Visakhapatnam Range Reports ‘Zero Ganja Cultivation’

The Visakhapatnam Range police have reported achieving “zero cultivation” of ganja, marking a sharp decline from the thousands of acres once under illegal cannabis farming in the region.

The development was shared during an interstate coordination video conference held on Tuesday between senior police officials of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, an official release stated.

The meeting, chaired by Visakhapatnam Range Inspector General Gopinath Jatti, reviewed anti-narcotics measures undertaken by both States. Addressing Odisha officials, Mr. Jatti outlined the strategy adopted to curb illegal ganja cultivation, combining enforcement with livelihood and welfare interventions.

According to Mr. Jatti, the region’s transition from 7,515 acres of ganja cultivation in 2021 to “zero acres” was driven by five key measures. He said the police moved beyond crop destruction to support farmers in shifting to legal agricultural activities.

Since July 2024, the department has distributed nearly 1.59 crore saplings as part of its alternative crop initiative. To prevent tribal youth from being drawn into smuggling networks, police implemented skill development programmes that facilitated employment for 415 tribal youth in private companies, trained 360 youth at the Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS), and provided professional tailoring training to 80 tribal women.

Police also intensified surveillance using technology, deploying 33 drones to identify 129 hotspots linked to illegal cultivation and trafficking. Since June 2024, authorities have registered 976 cases and arrested 2,405 individuals in ganja-related offences.

Officials said awareness campaigns were conducted across vulnerable areas to educate communities about the legal and social consequences of ganja cultivation.