Odisha's Similipal Emerges As Opium Cultivation Hotspot

Rairangpur: Similipal National Park and Tiger Reserve is home to a diverse flora and fauna which attracts tourists and wildlife lovers from across the country and abroad. But the dense forest, home to several endangered species, is also used for cultivation of opium. In fact, Similipal, of late, has emerged as a major hotspot of opium cultivation in Odisha.

The drug mafia are using the remote locations within the park to cultivate opium even as the police, Forest and Excise Departments have waged a seemingly long and tough war against the menace. Earlier this month, in a joint raid, authorities destroyed opium plants spread over 109 acres of land in Gopinathpur village within the park.

Similarly, on Sunday, the police, Forest and Excise departments raided an area under Jashipur police station and destroyed over 76,000 opium plants the value of which is estimated at around Rs 2 crores. In another location within the park, 19,500 opium cultivated at Asthwari area in ​​Gopinathpur gram panchayat under Jashipur police station. The estimated value of the contraband was Rs 1.52 crores.

Cases under Section 18 of the NDPS Act have been registered at the Jashipur police station after the raids.

Police, forest and excise personnel destroying illegal opium cultivation (ETV Bharat)

Rairangpur Additional Superintendent of Police Jadunath Jena told ETV Bharat that Karanjia SDPO Nab Kishore Naik, Jashipur police station along with special teams of the Forest and Excise Departments conducted the raid and destroyed the opium plants. "Strict action will be taken against those cultivating opium in Similipal," he warned.

Crackdown on opium cultivation in Similipal has been on for quite some time. In 2024 and 2025, opium plants worth around Rs 30 crores were destroyed in the park.

The opium cultivation and the bid to address the menace also claimed the lives of two Forest Department personnel in 2023. Environmentalist Lalit Mohanta said, "‘Opium being cultivated indiscriminately in Simlipal poses a grave risk for environment. The authorities concerned must keep a watch on such activities and catch the culprits to end the menace."

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