Visakhapatnam: Ganja grown in 5,500 acre goes up in flames

Visakhapatnam: Aligning technology, enforcement and intelligence, the police department steps up its action plan to place a check on cannabis cultivation as well as trafficking across the State.

Intensifying 'operation Parivarthana', the department along with its allied wings have so far destroyed 5,500 acres of ganja cultivation across eight mandals of Agency areas in Visakhapatnam district in the past 28 days.

Despite showing signs of resistance from parts of G Madugula and Pedabayalu mandals, plans are afoot to destroy the rest and make Andhra Pradesh a ganja-free state. "Compared to other mandals, the presence of ganja cultivation is rampant in G Madugula, Pedabayalu and Chintapalli mandals. However, the good sign is that a total of 360 acres of voluntary destruction has so far taken place," says S Satish Kumar, Joint Director of Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB). Another 6,500 acres of cannabis cultivation is expected to meet a similar fate in the coming days.

Apart from the focus on the destruction of cannabis, the SEB officials say the agenda is also to devise ways to provide alternative livelihood to the tribals in Agency areas.

Starting from October 31, the operation 'Parivarthana' has witnessed a huge impact both in terms of voluntary destruction from the tribals and ensuring behavioural change in them.

Earlier, DGP D Gautam Sawang made it clear during an interstate coordination meeting concluded in Visakhapatnam that an action plan is in place to eradicate ganja cultivation and trafficking and that the focus would be more on tracing the origins by working in tandem with the departments of the other States.

As a part of the endeavour, Visakhapatnam police and Special Enforcement Bureau have intensified cannabis destruction campaign.

Going forward, the police department intends to strengthen its strategies to combat drug cultivation as well as trafficking.