82
32. At times of the annual worship of Kali,
Durga, Sib and other divinities, ganja and bhang
in this district are used. The use of these drugs
on these occasions is excessive. I cannot answer
the rest of the question.
33. The consumption is regarded with disfavour
by public opinion, as it is supposed to affect the
mental faculties, to impair the constitution, and
to shorten life. I do not know of any custom of
worshipping the hemp plant. No such custom
prevails here.
34. I cannot answer this question.
36 to 38. No knowledge.
39. Smoking is said to be less injurious than
either drinking or eating. I cannot say why.
41. Beneficial only to those addicted to it.
43. Yes.
44. I am told that it is refreshing, produces
intoxication, allays hunger, and creates appetite.
Its effects last about eight hours or so, and the
want of subsequent gratification produces longing
as well as uneasiness.
58. Yes, I am acquainted with the system of
excise administration. I consider the system capa¬
ble of improvement.
59. As regards cultivation, storage and trans¬
port, I would like to see it put in the same foot¬
ing as opium. Its cultivation should be supervised
by a superior agency, as is done in the case of
opium: there should be a factory for its storage
and packing, and indents for supplies to districts
should be made in a similar way as is done in the
case of opium.
60 and 61. I cannot say. I have no experi¬
ence.
62. I consider that it should be treated in the
way proposed in my answer to question 59.
63. I have objections. I would like to see the
golas abolished and sales made to retail vendors
from the Government treasury, exactly in a
similar manner as is done in the case of opium.
One good result of the proposed system would be
that we could exercise control over the price at
which the drug is sold to the consumers and could
prevent its being sold too cheap.
64. See answers to questions 59 and 63.
65. In this district the taxation is fair with
reference to alcoholic and other intoxicants; but
the taxation is, generally speaking, low in all
cases. Year by year, however, it is being raised
slowly and gradually.
66. In this district only round ganja is import¬
ed, so I am unable to offer an opinion.
67. The taxation is very low at present; the
consumer can afford to pay much more. The low-
ness of the taxation is mainly due to the present
defective method of taxing. See answer to ques¬
tions 59 and 63.
68. There are houses or shops licensed for the
sale of these drugs or their preparations, and there
is no prohibition to there being consumers in the
premises. As no inconvenience has been brought
to light as resulting from the present method, I
would not interfere.
69. Up to date the wishes of the people have
not been consulted; and as no complaints have
been preferred, I suppose no cause for any exists.
If the public did object, their objection should
undoubtedly receive full consideration.
70. I have good reason to believe, in regard to
this district, that a good deal of hemp drugs, but
in very small quantities only, are smuggled into
it from the Native States, which hem it in on all
sides. All these drugs, so smuggled, are untaxed.
34. Evidence of RAI NANDAKISORE DAS, BAHADUR,* District Officer of Angul,
Cuttack.
1. During the last fifteen years, while travel¬
ling in the Orissa Tributary Mahals, I have had
frequent opportunities of watching the growth
of the plant, and here and in the British Districts
I have seen their use.
2. Yes, but the method of manufacturing ganja
here given applies to Rajshahi ganja, and not
Gurjat ganja. In the Tributary Mahals of Orissa
(Gurjats) the plants are not trodden under foot,
but young plants and their branches are several
times twisted at the interval of every two or three
days, until the plants are mature and have grown
to the height of four or five feet.
3. Throughout the Gurjat; but it is only where
the plant has once grown, that the plant grows
spontaneously in succeeding years. It does not
grow wild anywhere.
4. It is known as the ganja plant and by no
other name.
5. The plant germinates at the beginning of
the rains, and it grows only in manured rich soil;
but there is no wild hemp properly so called.
6. Such as grow here, their growth is scat¬
tered; but they do not grow wild in the Gurjats.
7. As stated above, the plant is grown in well-
manured land, generally homestead. In all parts
of the country, a few plants may be seen growing
here and there; but there is no regular cultiva¬
tion to any large extent, and I have nowhere seen
more than twenty plants growing at one and the
same place. Generally four or five plants are to
be seen at a place. These are cultivated chiefly
for bhang and to a small extent for ganja. Charas
is not manufactured.
8. No.
9. The plant grows of itself if there are seeds
of the previous year in the ground; otherwise a
few seeds are sown, and nothing more than the
twisting of the stem for the production of ganja
is done; they are watered when necessary.
10. No; they are all of the agricultural class.
11. There is no such thing as wild hemp here;
it is only where ganja has once been cultivated
that the plant germinates of itself and often pro-
duces ganja.
12. I know nothing of wild hemp.
13. No. No restriction. It is common to
all States. No special condition of climate, etc.,
necessary, except that the soil must be rich. It
will not grow in gravelly, concrete, or sandy
soil. I do not think that in any part of the
Tributary Mahals its cultivation is impossible.
14. Ganja and bhang are prepared in all parts
of the country; but nowhere land is specially set
*Was summoned to attend at a meeting of the Commission for oral examination, but was unable to appear.