Odisha Seizes 1.66 Lakh Kg Of Ganja In Five Years, Minister Informs Assembly
The government reiterated its commitment to stamping out illegal ganja production and smuggling, adding that surveillance and enforcement efforts will be further strengthened in districts known to be prone to such activities.
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has carried out one of its largest crackdowns on illegal ganja cultivation and trafficking in recent years, seizing over 1.66 lakh kilograms of the contraband in the past five years. Law minister Prithviraj Harichandan shared the figures in a written reply to the State Assembly, highlighting the government’s intensified campaign against narcotics across vulnerable regions.
According to the minister, enforcement agencies have also destroyed extensive tracts of illegal cannabis plantations during this period. Ganja crops spread across 52,235 acres were wiped out, marking a major setback for organised cultivation networks operating largely in remote and forested pockets of the state.
This year alone, up to November, authorities seized 22,380 kilograms of ganja and eradicated cultivation across 4,364 acres. The operations are part of coordinated efforts involving the state police, excise officials and district administrations, who have been conducting targeted drives in high-risk zones.
District-specific data shows that Kandhamal continues to be the epicentre of illegal cultivation, with plantations across 3,649 acres destroyed this year. In neighbouring Boudh district, enforcement teams cleared ganja crops from 337 acres.
The government reiterated its commitment to stamping out illegal ganja production and smuggling, adding that surveillance and enforcement efforts will be further strengthened in districts known to be prone to such activities.
