 SAAHIL SUHAIL
EARLY TIMES REPORT
ANANTNAG, Sept 18: The people associated with ‘influential’ drug mafia have kick started harvesting the cannabis crop in several areas of South Kashmir as the authorities failed to destroy the crop completely that the farmers have cultivated on Agriculture land illegally.
As per reports, the drug mafia has engaged laborers mostly young people for extracting Marijuana after purchasing the large patches of land that is under the cannabis cultivation.
On Friday, Early Times accessed a video clip from an independent source showing youngsters harvesting the crop. Video shows three youth extracting cannabis, locally known as charas, in a hilly area of Anantnag district.
The agencies, who have been tasked to destroy the crop, had claimed to have cleared over 100 Kanals of land in the same area just before two days, reports said
Sources revealed to Early Times that the cannabis crop has matured and can be harvested these days.
“Although it is too early but in some areas the cannabis crop is fit for harvesting,” a Bijbehara resident, who is well versed with cultivation of this crop said. However he wished anonymity.
The officials maintain that the drive against the cultivation of banned crop is on and they have managed to destroy the crop cultivated over 1000 kanals of land in Anantnag district.
“We have also engaged more laborers and machines for this purpose,” an Excise Department Official said.
Pertinent to mention, Anantnag is witnessing huge increase in production of cannabis crop particularly after 2016 agitation.
As reported earlier, during COVID-19 lockdown, the anti-social elements began cultivation of cannabis as the administration remained preoccupied with pandemic situations.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bijbehara Mohd Jahangir Khanday said that they had a comprehensive plan for destroying the crop however they couldn’t implement it due to COVID-19 pandemic. “Still we are trying our best to end this menace by inflicting more and more damage to cultivators by destroying it,” he claimed.
According to media reports, Marijuana produced in Jammu and Kashmir is supplied to Mumbai and other cities of India.
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