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India: Women cops take up mission to eradicate charas from Kullu

Suresh Sharma

Times of India

Friday 10 Aug 2012

MANALI: Camped in the far flung jungles of Parvati valley, about 100 women constables from a Himachal police battalion, under the supervision of Kullu police, have taken up the responsibility to eradicate the menace of charas from Malana, Manikaran and nearby charas-affected areas of the district.

Mostly in the 20-25 age group and from a new batch, the women cops are excited to be a part of the campaign, a police official said. With a speed of about 50 bighas per day, women constables are destroying cannabis fields and are moving towards Malana jungles. "There is no male-female difference in our department, but as these women are young, they are quite effective in stopping this menace with appreciable outcome," he said. Making separate groups and carrying sticks and reaping hooks in hands, these women constables are destroying cannabis in the far flung villages of Parvati valley.

According to Kullu additional superintendent of police, Sandeep Dhabal, police have recognized an area of 7,000 bighas under cultivated and naturally grown cannabis in Kullu. "This is the area marked by our police teams. The actual area under cannabis cultivation may be much more. Our teams are camping in jungles, work for the whole day, cook food in camps and spend nights there."

Besides women constables and Kullu police personnel, 100 more constables from the battalion are destroying cannabis plants in Banjar, Anni and Nirmand villages and nearby jungles. PWD workers, revenue officials, forest officials, local youths, panchayat and NGO members are also taking part in the campaign to remove the name of charas from Kullu district.

"Cannabis from 250 bigha land has been destroyed. We are getting to see 10 to 15 feet high plants. Marijuana worth crores of rupees has already been destroyed. The figure would go up many times after completion of the campaign," Dhabal said.

Involving over 250 personnel and many villagers, this is the largest campaign initiated by Kullu police towards destruction of cannabis in Kullu till now. After completing the campaign at one village, police move to another village and villagers cultivating cannabis illegally are being booked on the spot. As cannabis growers move to new areas, sometimes deep inside the jungles, destroying cannabis remains a challenge for police. Many growers were reportedly encroaching forest land to produce marijuana, sources said.

Last year, police had destroyed cannabis plants from 6,677 bigha private and forest lands and 94 cases under NDPS Act were registered against the cultivators. Kutla, Gadgi, Shariaage, Joan Thach, Batling and Kaval are the most affected areas in Parvati valley near Malana, where smugglers have encroached forest land. Felling of hundreds of trees has been noticed here during the past some years, they added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Women-cops-take-up-mission-to-eradicate-charas-from-Kullu/articleshow/15428558.cms

 

 

 

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