Odisha steps up vigilance against illegal ganja cultivation on govt land
Bhubaneswar, Aug 14
The Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Department has directed field-level revenue officials in six districts to intensify vigilance against illegal cannabis cultivation on government land, particularly in areas identified as ganja cultivation hotspots.
The Additional Chief Secretary of the (R&DM) department, Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, has written to the Collectors of the six districts -- Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Boudh and Gajapati districts -- directing them to sensitise the field revenue department functionaries, including the Tehsildars, Additional Tehsildars, Revenue Supervisors and Revenue Inspectors in this regard.
Padhee, in his letter dated August 10, noted that during the cannabis destruction drive undertaken in the 2025-26 crop season, the Odisha Police destroyed illegal cannabis cultivation spread over 36,508.792 acres across 1,631 GPS-mapped plots under 41 police stations in the six identified districts. Of the total area, 6,632.197 acres were found to be government/ revenue land.
The Police Department has also provided the GPS coordinates of the locations where illicit cannabis cultivation was destroyed during the previous crop season (November 2025 to March 2026). Based on this data, systematic and continuous monitoring will be carried out on the concerned land parcels. Dr Padhee has specifically directed officials to remain vigilant as persons involved in illegal cannabis cultivation, particularly in remote and inaccessible areas, tend to reuse the same government revenue land for cultivation every year.
As the 2026-27 crop season has begun, there is a possibility of illegal cannabis cultivation being taken up again on land where crops had previously been destroyed. All field-level officials have therefore been instructed to keep a special watch on such areas. Tehsildars, Additional Tehsildars, Revenue Inspectors (RIs) and Revenue Supervisors of the concerned districts have been directed to take coordinated action.
They have also been instructed to maintain continuous surveillance of all government revenue land where illegal cannabis cultivation was previously detected and destroyed, and to keep records of the concerned land, including village- and plot-wise details along with GPS coordinates, ready in advance.
Similarly, if illegal cannabis cultivation is detected again on government revenue land, officials have been directed to immediately inform the concerned police station, the Special Task Force (STF) or the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), as required under Section 47 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
The Additional Chief Secretary has directed the Collectors of the concerned districts to ensure that an appropriate internal reporting mechanism may also be instituted at the district level to ensure prompt transmission of such information to the concerned law-enforcement agencies without delay.
The officials have further been directed to maintain close coordination with the local police administration to prevent illegal cannabis cultivation and ensure strict compliance with the instructions.
Padhee has also issued a stern warning that strict action will be taken immediately if any revenue official is found assisting any individual or mafia involved in illegal cannabis cultivation.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While I appreciate the crackdown, I hope they also focus on rehabilitation and alternative livelihood for poor tribals who are often forced into this cultivation due to poverty. Simply destroying crops without offering alternatives will push these vulnerable communities further into the clutches of the mafia.
This is very serious. Last year in Kandhamal, they destroyed over 6000 acres but the problem persists. The mafia uses government land because they think nobody will notice. Good move to have revenue officials coordinate with police and STF. Otherwise these ganja networks operate with complete impunity.
The fact that 36,000 acres of illegal cannabis was destroyed is both alarming and impressive. But why is it that our districts like Malkangiri and Koraput always become hubs for such activities? The administration needs to be more proactive, not just reactive. 🙏
I am worried about the remote areas and the dense forests where these things happen. Satellite monitoring and GPS are good, but real-time vigilance on the ground will require boots on the ground. I just hope the Tehsildars and RIs take their responsibility seriously and not just make reports on paper.
Does anyone else think the government is wasting resources on this when it could legalise regulated cultivation for medicinal use? I mean, cannabis has well-documented therapeutic benefits. Many countries are profiting from legal medicinal cannabis. Instead of fighting it, maybe we should regulate it properly. Just my two paise on this.
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