NEW DELHI: There are multiple agencies which are burning the midnight oil to put an end to the drug menace across India.
Operations led by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the state police have been busting several narcotics modules in a bid to make India free of drugs by 2029, a vision of the Narendra Modi-led government. An official said that the modus operandi of the agencies has shifted from mere arrests and seizures, and there is an equal emphasis on destroying sites that cultivate illicit cannabis and opium. The NCB has been utilising satellite mapping systems, which have helped the agency in pinpointing high-altitude farms producing these narcotics.
Following the go-ahead by the Union Home Ministry, the NCB began using satellite mapping to identify such fields as traffickers would attempt to hide these fields deep inside the mountains so that they could avoid tracking. The use of specialised imaging sensors helps in pinpointing these fields from space, the official said.
On November 7, the NCB along with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Arunachal Pradesh Police wiped out 458 acres of illicit cannabis cultivation.
This follows the first phase of the programme that was held in October, during which 1.37 lakh kilograms of cannabis plants grown mainly on community lands were destroyed. Data would show that with this latest action, the total area of cannabis destroyed across Arunachal Pradesh in 2026 has surged to more than eight times when compared to 2025.
Another official said that during various high-level meetings held between the agencies and top officials of the Home Ministry, it was decided to prepare the Vision Document (2026-2029). This mandates identifying cultivation hotspots and carrying out synchronised crop destruction operations.
Similar operations have been carried out in Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and other states in recent months. In Himachal Pradesh, the tracking has focused on rugged and hard-to-reach valleys. Coordinated efforts have led to the clearance of 592 acres of concealed illicit cannabis setups. (IANS)NCB, SSB and Arunachal Police destroy 458 acres of illicit cannabis cultivation, using satellite mapping to identify hidden farms.
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