5,200 cannabis plants worth Rs 1.2cr destroyed in Keonjhar | Bhubaneswar News
Keonjhar: A joint enforcement squad of the district raided eight locations near Sunajhari village in Kanjipani section of Bhuyan Juanga Pidha range here and destroyed about 5,200 plants of almost mature cannabis (ganja) on Saturday.“The estimated market value of the destroyed cannabis plants was approximately Rs 1.2 crore,” said divisional forest officer Dhanraj H D of Keonjhar division. The team comprised 70 members from the forest, excise and police departments.After Kandhamal, Boudh, Gajapati, Rayagoda, Malkangiri, Sambalpur cannabis mafia spread their tentacles to Keonjhar district. Mostly forest and hills surround Banspal block and its adjacent areas. Forest department estimates say in three months, more than 22,000 illicit cannabis plants, estimated worth Rs 3 crore, have been destroyed.The illegal farming is largely concentrated in remote, forested and hilly Banspal block of Bhuyan Juanga Pirha range under Keonjhar division, which has become a worry for everyone.However, since the police, excise or the forest department have not arrested anyone in this incident, the exact reason has not been found, or the department has not given any information. The forest department claims regular patrolling to monitor elephant movement and hunters.
