Bhubaneswar: In a major push to curb illicit cannabis farming the Revenue and Disaster Management Department in Odisha has directed field-level officers across six hotspot districts to intensify surveillance and prevent the re-cultivation of cannabis on government land.
The directives, issued by Additional Chief Secretary Arabinda Padhee to the District Collectors of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamala, Boudh, and Gajapati, follow decisions taken during the 7th State NCORD Meeting. The initiative aims to combine strict enforcement against illegal drug crops with the promotion of alternative livelihood opportunities in affected regions.
Extensive enforcement operations carried out during the 2025–26 crop season when Odisha Police destroyed illegal cannabis crops spread over 36,508.792 acres across 1,631 GPS-mapped land parcels falling under 41 police limits in these six districts. Subsequent detailed land assessments revealed that 6,632.197 acres of the cleared areas were state-owned revenue land.
The police department has shared the precise GPS coordinates of all land plots where illegal crops were dismantled between November 2025 and March 2026. With the onset of the 2026–27 crop season, officials warned of an imminent risk of re-cultivation unless continuous field surveillance is maintained.
Under the new directives, Collectors have been instructed to sensitise Tehsildars, Additional Tehsildars, Revenue Supervisors, and Revenue Inspectors to maintain tight vigil over cleared land parcels using GPS coordinates and plot-level data provided by police. Field staff have been directed to immediately report any fresh cultivation attempts to local police stations, the Special Task Force (STF), or the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF).
The state government has also warned of strict disciplinary and criminal action against any revenue officials found colluding with drug syndicates or vested interests.
