(Image: Representational)

Odisha To Use Drones, Satellite Images to Track Illegal Cannabis Farms

10 Sep 2026, 07:49 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Odisha is set to intensify its campaign against illegal cannabis cultivation, combining tougher enforcement with technology-based surveillance and livelihood support in six districts identified as major cultivation hotspots.

The decision followed a high-level review by the Special Task Force (STF) under the Nasha Mukt Odisha Abhijan. STF Inspector General Himanshu Lal, IPS, chaired the meeting through video conference, with senior police and narcotics officials discussing measures to reduce illicit cannabis cultivation across the state.

The districts under particular focus are Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Boudh. Superintendents of Police from the six districts took part in the review, along with the IG of the Berhampur Range and the DIG of Koraput. STF DIG Dr K V Singh and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Officer Kunal Kumar also attended the discussions.

A central part of the new approach will be the use of drones and satellite-based mapping to locate cannabis plantations hidden in remote, hilly and forested terrain. Advanced drones and satellite imagery services, including those available through ISRO or other agencies, will be used to identify difficult-to-access cultivation sites and support ground teams in destroying the plantations.

The surveillance plan will be backed by intensified patrolling and ground-level operations in vulnerable areas. The STF’s strategy calls for technology to be used alongside conventional policing so that identified hotspots can be monitored more closely.

Enforcement against the networks behind the illegal trade will also be strengthened. Authorities have decided to pursue cannabis traffickers and cultivators more aggressively, including examining their financial transactions and moving to confiscate or freeze assets acquired through illegal activities. Habitual offenders may face action under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PIT-NDPS), in addition to other applicable laws.

The strategy does not rely solely on policing. Officials are also seeking to reduce the economic dependence that can push villagers and tribal communities towards cannabis cultivation.

Government livelihood schemes and sustainable income opportunities will be promoted among communities involved in illicit cultivation, with inter-departmental coordination planned to provide alternative sources of livelihood. The administration believes that access to legal and sustainable income can help persuade residents to move away from cannabis farming.

Public awareness will form another part of the campaign. Authorities plan continuous awareness drives in identified cultivation pockets to explain the legal and social consequences associated with the illegal cannabis trade and discourage villagers from participating in such activities.

The STF has also assigned specific targets and timelines to the district Superintendents of Police. Progress will be reviewed through regular monthly meetings to monitor implementation and ensure that the measures are carried out as planned.

The four-pronged approach therefore brings together enforcement and legal action, community awareness, technology-driven surveillance and alternative livelihood measures. The broader objective is to significantly reduce illegal cannabis cultivation across Odisha while targeting both the criminal networks involved and the local economic conditions that sustain the practice.