210
of the Tributary Mahals.
This only refers to
those that border on Angul.
The hemp plant is grown on the homestead
lands. I have never seen more than two or three,
or four, plants together. I do not find hemp in
all villages, only in one-third perhaps; and there
it is not in every house, but only in certain houses.
I have never seen it wild in the jungles. I have
often been in the jungles. I have never seen it
cultivated in fields.
In Angul and the neighbouring States sufficient
ganja is prepared to meet the requirements of the
local smokers. There is little export. There is
sale of the drug among the people themselves:
they bring it to bazars and markets in bundles to
sell. This is not done to any great extent.
Most depend on their own growth; but some
(chiefly outsiders) have to buy. It is brought only
in the season. At that time it is brought regu-
larly to the markets and may be said to be
commonly sold in the markets. The stocks
brought are small; they are done up in bundles.
I should not say that there is large consump-
tion. It is decidedly small. The consumers are
as a rule agriculturists and day labourers. The
consumption is also moderate. There is no ex-
cessive consumption. There is more use of ganja
than opium, but much more use of liquor than of
ganja. I see no increase or decrease, as far as I
can judge, in the use of ganja. I think there is
increase in the use of both opium and liquor.
I
cannot give any explanation of these facts.
I
merely judge from the fact that I see very few
consumers of ganja at all—not more than ten or
twelve in a year; whereas I see many opium and
liquor consumers. I mean that I have seen these
people actually consuming. I have no statistics
or returns. I judge only by the few people I
see. These consumers I see only at head-
quarters.
In Angul there was prohibition of cultivation of
ganja in Mr. Metcalfe's time. He ordered it in
the Angul tract and such of the neighbouring
States as were under management. This was
seven or eight years ago. The plants disappeared.
Three or four years ago the prohibition was repeal-
ed, and then the plants began to reappear. Hence
cultivation is greatly increasing these last two
years. The prohibition led to complaints; but
they were few. The people used to get ganja from
the neighbouring States of the Central Provinces,
where there was no prohibition. There were no
shops or means of supply in Angul or the States
concerned.
There is no excise administration in regard to
ganja in the Angul District. We have nothing
prescribed. We have no shops. We have no pro-
hibition. There is consumption. The people con-
sume the stuff they raise, and there is nothing to
prevent their importing if they choose. There is
the same want of excise system as in the neighbour-
ing Tributary States.
I do not think there is any need of excise ad-
ministration. I see no necessity in the habits of
the people. The drug is not used to excess. I only
met one man who was sent to the lunatic asylum,
but was all right by the time he got there. I was
told he smoked too much. I have never seen any
other bad effects. So I see no need. Then again
Angul does not border on British territory. It is
sixty or seventy miles off. So we have not heard
of smuggling into British territory from there.
It is poor people who use the drug, and a tax
would press on them. I see no reason therefore for
taxing ganja, though liquor is taxed. Liquor
is lightly taxed by the outstill system. If the
system of ganja administration elsewhere were in-
terfered with by smuggling, I should still consider
that the taxation of ganja should not be imposed
because it would fall on poor people who cannot
bear taxation. The liquor consumers are poorer;
yet they pay outstill taxation. I would not, how-
ever, advocate the abolition of taxation on liquor
because the consumption of liquor is on the increase.
Apart from my consideration for the poor, I see no
objection to taxing ganja in these Native States.
But I see no reason for it, as ganja consumption is
not increasing. I know nothing of the difficulties
in regard to smuggling. I only look at the ques-
tion from the point of view of the Angul tract.
74 Evidence of BABU WOOMA CHARAN BOSE, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy
Collector; Manager, Raj Banaili, District
Bhagalpur.
1. As a Deputy Collector, I had also been in
charge of the sub-divisions of Araria in Purnea
District, and Banka in Bhagalpur District. For
nearly the last six years I am on deputation as
Manager of the Banaili Raj.
2. The definitions of siddhi or bhang, charas and
ganja, as given by Dr. Prain, may be accepted.
Siddhi or bhang is also locally known by the name
of sabji or patti. Charas has got no other name.
Ganja is the general name. It is also called Buti
by fakirs and ascetics.
3. I am not aware where ganja plant grows
spontaneously. It is cultivated in the Rajshahi
District, but I have no knowledge of that district.
It also grows in Orissa. Bhang grows spontane-
ously in the Bhagalpur, Monghyr and Purnea
districts, but not in abundance.
4.Vide answer to question 2.
5. Wild bhang grows in moist climates and in
damp and sandy soil. Not much rainfall is
needed.
6. In wet or damp soils the wild bhang is
ordinarily dense. In sandy soils it is scattered.
7. No. Wild hemp (bhang) grows sponta-
neously.
8. Vide answers to questions 7 and 3.
9 and 10. Cannot say, vide above.
11. Cannot say.
12. No, not to my knowledge.
13. Cannot say. Have no personal knowledge.
14. Ganja and charas are not prepared in the
districts of which I have knowledge, but wild
bhang is generally collected by the people in
Bhagalpur, Monghyr and Purnea districts in two
forms, one consisting of dried leaves and small
stalks and the other of the flowering shoots—this
latter not to a great extent. The possession of
bhang is now very much restricted.
15. Vide answers to question 14.
(a) Sometimes dried leaves and dried flowers
of the wild bhang are smoked mixed
with tobacco.