Government lands in the higher reaches of the Himachal Pradesh are fast becoming save haven for drug mafia for the most of the growth of cannabis plants is being recorded in open forest areas.

The facts have come to light during the 100 day drive against drug abuse and trafficking which has been started by HP Police on 15 August, 2017.

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During the 15-days drive, the Police officials along with women groups and volunteers have destroyed crops on government land on 382 bighas while private land accounted for only 15 bighas.

Out of this, the Malana which is famous for top quality marijuana around the world and Kalga in Kullu district accounted for 100 bighas of land.

Sources said as the Police drive against cultivation of cannabis and opium is being carried out extensively in the state, the drug mafia have the plantation to higher reaches in districts as Kullu, Shimla, Kinnaur and Kangra.

“Few years ago, the locals engaged in cannabis cultivation used to prefer forest areas near their localities. However, the intensive campaign of Police has forced them to shift higher reaches,” an official who is involved with the campaign in Kullu district said.

Now, the growers chose secluded areas in forests which cannot be easily detected or accessible for officials.

“Most of the times, the Police teams reaches a particular area to eradicate the crops in the morning and leaves the area after destroying the crop by evening. The people engaged in cultivation of crops now prefer hill areas which require trekking for more than one or two days, making it difficult for teams to reach these areas,” he said.

“We are conducting extensive drive in areas which are hotbed for cannabis and opium cultivation,” Somesh Goyal, Director General of Police, HP told The Statesman.

Goyal said campaign emphasis will be on preventive enforcement, including destruction of illegal cannabis crops, awareness among youth, enforcement of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) and financial investigation where gangs are involved.

Cannabis crop in the far flung areas of Kullu district, particularly in the Malana area and Kalga has been destroyed in 200 bighas of land in just 3 days, he said.

In 2017, 532 cases were registered till 31 July whereas 674 cases have been registered till September this year and the annual drug trade in the state is pegged at over Rs 2,000 crore as per conservative estimates.

Around 150 kgs of charas, 5.50 kg of opium, 235 kg of poppy husk, 130 kg of ganja, 2.7 kg of heroine, 4.4 kg Brown sugar, 90 gm of smack and cocaine have been recovered with the arrest of more than 750 persons including 15 foreigners.

In 2016, cannabis cultivation was destroyed from over 25,000 bighas of land out of which 19,157 bighas was government land while 6040 bighas were private land.

Meanwhile, in 2012 it was 1830.15 bighas, 4569 bighas in 2013 and 1639.17 bighas in 2014.