HYDERABAD: Following a spurt in smuggling and seizures of huge quantities of ganja, chief minister
K Chandrasekhar Rao
on Wednesday announced setting up of a separate cell under a DGP rank officer and a special branch in the intelligence wing.
While assuring that those involved in ‘Gudumba’ would be rehabilitated, he, however, made it clear that anyone found cultivating ganja in their farmland would not only face criminal cases but also not get any assistance under ‘Rythu Bandhu’ and ‘
Rythu Bima
’. People growing it in forest land would lose their cultivators’ pattas, he warned.
At a meeting with police and excise department, the CM told officials to crack the whip on smugglers and peddlers, and directed them to keep special surveillance at educational institutions.
“The government is ready to provide everything to control this menace. Eradicate the ganja mafia and don’t spare criminals, whoever they may be,” the CM said.
The officials who perform well would be given cash awards, rewards and special promotions, the CM promised.
“Before the situation goes out of hand, a comprehensive action plan should be prepared to wipe out ganja cultivation,” he said.
While pointing out how a concerted effort by Telangana police had successfully controlled extremism in the state, the CM said that police and excise department should work in coordination.
“Even the seeds of cannabis should not be found in the state. Make our Telangana a drug-free state,” the CM told officials, adding that he had convened the meeting with a lot of pain and concern.
Police and excise officials said ganja cultivation was mostly on Andhra-Odisha border and
Chhattisgarh
. It was brought into Telangana from Chintur-Bhadrachalam for consumption as well as transported to
Karnataka and Maharashtra.
“Youth, labourers, auto drivers are part of the smuggling network,” an official said.
Officials also stressed on the need for coordination with neighbouring state and DGP M Mahender Reddy said the two departments would identify hotspots and coordinate with
Vizag (AP) and Malkangiri (Odisha) police. While chief secretary
Somesh Kumar
said police-excise coordination meetings would be the first step in curbing the menace.
“One can assess the situation based on reports that youth were forming WhatsApp groups and taking drugs. Youngsters are becoming prey to drug peddlers. Drug use would harm their mental health, leading some to even commit suicides,” he said.
KCR further said that the youth should stay away from drugs to avoid the painful and long procedure of de-addiction later on.
Home minister
Mohd Mahmood Ali
and excise minister
V Srinivas Goud
were also present at the meeting.