KISHENGARH STATE MEMORANDUM.
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KISHENGARH STATE MEMORANDUM.
(1) The hemp plant is cultivated in irrigated lands along with green vegetables by cul-
tivators of the mali or gardener class exclusively. These cultivators are professional green-
grocers and, as such, live in larger villages or towns only, where there can possibly be room
for a market for green vegetable; and consequently the cultivation of the hemp plant is
generally met with in towns and larger villages.
The hemp plant is never cultivated as a principal crop, and is, as a rule, locally sold and
consumed.
There is practically no control of the growth of this plant.
(2) The plant is cut and dried in the sun or shade and then beaten with sticks, and the
leaves are then collected and sold as bhang.
The flowering-tops of female plants are plucked and pressed under slabs of stones and
taken out in a compressed state, which is called ganja. This is used for smoking.
Bhang is imported from Shekhawati in Jeypur.
Ganja is imported from Malwa.
Charas is not made in Kishengarh. It is brought from Afghanistan by the Vilayatis
(Kabulis) and by them sold to the local vendors.
(3) The duties imposed on these drugs are as follows:-
Bhang, four annas per maund.
Ganja, one rupee and eight annas per maund.
Charas,
do.
do.
do.
(a) A uniform rate of duty is charged all over the State, and anybody can sell any of
these drugs.
The administration of the system is carried on by the "Mapa" (Customs) Department.
(b) Wild hemp is not found to any considerable extent in this State. It is regarded
as an inferior kind of drug compared to cultivated hemp, and is consumed as
bhang.
Wild hemp is found in such small quantities that it has not been considered worth the
while of the "Mapa" Department to control the possession and sale of such drug.
(c) The cultivation of the hemp plant for the production of ganja or other drugs is not
prohibited. The cultivation is found scattered all over the State in small
patches or mixed with vegetable crops in the lands of larger villages and
towns.
(d) The baniyas and specially the Tambolis (betel-leaf sellers) are the importers of
bhang and ganja. They are not licensed. No special arrangements are in
force for their supervision and for controlling the storing and transport of
these drugs.
In larger towns, the duty is collected by the "Mapa" officers on the drugs entering the
gateways. In the mofussil towns and in villages the "Mapa" officers go round in their
circles every two months or so, and make collections of the duty on the imports of these drugs
that may have been made during the interval.
(e) There has been no system of licensing vendors in force for the last twelve years,
or thereabouts.
Formerly the sale of the hemp drugs used to be annually farmed out to the highest
bidders for the larger towns only.
(f) The only tax at present levied is the customs import duty mentioned above in (3)
and the "Mapa" officers take precautions against evasion; there is, however,
no special precaution considered necessary.
(g) There is no restriction as to the number and site of shops for the vend of these
drugs.
(h) No rate is fixed at which the drug must be supplied by wholesale to retail vendors.
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