A brain storming session was held recently by excise department along with several other departments to explore the possibility of providing alternative crops, livelihood to the families allegedly involved in illicit cultivation of poppy and cannabis.
The meeting was held to find out ways to effectively check cultivation of cannabis and poppy in consultation with the people involved in it, besides eradicate the menace of drug addiction from the society.
According to a statement issued by the department, suggestions were sought from agriculture, floriculture, industries and commerce, health departments, and ICPS so that possible ways and means for providing alternate crops and skills to the families involved in the illicit cultivation.
During the meeting excise commissioner Talat Parvez Rohella stressed upon the allied departments that this being a social cause and collective responsibility therefore they should suggest the crops which can be adopted as an alternate to poppy and cannabis cultivation keeping in view topography, availability of irrigation facilities and market avenues of the alternate crops in these areas.
In the meeting Social Work Department of University of Kashmir was requested to go for profiling of groups or people who are involved in this illicit cultivation. Various officers from agriculture and allied departments and also SDMs of Zainapora and Bijbehara have given their suggestions in this regard. SDMs and other revenue officers were asked to give the details of families involved in this illicit crop to the additional commissioner Kashmir, so that further necessary action can be taken by the department.
Excise commissioner, according the statement, also thrusted for organising special awareness camps in the areas involved in such cultivation by involving people and making them aware about the ill effects of this cultivation and also adapting alternative crop patterns in which experts from agriculture, horticulture, industries, floriculture departments may provide their technical knowhow and make people aware about various schemes of the respective departments being undertaken, so that these people may switch over to other cash crops.
Further in order to have a check on illicit trade and transportation of narcotic substances which include Charas, Fukki and other drugs. It was decided that a joint check post of comprising of crime, police, excise and revenue shall be constituted which will check the movement of illicit trade at Lower Munda Check Post, the statement said. The team will work round the clock.