Puri: Excise officials have detected ganja farming on a large scale reportedly for first time in Kanas block of Odisha’s Puri district.
Hundreds of plants that have been grown on ridges of farmlands in Nanakera of the block were approximately valued at Rs 3 crore, said Excise superintendent Jagdish Samal.
“A 15-member excise team has been engaged in damaging the plants. It will take them at least five days to clean the area of the ganja plants. The officials have also started an investigation into who were involved in the farming and how long the farming is being carried out in the area,” Samal said.
On Friday, 5000 plants were uprooted while the exercise will resume on Saturday. Some land owners have reportedly absconded after the Excise officials arrived for the exercise.
On the other hand, the locals have raised questions on efficiency of the Excise officials. How such a large extent of ganja farming could not draw the notice of the Excise and police officials so long, they wondered.
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