MARIJUANA CULTIVATED IN 40 PC LAND IN PARSA

BIRGUNJ, Jan 10 - A recent estimate in Parsa shows that about 40 percent of
the cultivated land in the district is under marijuana cultivation. The
situation is so grim that the latest police team deployed to destroy the
crop returned after they were forced to abandon the task.

Speaking to the The Kathmandu Post correspondent of CDO Dolakh Bahadur
Gurung said, "It was not completely destroyed, the task has been handed
over to the local police posts to finish it."

Gurung claimed that the three teams deputed to do the task had been
successful in destroying about 8000 ropanis of marijuana cultivation, while
only 200 to 400 ropanis remains to be destroyed. The local journalists are
not ready to believe the administration's claim that marijuana cultivation
has almost been destroyed. Says Shatrughan Nepal of the Nepal Journalist
Federation, "The administration has denied security to journalists trying
to investigate marijuana plantations in the villages. This effectively
proves the existence of illegal cultivation."

Observers believe that marijuana is still grown in at least 5000 ropanis in
about a dozen villages, despite official attempts to curb the cultivation.
According to a police source, the last batch of about a hundred men deputed
to put an end to marijuana cultivation was ordered to go back before the
task was completed, as smugglers had bribed the police administration
against further action.

According to the cultivators, one ropani of land produces 30 kilograms of
quality marijuana, which fetches around Rs two thousand a kilo in the
market. Marijuana is planted during the months of July and August and is
harvested by January.

A cut marijuana plant must be burnt to prevent it from being used as a
psychotropic drug. Critics allege that officials simply get the crop cut in
the name of destroying it, which in a way becomes a harvest-help, as the
crop is still good for use.