AP taking steps to curb cannabis cultivation and trafficking: HM Anitha
Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha has said there was rampant cultivation and trafficking of cannabis during the five years of the YSRC government.
Vijayawada:Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha has said there was rampant cultivation and trafficking of cannabis during the five years of the YSRC government.
The present government would take several steps to check narcotics cultivation and trafficking. A committee led by education minister Nara Lokesh has initiated the launch of ‘Eagle’ committees in schools, she said.
In order to streamline responses to cannabis information, arrangements have been made for teachers and principals to facilitate the referral of affected individuals to de-addiction centers, she said in the state assembly during Question Hour on Monday.
She highlighted the rampant cultivation and trafficking of cannabis that occurred during the previous government’s tenure.
Anitha said the establishment of a dedicated system called ‘Eagle’ specifically focused on the eradication of cannabis. A senior IPS officer has been appointed as its head, and the entity has been provided with a special budget allocation.
She disclosed that 26 narcotic cells have been set up across the state, with one in each district, to effectively tackle the problem.
The home minister claimed significant progress in controlling cannabis cultivation in AP, stating, "We have reduced the area under cannabis cultivation from 11,000 acres to just 100 acres. We have identified 20 hotspots across 375 villages in seven mandals and have taken measures to eliminate cultivation in these areas.”
Counseling sessions have been held for families that were previously reliant on cannabis cultivation, encouraging them to adopt alternative crops. As a result, 359 families have now shifted to growing other crops instead of cannabis, she said.
Anitha said cannabis trafficking is currently more prevalent than cultivation in AP. To enhance coordination, a state-level committee has been formed under the home department and ‘Eagle.’ Currently, 44 de-addiction centers are operating in AP through public-private partnerships. These centers are equipped to support individuals seeking help in overcoming substance use issues, she said.
