Ganja peddling rampant in Nizamabad region

NIZAMABAD: Over the past few months, the transportation of ganja has become a prevalent issue in the districts of Nizamabad and Kamareddy.

This illicit trade involves the movement of dry ganja from Visakhapatnam as well as the cultivation of ganja crops in certain areas of Machareddy, Gandhari, and other mandals within the Kamareddy region.

Despite efforts, both the local police and the Prohibition and Excise department have struggled to effectively curtail the rampant ganja peddling in the northern districts of Telangana.

A few individuals from the undivided Nizamabad district have taken on the role of intermediaries, facilitating the smuggling of ganja from the Andhra-Odisha Border to various destinations such as Mumbai, New Delhi, and other locations.

These intermediaries reportedly purchase dry ganja at a rate of Rs 4,000 per kilogram and then sell it to traffickers in northern India. Utilising road and rail routes, these smugglers manage to transport the ganja from Nizamabad to cities including Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, New Delhi, and beyond.

Recently, the Taskforce police managed to apprehend a ganja peddler in Nizamabad, seizing 1.5 kilograms of dry ganja along with weapons.

However, a handful of tribal farmers continue to engage in the cultivation of ganja as an intercrop alongside maize and other crops, mainly in remote areas of the Kamareddy district.

While the overall cultivation of ganja has diminished compared to previous years, a small number of farmers persist in cultivating this banned crop.

The sale of ganja remains rampant across towns such as Nizamabad, Bodhan, Armoor, Kamareddy, and other areas in both districts. A concerning trend is the growing habit among youths and students of mixing ganja with cigarettes for consumption.

Urgent measures are required to stem the supply and usage of ganja within the Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts. Effective coordination between the police, the Prohibition authorities, and the Excise department is imperative to address this pressing issue.