Bhubaneswar, Aug 14: The Odisha government has decided to intensify field-level monitoring and surveillance to completely curb illegal cannabis cultivation on government land, particularly in districts identified as vulnerable to such activities.

Revenue and Disaster Management Additional Chief Secretary Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee has written to the Collectors of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Boudh and Gajapati, directing revenue officials to remain vigilant and take coordinated action.

Padhee instructed Tahsildars, Additional Tahsildars, Revenue Inspectors and Revenue Supervisors to maintain continuous surveillance over government revenue land where illegal cannabis cultivation had previously been detected and destroyed. Officials have also been directed to prepare and maintain village-wise and plot-wise records, including GPS coordinates, of such locations.

The letter further directed officials to immediately inform the concerned police station, Special Task Force (STF) or Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) if fresh illegal cultivation is detected. The instructions were issued in accordance with Section 47 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. District administrations have also been asked to establish an internal reporting mechanism.

The government warned that strict action would be taken against any revenue official found assisting or supporting cannabis cultivation networks.

During the 2025-26 crop season, Odisha Police destroyed illegal cannabis cultivation across 1,631 GPS-mapped land parcels covering 36,508.792 acres under 41 police stations in the six districts. Of this, 6,632.197 acres comprised government revenue land.

The Police Department has shared GPS coordinates of cultivation sites cleared between November 2025 and March 2026. The government will now use the data for systematic and continuous monitoring of these vulnerable plots.

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