51
prevent illicit sale to anyone having no permit or
license to sell the drug.
61. No ; and so I cannot answer the question.
62. I think it should be, and it would be
feasible. The Abkari Inspector may go to the place
where the crop is grown at the time of the har
- v e s t , h a v e i t r e a p e d i n h i s p r e s e n c e , k e p t i n a r o o m
under his seal, and sold to retail vendors in his
presence. The cultivator of the drug should be
required to give notice of the date of reaping the
crop, and the time when the retail dealers may re
- q u i r e t h e d r u g f o r s a l e .
63. The objection to the system of wholesale
sale of bhang and ganja is stated above, The
system of retail sale is open to one objection, which
is that the rates are not fixed by Government.
This leaves the retail seller at liberty to unduly
profit himself at the expense of the consumer. I
should say that the rates should be fixed as in the
case of opium and other like things.
64 None.
65. I think it is, so far as the present system is
concerned. Some change will have to be made if
the rates of retail sale will be fixed.
66. No.
67. No, except as stated in my answer to ques
-tion No. 63.
68. None.
69. Representations from the people are consi
- d e r e d ; b u t t h e r e i s n o t h i n g w h i c h c a n b e c a l l e d
local option. The number of shops is practically
the same as it was before. If the general public
opinion be in favour of the removal of the shop, it
should, I think, be considered.
70 I know not of any. I think the imposition
of duty on drugs used in British territory is evaded
in very rare instances.
28. Evidence of RAO BAHADUR SITARAM DAMODAR, H uzur Deputy Collector,
Khandesh.
1. As Daftardar (Personal Assistant) to the
Collector of Khandesh, I have seen the whole of
the Khandesh district during the years 1890-91,
1891-92 and 1892-93 and have come across men
smoking ganja and drinking preparation made
from bhang, have made enquiries with them as
to the effect of the drug, and have seen hemp
plant fields.
2. These definitions might be accepted for this
district. It would, however, be well to note that
in Sanskrit the plant is known as "vijaya"
(promoter of success), and the Hindu mythology
gives the history of it, that the plant was pro
- d u c e d w h e n t h e g o d s w e r e c h u r n i n g t h e o c e a n
with Mount Mandara. The preparation from it
is held as a favourite drink of Indra, the Hindu
deity.
In this district the distinctions of ganja, such
as flat, round or chur, are not taken into con
- s i d e r a t i o n . G a n j a o f a l l t h e t h r e e d e s c r i p t i o n s
is taken under one general head "Ganja," and
no preference is given to one over the other.
Bhang likewise is known under one general head,
"Bhang," and the three names given are not
used to draw any distinction in its kind.
3 and 4. Not to my knowledge in the Khan
- d e s h D i s t r i c t .
5 and 6. Require no reply.
7. Hemp plant is cultivated in Khandesh to
a very small extent. The object of the culti
- v a t i o n i s t o p r o d u c e g a n j a , a n d w i t h i t t h e b h a n g ,
and for neither the fibre seed nor for to produce
charas. The cultivation of this plant is confined
to the Jalgaon taluka, in which an area of about
30 acres was cultivated last year.
8. There has been a decrease in the area culti
- v a t e d w i t h t h e s e p l a n t s . T h e r e a s o n f o r t h e
decrease, as given by the cultivators and owners
of fields, is that the profit from the cultivation
is uncertain and less remunerative than other
crops. Also it is found that the cultivation of
this plant in Khandesh requires great trouble
and more expense than in Nimar and the Cen
- t r a l P r o v i n c e s , t h e c l i m a t e o f w h i c h a g r e e s
more favourably for the production of these
drugs than the climate of this district.
V o l . v i i .
9. The land selected for the cultivation of
this plant is generally black or dusky white.
This is richly manured every year and the cost
of the manure is roughly estimated at Rs. 15
per acre. In the month of May or earlier, the
ground is well ploughed, and at the commence
-ment of the season, which period the culti
-vators call "mrigá nakshatra" (commence
-ment of June), the seed is sown in harrows.
The estimated quantity of seed required per
acre is 2½Њ . F r o m t h e d a t e t h e s e e d i s p u t
in the ground the shoots germinate after eight
days, and in about a month the plant reaches the
height of about one foot. When this height is
arrived at the side leaves or shoots are all
removed so as to give the fullest strength to
the stem to thrive in height, which is not the
case if side shoots or branches are not removed.
The removing of side shoots is continued till the
plant comes to the height of three or four feet.
The cultivation of seed is generally two inches
apart. After the plant is a month old, an ex
-perienced man, who is able to distinguish male
from female plants, goes to the field and roots
out all the male plants. This pahani or in
-spection work is done every week, and at each
time the male plant and "ardh-nari" (half male
and half female) plants are extirpated. Removal
of such plants makes the cultivation scattered. The
plant stands for about fifteen days without rain ;
but after that time, if there is no rainfall, the
field is watered every ten or fifteen days,
and to allow this being done, bagait land, with
means of irrigation either by a well or pat, is
selected for cultivation of this plant. The plant
generally flowers in November ; and in December
the flowering tops are cut and collected. (A
photograph of ganja field is appended.)
10. The ordinary cultivators cultivate this
plant in addition to other crops. There is not a
special class of cultivators for this cultivation
in Khandesh.
11. No.
12. Not in Khandesh.
13. No restriction is placed on the cultivation
of this plant ; but it being less remunerative, as