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| Cannabis cultivation in Kupwara | | Locals urge DC, SSP to act | | Early Times Report
Kupwara, Feb 13: The people of Kupwara have urged the DC and the SSP to take action against cannabis cultivation in various areas of the district.
Last year Forest Department in its offensive against drug mafia in North Kashmir's Kupwara district had freed more than 100 kanals of forest land from illegal cultivation of cannabis (charas , bhang). The said forest land was also freed from illegal encroachment by the officials of forest department. But after the transfer of Conservator north Kashmir many months ago , the timber smugglers , cannabis cultivators have again become active in the area. Early Times had filed a detailed report on this issue last year during May and June.
The local residents have appealed Deputy Commissioner, SSP Kupwara and Forest department to launch an offensive in advance to destroy the whole crop before its growth starts after a month or so in the upper reaches of Lolab bordering Bandipora district.
Cannabis (Bhang) cultivation has been going unattended in Kupwara and the drug mafia have encroached hundreds of kanals of Forest land in several areas of this North Kashmir district particularly Lolab belt to undertake cultivation of this banned crop. "The cultivation starts on the onset of spring ie March and April, if district administration , police and forest officials starts planning
now onwards , that will have a tremendous impact in the coming days" said Showkat Masoodi Chairman Civil Society Kupwara. Usually the cannabis cultivation is cultivated in plain regions , but from the last many years this poisonous crops is being cultivated on commercial basis in almost one dozen areas in Lolab belt which is mostly covered with dense and think forests. The hand of strong drug mafia cannot be ruled out say the locals.
The drug mafia in association with some locals have cut down hundreds of kail and Fir trees in the jungles and upper reaches of Lolab valley bordering Bandipora and after clearing the place the land is used for cultivation of Cannabis and poppy. This illegal activity has been continuing for quite some time now and authorities seem to be unaware about all these illegal activities.
As per authentic reports the upper reaches of Lolab area where the locals would be involved in illegal timber trade have now started growing Bung (cannabis) and Popy in many areas especially those location which are located all away from the villages and some of these Cannabis fields can be found near Munglu , Rajpora , Rampora in upper Diver area of Lolab. A stretch of around 7 to 8 kms has been occupied by the drug mafia to grow Cannabis and Poppy
People hailing from Devar and Dardpora villages of Loab in Kupwara district are said to be involved in this illegal trade from last many years and the authorities seem to be unaware of all this illegal trade.
"Green trees are being felled down to clear the space for making land cultivable in Nagmarg area which adjoins Bumus meadow of Bandipora. Hundreds of kanals of Forest land has been converted into agriculture land in this area and people grow potatoes etc on this forest land.
The biggest problem is that from last couple of years some people have started growing Bung and Popy and for this purpose also at least 300 kanals of Forest land has been illegally occupied by some people" said Nazir Ahmad a local resident of Diver Kupwara
" If the crop is destroyed fully it will not grow. We need to destroy the cannabis after every month right from mid March to August. It should be a continuous process. We also appeal authorities to book all the involved people under Public Safety Act who are involved in this illegal trade " said Fayaz Ahmad a PHD scholar from Halmatpora Kupwara. |
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