RAIPUR: It’s often seen that investigating agencies set seized marijuana (cannabis) ablaze in the open to destroy it. It is a part of the agencies’ operations and procedures. However, in the Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, the police have found a novel way to turn massive amounts of confiscated cannabis (locally cited as ‘ganja’), worth several crores of rupees, into productive use in an eco-friendly way.Several tons of marijuana confiscated in thousands of cases under the NDPS Act in recent months across various districts of the Raipur Division were eliminated by being burnt in a power plant boiler, in accordance with the given legal provisions.The Raipur Division includes the districts of Mahasamund, Baloda Bazar, Gariyaband, Dhamtari and the capital, Raipur. Besides cannabis, other seized narcotic substances and drugs were also destroyed. The finishing action was carried out in the presence of the high-powered drug disposal committee constituted by the police headquarters, under the guidance of Raipur Range Inspector General Amresh Mishra, and paved the way to facilitate ‘freedom from drug abuse’ in society. The destruction process, for which the approval from the environment department was also taken, was carried out amid the presence of the Raipur IG, SSP and other officials at the Siltara-based private power plant close to the state capital. “The environment-friendly and productive practice of disposing of confiscated cannabis and other narcotic substances will continue,” said Mishra.The seized cannabis were collected at the plant, where, after segregation, the narcotic materials were kneaded into a boiler through bucket elevators for direct combustion of biomass.With the marijuana being produced from the cannabis herbaceous flowering plant, experts cited it as ‘good byproduct biomass’ to generate electricity. The open burning of cannabis poses serious threats to air quality.”Usually, for generating 10 MW of power, around 20 tons of biomass is required. The boiler in the plant produces high-pressure steam, which, through the turbine blades, drives a generator to produce electricity,” said officials of the power plant. The initiative can be replicated to achieve a similar result in other areas too.
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