"We have destroyed as many as 91,253 hemp or ganja plants inside the dense Mangalajodi jungle under Kudukuluguma block. The market value of the hemp plants would be around Rs 10 crore," said district excise superintendent Siba Prasad Gantayat, who led the operation.
Besides Gantayat, local excise inspector Bimbadhar Panda and magistrate Sujit Kumar Mishra were also present when excise and police personnel set fire on the hemp plants.
Gantayat said the team had last month too destroyed hemp cultivation worth Rs 10 crore.