VIJAYAWADA: In a major crackdown on illegal drug cultivation, Andhra Pradesh police have successfully reduced ganja farming from over 11,000 acres to less than 100 acres across nine mandals of Alluri Seetharamaraju district. The initiative, aimed at eradicating the ganja menace, was carried out through sustained efforts involving multiple government departments, advanced surveillance, and farmer awareness programmes.
The large-scale reduction was not an overnight achievement but the result of coordinated efforts by the police, health and medical department, revenue, agriculture, and the Integrated Tribal Development Corporation (ITDC). Awareness campaigns highlighted the stringent provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, prompting many farmers and tribal communities to voluntarily destroy their ganja crops, fearing legal repercussions.