Cops destroy ganja crops in eight acres of land in ASR

Visakhapatnam: In a significant anti-drug operation, ASR district police, under the leadership of the inspector general of police and head of the Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (Eagle), A Ravi Krishna, superintendent of police (Eagle) Nagesh Babu, ASR district police chief Amit Bardar, have successfully destroyed ganja (cannabis) plantation in around eight acres at Patapadu village of Pedabayalu mandal.
The operation, which is part of an ongoing initiative to curb illegal cultivation, utilised advanced technology, including drone corporation of India (DCI) services and artificial intelligence (AI ) tools, to detect and identify illicit plantations across the region.
Till date, a total of 2,000 acres have been surveyed by the drone survey team in ASR district as part of the effort to combat the growing threat of illegal drug production.
In a related outreach initiative, Ravi Krishna, Amit Bardar personally interacted with the villagers of Patapadu. During the interaction, they emphasized the detrimental impact of ganja plantations on the future of the village and its society. The villagers took an oath not to be involved in ganja related activities and destroyed ganja plantations around the village under the leadership of Ravi Krishna.
It is noted that this year, Pathapadu village was identified to provide alternative crops for targeted beneficiaries. The SP urged the villagers to avoid engaging in such activities and assured them that the police department would offer alternative crops as part of its community policing efforts.
The ASR police department is said to have remained committed to supporting local communities in shifting to more sustainable and legal agricultural practices, ensuring a better future for the region.