Odisha is ganja’s ground zero
Rural communities see the weed as a route to survival
The Hindu (India)
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Hemp grows illegally in vast stretches of Odisha’s inaccessible forested regions, making it one of the top cannabis-producing States in India. The plant is luxuriant in highly-suited climatic conditions, and its growth is aided by low police movement in Maoist-affected hilly regions as well as pervasive rural poverty. Out of over 8,500 acres of cannabis crop destroyed across the country during 2016-17, Odisha accounted for 47% with 4,028 acres. Despite the acreage of cannabis destroyed by enforcers going up three-fold in the State in the past five years, officials say the detected cultivation is just the tip of the iceberg. (See also: Odisha second in country to destroy cannabis cultivation)
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