Collective Efforts Needed to Eradicate Cannabis Cultivation: Collector
Visakhapatnam: Paderu district collector A.S. Dinesh Kumar emphasised the shared responsibility of all community members in eradicating cannabis cultivation during a recent meeting at the collector’s office. He urged collaboration among various government departments to ensure the complete elimination of cannabis from the district.
In his address, the collector highlighted that villages, where cannabis has been eradicated, will receive developmental support. "We will provide alternative crops and horticultural gardens to farmers who abandon cannabis cultivation," he stated.
He also announced plans to organise training programmes aimed at empowering unemployed tribal youth with self-employment opportunities. “Everyone should treat cannabis eradication as a social responsibility," he asserted, calling for vigilance from village revenue officers and secretariat staff to monitor and prevent cannabis cultivation.
In a related development, I.G. Ravi Krishna from the Elite Anti-Narcotic Group (Eagle) reported the destruction of eight acres of cannabis plantations in Patakota village.
District Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar highlighted the increasing number of marijuana-related cases and urged community members to report any suspicious activities, particularly involving minors.
