Kerala youth doing Ganja farming on rooftops, inside almirah

Thiruvananthapuram: City youths who have not been too keen on rooftop vegetable farming are increasingly being caught farming ganja for recreational consumption at their terraces and premises. In recent months, youths were held from Anayara and Shangumugham. This is apart from an elderly man caught for ganja cultivation at Karakkonam. “We trace youngsters who consume weed based on the confessions of peddlers. Parents who are briefed, find seeds conserved for the purpose of growing,” said a senior official attached to the Narcotics cell of city police.

“The mother of an engineering student in Vattiyoorkavu caught him growing weed inside his almirah. He was using artificial lighting for the plant based on videos he saw on youtube. Parents have become less connected with what is happening in their house,” he added. Unlike peddlers who get caught while smuggling ganja, the end consumers go undetected.

As per law, a person can get upto 10 years in prison and Rs 1 lakh fine for growing weed because it is a more serious offence compared to small scale peddlers who are given bail if they are caught with weed less than one kilogram. Rooftop farming was noticed based on inputs received from neighbours. Marijuana was planted among strongly scented flowering plants like chrysanthemum to avoid detection, an officer said.