Won't approve weed farming, says CM amid massive oppn

PANAJI
The move to permit regulated cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes proposed by the Health department has sent politicos in a tizzy voicing diverse opinions and ministers were seemingly a divided lot, but Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the cabinet "will not approve" the proposal after State president of BJP, Sadanand Tanavade, made it public that his party will strongly oppose the proposal.

Earlier, Ports Minister Michael Lobo termed the move disastrous, even as some other of his colleagues seemed cautious, neither opposing the move nor formally supporting it.

Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude preferred to tread a cautious path saying he will comment only after "studying the matter" even as he added that although it could generate employment, it could impact society adversely.

Gaude also said: "While looking at it from the employment angle, we must also think of the families which may be destroyed."

Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said the file is moved by the Health Department and required to be analysed by experts.

He said it must be dealt with by experts as it is a question of the health of the people.

PWD Minister Dipak Pauskar, while commenting on the issue said, the issue will be discussed threadbare in the Cabinet and if permitted, the State government will have "complete  control" over the proposed cultivation of ganja.

Law Minister, Nilesh Cabral had on Tuesday admitted that the file had been vetted and okayed for 'legality' by the law department and had even been supportive of the move citing that a derivative of cannabis -- bhang -- is already legally available in at least seven other States in India.

The move however triggered vociferous objections from Opposition politicians and parties. 

Hitting out at Law Minister Nilesh Cabral’s justification to permit cannabis cultivation, Goa Forward Party's Vijai Sardessai pointed out that the GFP has filed a request under the Right to Information Act to have the ‘file’ inspected and its detail and information publicly released. 

The Congress which is the principal Opposition party in the State on Wednesday opposed the move and slammed the Sawant government for not categorically saying that the cannabis cultivation will not be permitted.

GPCC general secretaries Amarnath Panjikar and Janardhan Bhandari addressed a press conference where they alleged that the BJP government has always been an active collaborator of the narco-trade promoters and mafia.

They said, there have been multiple instances where narcotics impounded by the Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Goa Police has vanished and that such pilferage and diversion into the narco-trade market will certainly happen if regulated cultivation is permitted.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) too joined the chorus opposing the move saying it could lead to disaster in the tourist State given the poor control that the State administration has over imposing the rule of law. 

AAP State Convenor Rahul Mhambre addressed a press conference on Wednesday where he said lack of control will lead to illegal diversion of the narcotic and lead to disastrous consequences for Goa which is already smeared with the narco-tourism stain.

NCP General Secretary Sanjay Barde said the decision would spell disaster and make it easier for youth to come under the influence of drugs.