Cultivating cannabis with impunity
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, September 19
The drug mafia allegedly backed by terrorists and certain political leaders in the Kashmir Valley has declared September 26 as auspicious day for starting plucking of flowers from the cannabis plants to produce high-quality charas. But the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other agencies are helpless in taking action against the mafia because hardly any support is coming from the local authorities in checking the menace.
After 10 days from now, men, women and children rubbing cannabis flowers and leaves between their hands to extract the contraband will be a common sight in the areas of the valley where it is cultivated in an organised manner.
Cannabis and opium is being cultivated on a large scale in the valley and the problem has assumed alarming proportions eversince terrorists have reportedly joined hands with the drug mafia. Successive governments have taken half-hearted steps to eradicate the menace because of political reasons and involvement of a large number of population in cultivation of these plants.
It is learnt that the plucking of cannabis flowers and leaves is done during this part of the season because the tetra-hydro cannabinal (THC) potency of the produce is higher and it commands a better price in the market.
The mafia does not seem to be afraid of the authorities and did not allow their illicit plants to be destroyed when a special drive was launched for this purpose recently. The paramilitary forces were also engaged, but the crop was so widely spread, particularly in three of the six districts of Kashmir, that the drive remained a symbolic one. However, this was for the first time that the NCB dared to visit certain areas in the valley to undertake destruction of the cannabis plants although on a very small scale.
These plants are widely cultivated in an organised manner even in the apple orchards, particularly in the politically volatile districts of Anantnag, Baramula and Pulwama. These districts are also worst affected by terrorism. Although the militants completely banned the sale and consumption of liquor in the valley, cultivation of cannabis and opium has increased.
It is learnt that extraction of charas from the cannabis is intentionally coincided with the plucking of apple to enable smuggling of the contraband in fruit boxes which are carried in trucks to various markets in Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The number of trucks carrying apple is so high during the season that it is practically impossible to check each and every fruit box. Moreover, the NCB is handicapped because with the involvement of the entire village, no one would come forward to provide specific information regarding smuggling of the contraband, said Mr Arun Kumar, zonal director of the bureau.
Mr Arun Kumar said that the cultivation of cannabis and opium was being done shockingly on a large extent in the three districts. In certain cases the cultivation was being done right on the roadside in the view of the district authorities who cross the place every day.
He said that seizure of the contraband was very low because no one came forward to provide information about its smuggling. The support of the local authorities was cosmetic.
He said that the NCB proposed to involve troops and paramilitary forces next season for destroying the cannabis and opium plants.
It is worth mentioning that so far no serious efforts have been made by the state government to eradicate the menace which was further spreading its feet in the valley. It was only once during Governor's rule when Mr Jagmohan was heading the state that such organised cultivations were destroyed mechanically. Even certain people having high political connections were not spared.
While its cultivation was not being done in an organised manner in the Jammu region, its wild growth was of high magnitude. At times, students and youth have been seen plucking the cannabis flowers near various educational institutions and rubbing these with their hands.
No comments:
Post a Comment