st of last year. To date, 591 cases have been registered across various police stations in the state, leading to the destruction of more than 25,000 acres of cannabis cultivation. By the end of January this year, 213 cases were registered, and over 8,269 acres of marijuana cultivation were eradicated. The DGP noted that destroying thousands of acres of marijuana is a significant success for the police force.
To highlight recent statistics, in 2024, there were 350 cases registered, resulting in the destruction of more than 15,000 acres of marijuana cultivation. In 2023, 428 cases were registered, and 10,541 acres were destroyed. In 2022, there were 570 cases registered, along with the destruction of 24,395 acres of marijuana cultivation.
A special drive against marijuana cultivation is currently underway in eight districts of the state: Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput, Boudh, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Ganjam, and Nabarangpur. Illegal cannabis cultivation is prevalent in these areas, and a substantial campaign is being conducted by the police to eliminate these sources. They are using drones and satellite technology to identify and destroy acres of marijuana cultivation.
Additionally, police are notifying individuals involved in marijuana cultivation, and DGP Khurania has warned that strict action will be taken against anyone caught cultivating cannabis.
In today’s meeting, the Director General of Security (Crime Branch), Binaytosh Mishra; IGP (Operations), Jayanarayan Pankaj; DIG (Operations), Akhileshwar Singh; and DIG (SIW), Dr Kanwar Vishal Singh, along with various Ranger IGs, DIGs, and District SPs, were present.
