INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, August 23
Police destroyed cannabis plants growing wild in over 1,700 ropani land on the outskirts of Kathmandu
yesterday.
Bouddha-based Metropolitan Police Circle and its subordinate units in association with local representatives, youth clubs, forest
users groups, school teachers, students and cooperative organisation got rid of the cannabis plants in Jarsingpauwa, Bojini, Kartike and
surrounding areas of Shankharapur Municipality-3.
According to Central Police News Section, more than 100,000 cannabis plant were destroyed
In June, the Narcotics Control Bureau had destroyed cannabis plants illegally cultivated in over 75,000 ropanis land in Okhreni, Chilaune,
Gaurigaun, Majhgaunj, Kune and Khatritole of Gokarneshwor Municipality-1.
Senior Superintendent of Police Shyam Lal Gyawali, spokesperson
for Metropolitan Police Office, said cannabis cultivation and its natural growth were posing threat to anti-drug initiative of the law
enforcement agency as racketeers often lure farmers into switching to cannabis farming from traditional food crops.
Due to remote
geographical locations and lack of proper monitoring mechanism of security agencies in such areas, cannabis and opium cultivation has become
widespread, said a report published by the NCB
It is also gaining ground around Kathmandu valley.
Cannabis plants are destroyed to deter drug traders and prevent the youths from drug
Whenever police get information about cannabis cultivation, they destroy the crops and warn the farmers not to repeat the illicit
Hashish is made from resin of cannabis plants and is traded at home or smuggled abroad
Existing law has defined production, transportation, sale and distribution, storage and use of drugs as a punishable crime.
In May, the
Ministry of Home Affairs had issued ‘Guideline to Local Levels for Control and Prevention of Drug Abuse,& to ensure that all
municipalities and rural municipalities conducted remedial and promotional activities against growing abuse of psychoactive substances
The guideline required every local level to form a 13-member committee, led by its chief.
The committee consists of representatives of
youths, students, women, civil society and police force
It shall maintain a tight vigil to prevent production, smuggling, possession, sale, distribution and consumption of drugs.
According to the
MoHA, annual growth rate of drug users in the country since 2007 has remained 11 per cent.
The post Wild cannabis plants destroyed appeared
first on The Himalayan Times.
