Admn fails to act against cultivators of Bangh, opium
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 11: Resentment is brewing among the common masses in Kashmir over the failure of the administration to take on the cultivators of Hashish and Charas in different parts of the Valley as increasing drug menace and its trade is spoiling the vitals of the society and ruining the career of its promising youth.
According to sources the parents of the youth are perturbed over the growing drug menace and cultivation of Hashish and Charas in different parts of the Valley by a section of farmers to earn a good money from the catchy crops as the successive Governments over the years have failed to act against the people cultivating Bangh (Charas) and opium in their fields to earn a good amount.
Sources said that the cultivation of these banned crops is mostly common in the districts of Budgam in Central Kashmir, Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag in South Kashmir and Lolab and other parts in Kupwara district of North Kashmir under the very nose of the administration but no action has been taken against the people involved in cultivating and trading of extracts from Hashish and Bangh like Charas and Aafin.
Sources said the trade of drugs is thriving in Kashmir and a part of the money earned by it has also been going to terror funding over the years. Despite authorities being aware of the fact, no concrete steps were taken for years together to take the punitive action against the people cultivating banned crops like Bangh and Hashish in their fields. Facing no threat and action from the enforcing agencies the cultivators of banned crops take full advantage of administrative inertia and fully indulge in cultivating of the crops used for producing of banned drugs, sources added.
Sources said the drug addiction has become so common in the Valley that some medical shops are being opened for quite some hours in the evening time for sale of banned drugs. This business is also thriving in the Valley and has become a cause of concern for a large section of society there. These shops without selling any prescribed medicine only sell some banned drugs to the drug addicts at the throwaway prices, sources added.
Sources said in Pulwama district of South Kashmir the people in villages of Gullar and Kath, as well as some villages of Chadura tehsil in Central Kashmir district of Budgam are highly affected where the Khashkash from which opium is being extracted is cultivated. This illegal trade has become a thriving business for people as 10 marlas of land gives a yield from Rs four to five lakh.
Likewise the Ganja and Charras is mostly cultivated in Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam districts in areas of Bijbehara, Srigufwara, Wofzan and Khudwani, Wacchi , Sangam and Kohimoh etc, sources said .
Showing his grave concern over increasing drug menace in Valley and cultivation of crops from which Charas, Ganja and opium is being extracted, RTI activist, Dr Raja Muzzafar Bhat said that his organization has launched a campaign in this regard to educate people about the ill effects of drugs as well as cultivation of crops from which Charas, Ganja and opium are being extracted. He said it needs creation of public awareness and a massive campaign to apprise the people about the ill effects of the drugs as it is eating up vitals of the society and if not controlled entire society will perish some day.
He said the drug addiction has become so common in Kashmir that youth use Fevicol, poppy substances and brown sugar. He said in Lolab area especially Devar the Bangh is being cultivated openly and the locals have patronage of some politicians also in this regard. The Bangh is being cultivated in various areas of Kashmir like the other agriculture crops. These harmful crops are being irrigated properly besides fertilizers are also being used in the fields for a good harvest, he added.
He said for last two to three years the people also took advantage of lockdown and law and order situation. In 2019 there was total bandh due to re-organisation of State and last year it was the lockdown which came handy for the people cultivating the banned crops.
However, the Commissioner Excise J&K, Rahul Sharma said that his department does not spare any one cultivating Bangh and opium crops. “Whenever we get any input in this regard we act and take legal action against the cultivators of banned crops besides destroying the crops in the fields,. The crop is being destroyed by the team on the spot and punitive action taken against cultivators”, he added.
Besides, the Police also registers cases against the people indulging in cultivation of banned crop and Crime Branch is the Nodal Office for the same. Whenever the department gets any information it raids the area within no time, he added.
The Drug Controller J&K, Lokita Khajuria said that she too has received the information that some medical shops are being run in some parts of Kashmir during evening hours and the department has sought a report from the concerned officers in this regard. Those found indulging in any unlawful activity will be punished under law, she added.
She said that there are reports that some employees are opening medical shops in evening hours which is being looked into.
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