Operation Parivartan: SEB Destroys 239 Acres of Cannabis Crop In Vizag Agency Areas

The Vishakhapatnam District Police on Wednesday destroyed cannabis plantations in about 239 acres of land spread across five villages in the Visakhapatnam Agency areas in Andhra Pradesh. This drive was organised with the support of the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB), Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), and the Revenue and Forest Departments.

Under the supervision of  Satish Kumar, Joint Director, SEB, seven teams of the  SEB destroyed about 216 acres of cannabis plantations near the remote villages of Jaggampeta, Seemakonda, and Ranjelamandi in the Pedabayalu Mandal. Over 10.8 lakh cannabis plants were cut down and set on fire.

In another operation, Chintapalli ASP Tushar Dudi visited the village after learning that cannabis was being cultivated near Meduru village in Chintapalli mandal.  More than 15 acres of cannabis plantations were destroyed and set on fire with the help of villagers.

An awareness seminar was organized for the tribals where a woman police officer named Kanaka spoke to them about the ill effects of the cannabis crop at the Iradapally Village Secretariat in Paderu Mandal. Later, with the help of villagers and volunteers, 8 acres of cannabis plantations were destroyed and set on fire. The razing was a part of the district police’s ongoing efforts to curb ganja trade in the district. 

The AP Government has initiated the Parivartana Programme for destroying the cannabis crop and creating awareness among the villagers and curbing the ganja trade. The Revenue, and Forest Departments and ITDA’s work in tandem with the police officials, to destroy the ganja crop. Ganja cultivation has been a major issue in the Visakhapatnam District, especially along the Andhra Pradesh – Odisha Border (AOB) region. The district police are taking stringent measures, in coordination with SEB officials, to curb this illegal trade.

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