Sonamura, Nov 12 (TIWN): In a highly commendable initiative by SDM Sonamura, BSF, Police, ganja (cannabis) plants worth Rs. 4 crores are destroyed in Dhanmura and Baghairchar area under Kathalia R D Block.

As part of the ongoing drive headed by the Sonamura Sub-Divisional Administration to eliminate the widespread cultivation of ganja (cannabis) plants in the Sub-Division, another joint raid involving the Sub-Divisional Administration, BSF, and Excise officials was conducted today on 12.11.2014 in Dhanmura and Baghairchar area under Kathalia R D Block, during which a whooping 40,000 ganja plants spread over about 32 acres of forest-land were cut down.  Going by the standard measurement of 500 gm of cannabis-yield from each plant on average, the market value of the plants destroyed today would be about 4 Crore rupees. It may be mentioned that ganja plantations require a considerable degree of input materials including fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation system, labour, and constant nurturing.

Reportedly the secret of riches of several affluent persons residing in city and town areas lie in such illegal plantations, for raising of which they employ gullible local residents and provide them with all the requisite input materials and costs with the assurance that they would be given a share of the sale proceeds. The harvested ganja, after being dried, is then sold to local and international markets at high prices. The lucrative business of ganja, including preparing products like cigarettes stuffed with ganja, attracts anti-social elements and gradually illegal business cartels build up with considerable financial muscle, social influence and penetration. This leads to a mafia culture at the expense of the local cultural base, and sucks into its vicious folds several adolescents and youths, eventually converting them into anti-socials.

Recently, after several successive raids launched by the Sonamura Sub-Divisional Administration with the assistance of BSF and local Police authorities, there has been a declining trend in undertaking such plantations, but still there are credible reports of existence of some large-sized ganja plantations across all the four Police Stations areas of the Sub-Division. Considering the gravity of the situation, a meeting was conducted recently on 03.11.2014 at the Sonamura Revenue Dak-Bungalow under the chairmanship of the SP (Enforcement Branch), during which a Sub-Divisional Anti-Ganja Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of the SDM Sonamura to take concerted and consistent actions against illegal ganja cultivations and business. The SDPO Sonamura has been designated as the Member Secretary of the Committee, with all the OCs of the 4 Police Stations, and Coy Commanders of all the 17 BSF BOPs of the Sonamura Sub-Division being members of the Committee. It may be mentioned that on the day of formation of the Committee itself, about 20,000 ganja plants were destroyed in Jharjharia area under Melaghar P.S., in course of which the SP (Enforment Branch) was himself present.

Today’s raid continued for about 5 hours, from 7.00 a.m. till 12 noon, and it was led by SDM Sonamura, Subhasis Das, accompanied by the Coy Commander of BSF Dhanpur BOP, Anil Ranwa, and Sr. Excise Inspector of Sonamura, Gopal Das.

Recently, in another such raid spanning about a record 12 hours from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m., about 5000 ganja plants were destroyed in Nutan Colony area under Dakshin Kalamchoura Gram Panchayat of Boxanagar R D Block on 02.11.2014, and simultaneously huge quantity of other contraband articles were seized which include 300 kg of dried ganja concealed under plastered floor of a house, 276 bottles of foreign liquor and beer, and 1140 bottles of phensedyl brand codeine phosphate intoxicant syrups from Rahimpur and Nutan Colony area of Boxanagar R D Block. The market value of the contraband items recovered and ganja plantations destroyed during the 12 hour long operation was estimated at Rs.1.92 crore. The seized contraband articles were later exhibited at Srimantapur BOP under 29 Battalion BSF on 03.11.2014.