Across the reservoir, a development mission: Koraput Collector visits cut-off villages

By A.K.Sahoo

Koraput, July 14: In a bid to steer remote villages away from illegal cannabis cultivation through sustainable development, the Koraput district administration has launched a focused outreach initiative in Sabun and neighbouring cut-off villages, nearly two months after police busted a clandestine ganja oil manufacturing unit in the area.

District Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan on Monday travelled by boat across the Jalaput Reservoir to visit the isolated villages of Sabun, Tala Sabun and Lamdur under Bilaput gram panchayat in Nandapur block. The villages, located in the Jalabandi (cut-off) area, remain disconnected from the mainland for much of the year and continue to struggle with poor connectivity, inadequate public services and limited livelihood opportunities.

The visit comes in the wake of the high-profile police crackdown in Sabun, where an illegal ganja oil extraction unit was unearthed, drawing national attention to the region and highlighting the link between economic deprivation and illicit cannabis cultivation.

The Collector was accompanied by Superintendent of Police Rohit Verma, Chief Development Officer-cum-Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad Benudhar Sabar, and senior officials from the revenue, agriculture, horticulture and rural development departments.

Interacting with residents, Mahajan reviewed issues related to agriculture, healthcare, education, road connectivity and access to government welfare schemes. He assured villagers that the administration would prepare a comprehensive action plan to improve infrastructure while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities in the remote settlements.

To reduce dependence on cannabis cultivation, the Collector directed agriculture and horticulture officials to promote remunerative alternative crops by providing quality seeds, technical training and market linkages. He stressed that improving farm incomes through legal agricultural activities would be a key focus of the administration.

Superintendent of Police Rohit Verma urged villagers to abandon ganja cultivation and adopt alternative sources of income. Responding to the appeal, residents said the lack of roads, markets and employment opportunities had forced many families to depend on cannabis cultivation for survival.

Officials said the district administration would formulate a multi-sector development plan covering connectivity, agriculture, healthcare, education and livelihood generation for the Jalabandi villages. The initiative aims to integrate these remote settlements into the development mainstream while addressing the socio-economic conditions that have contributed to illegal activities in the region.

—————–

Photograph: Odisha’s Koraput District Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan (third from left), accompanied by senior district officials, crosses the Jalaput Reservoir by boat to reach cut-off villages as part of an outreach initiative aimed at promoting inclusive development.