In a significant blow to illegal narcotics cultivation, authorities in Odisha's Keonjhar district have seized and destroyed more than 17,000 cannabis plants, with an estimated street value of approximately Rs 2 crore, in a series of targeted raids conducted over just one month.
Major Hauls Across Remote Villages
The latest operation took place on Saturday, led by Keonjhar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Dhanraj H D. Acting on specific intelligence, a team of 30 forest rangers raided the remote villages of Upper Gundula, Lower Gundula, and Pokharipani within the Banspal block. This single raid resulted in the destruction of 3,200 illegal cannabis plants, valued at roughly Rs 45 lakh.
This was not an isolated incident. Earlier, on December 27, a joint team comprising forest, police, and excise department personnel conducted raids in the Tantdihi and Lata areas of Karangadihi panchayat. They destroyed 2,000 plants worth an estimated Rs 15 lakh.
The Largest Bust: A Multi-Acre Plantation
The biggest crackdown, however, occurred on November 29. In a coordinated effort, officials raided four locations within the Tangarpada, Sunajhari, and Benidihi forest areas under the Bhuyan Juanga Pidha range. The scale of the illegal operation was massive, with 12,000 cannabis plants eradicated from five to six acres of forest land. The forest department pegged the value of this haul alone between Rs 1 and 1.5 crore.
Community Concerns and Official Resolve
The illicit activity has raised serious concerns among local tribal communities. Sanjay Giri, a tribal leader from the Banspal block, highlighted the vulnerability of the local population, which primarily consists of the primitive Juang and Bhuyan tribes. "They are poor and simple people who depend on forest produce and traditional cultivation," Giri said. He expressed fear that drug mafias, with their financial power, could exploit these communities if the illegal farming is not stopped.
On the enforcement front, officials are determined to root out the culprits. Keonjhar Superintendent of Excise, Tejaraj Jani, stated that intelligence is being gathered to identify those behind the plantations. "The culprits will be arrested. We will take strict action against this illegal activity," Jani asserted, signaling a continued crackdown in the region.
