HP launches mass campaign against Cannabis

In one of the biggest-ever anti-Cannabis drive launched by the state government, illegal plantation were uprooted in 6000 acres area by more than 2.5 lakh people.
"The fortnight long drive launched on August 22 concluded on September 5 butthe response was unprecedented as besides police ,security forces and government departments people in general participated in the drive in a big way."
"Involvement of women was exemplary in many places in remote and inaccessible areas," chief secretary VC Pharka said while addressing mediapersons here.
Beforelaunching the initiative, people were administered pledge to make the state cannabis and opium free.
Panchayati Raj representatives, Mahila Mandals, Yuvak Mandals, NGOs, NCC, NSS and other bodies were also roped in to play a key role in achieving the objective.

"The campaign is over but we are getting requests from some districts that plantation in some areas in remote pockets have been unearthed and the drive should continue and as such we have decided to make it a continuous process," he added.

"Uprooting cannabis plantations in remote areas involved risk as there was not much support from the local people. We are providing adequate security forces to destroy the plantation with the help of ITBP and SSB, especially for the operations in high-altitude Fozal area of Kullu and more areas where plantations have been found," he added.
As many as 5,039 Mahila Mandals,4,285, Self-Help Groups, 5,361 schools participated in the massive campaign and 1,51,159 women and 1,23,586 men worked effectively in identifying and destroying the plantations and also convincing the local communities to join the drive.

Pharka said that 3,56,25,320 cannabis plants on 2145.79 hectare area (6000 acres) had been uprooted, and in order to ensure that the plantation were not raised again, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Forest and Fisheries departments have been asked to prepare plans for sowing suitable diversified crops in these lands.
The campaign was launched simultaneously across the state and in Chamba and Sirmaur areas. The Deputy Commissioners themselves trekked long distances to reach the plantations and convinced the people regarding the harmful effects of narcotic plants.