Gajapati SP puts sarpanchs on ganja alert in Odisha

BERHAMPUR: Gajapati SP Swathi S Kumar has announced that sarpanchs will be held responsible if ganja is cultivated in their respective areas.

Speaking at an awareness meeting against narcotic cultivation at R Udayagiri police station on Friday, she stated that under section 46 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, sarpanchs of panchayats where ganja is grown will face legal action.

The meeting, attended by sarpanchs of the block, discussed that ganja cultivators have been repeatedly warned by police. The SP urged the sarpanchs to organise awareness meetings, with photos and visual evidence of these meetings to be submitted to the concerned area police.

If ganja cultivation continues, the sarpanch will be held responsible for abetting the trade, the SP assertively stated. She also said that Mohana, Adava, and R Udayagiri blocks are known for ganja cultivation. “Moving forward, it will be the responsibility of the sarpanchs, not just the police, to stop this illegal activity and set an example for others,” she said.