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AP Govt to wean away tribals from ganja crop
In the first ever workshop organised by the department of Prohibition and Excise on `Prevention of ganja cultivation and save youth from abuse’ here on Thursday, many speakers including the representatives of tribal organisations suggested that the government should come out with a comprehensive plan to wean away the tribals from cultivating the ganja by giving them aid to develop alternative crop
Visakhapatnam: In the first ever workshop organised by the department of Prohibition and Excise on `Prevention of ganja cultivation and save youth from abuse’ here on Thursday, many speakers including the representatives of tribal organisations suggested that the government should come out with a comprehensive plan to wean away the tribals from cultivating the ganja by giving them aid to develop alternative crops, particularly in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts.
The government authorities are alarmed over the increase in the cultivation and trade which has reached alarming proportions. Agencies which include the Prohibition and Excise department, revenue, forest, police and drug enforcement have stepped up their efforts to control the trade and harvesting.
Highlights:
- Dept of Prohibition and Excise conducts a workshop with stakeholders to curb the growing menace
- Officials claim that nine out of 11 districts are eking their livelihood on illegal business
- Tribal leaders suggest arrest of kingpins than couriers, while cops moot a special task force
Excise officials said nine out of the 11 agency mandals have become the hub of the cultivation and it is said to the main source of income for the tribal families. Representatives of tribal organisations said most of the families have become rich and have purchased TV sets and motorcycles.
Officials at the workshop said the illicit business has pan- Indian presence and being encouraged by Maoists as well as organised gangs. “Most of the villages where the crop is being grown are in the Andhra-Odisha-Border (AOB) area, and the Left wing extremists hold considerable sway.
And this has become a major advantage for the cultivators as well as smugglers,” pointed out Director of Directorate of Prohibition and Excise Enforcement K Venkateswra Rao in his opening remark.
Experts suggested that the tribals should be trained and encouraged in moving towards growing of various forms of grams such as red, black and green or shift towards horticulture and other commercial crops.
Sarpanch of Bodaralla under Koyyuru mandal S Suribabu said remote villages have no access to drinking water, healthcare and deprived of basic necessities in their lives. Ganja cultivation became a godsend boon for them.
Unless the government intervenes in a big way by providing alternative crops with free implements, it will be difficult to stop them from growing ganja,’’ he said. K Satyanarayana, representing Girjan Vikas, a voluntary organisation, said mere arrest of tribal carriers and vehicle drivers would not deter the actual kingpins from the trade.
If the government was serious about curbing the trade for good, they should arrest the leaders and the kingpins sitting as close as Rajahmundry. IG of CID PV Sunil Kumar said all stake-holders such as police, excise, revenue and forest should form a task force and work in tandem to control the illegal trade.
