Ganja cultivation racket spreads in Sambalpur; Jharkhand settlers under scanner as agencies destroy 40,000 plants

Authorities in Odisha have intensified their crackdown on large-scale illegal cannabis cultivation in Sambalpur district after investigations revealed that groups from neighbouring Jharkhand have been clearing forest patches, settling in remote pockets, and cultivating ganja across multiple acres of land.

Sources cited excise department officials who said the operations appear far more organised this year, with evidence suggesting external financing and coordinated activity.

Jharkhand Settlers Accused

Enforcement inputs from the Excise Department indicate that individuals from Jharkhand have been entering forested zones in Rairakhol block, particularly the Ghusuramala area, where they allegedly cleared vegetation to establish temporary settlements and cultivate cannabis on sizeable patches.

According to preliminary findings, these non-local groups have been operating in stretches traditionally vulnerable to illegal cultivation, but the scale witnessed this year marks a significant escalation.

The Excise Department said one Jharkhand resident has been arrested so far, and cases have been registered against two others from the same region. Officials suspect that additional individuals may be providing logistical or financial support from behind the scenes.

“In dense pockets of the forest, we have noticed settlers from Jharkhand engaging in the cultivation of cannabis. In our last investigations and the one arrest we made, people from outside the state were involved. Locals do not appear to be involved much in this matter,” said Ashok Kumar Seth, Deputy Commissioner of the Excise Department.

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40,000 Cannabis Plants Uprooted

Reports stated that a joint operation by the Excise Department and local police on Saturday led to the destruction of around 12,000 cannabis plants spread across 16 acres of forest land in Ghusuramala. This follows a series of raids conducted since October 18 at multiple locations within the Rairakhol block.

In total, the agencies have uprooted approximately 40,000 plants from about 32 acres of illegal cultivation sites over the past month. Seth described the patches as strategically chosen in dense, difficult-to-access forest interiors that allow cultivators to operate without drawing attention.

Excise Department Probing Financing Angle

Officials believe that many of those arrested or named in the ongoing investigation belong to the farming community from Jharkhand, raising concerns about whether larger networks are enabling or financing the operations.

“As per our investigations, the accused belongs to the farmer community. They are cultivating ganja after clearing stretches of the forest land. However, someone could be involved in financing these operations. Probe is on in this regard,” Seth said.

More raids are expected in the coming weeks as the Excise Department, police and forest officials expand their search grids using drones and ground verification teams.