Bhubaneswar, 19/11: The state government finally came to senses following adverse public opinion across the state. It has rejected its earlier proposal to make the ganja cultivation legal. The ganja cultivation will remain illegal as decided at the high level meeting held at Lokseva Bhawan.

The state government  had mooted a proposal to legalise the ganja cultivation. But it had sparked off adverse public opinion across the state, forcing the government to withdraw the proposal.

The government will not legalise the ganja cultivation, said state’s excise secretary Sushil Kumar Lohani after a high level meeting convened to discuss the proposal and take a decision. The meeting was attended by Excise Secretary and Excise Commissioner among others.

Excise Secretary Lohani said a few companies have been putting forth proposals  to legalise ganja cultivation which would help in drug manufacture. Therefore, the opinion of Law department was sought on the said proposal. However, the  Law department opined that it was not possible to permit ganja cultivation within the purview of the existing law. Rather, the state government would be more stringent against the illegal ganja cultivation, he said.

Meanwhile, the  Opposition, which was up in arms against the proposed move, welcomed the government decision. Senior Congress MLA and  former Excise minister Suresh Kumar Routray  said, “ The proposal was strongly opposed by all quarters. The state government was forced to bow down before the public opinion”.