The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the governments of Punjab, Haryana, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to submit compliance reports every two months on their efforts to curb the wild growth of cannabis plants. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel, in its final ruling on Wednesday, noted that authorities concerned had taken steps to control the spread of wild cannabis through physical and mechanical removal. “With the hope and expectation that said process of prevention and monitoring shall continue in future, this Court directs that a compliance report in regard to prevention and monitoring of wild growth of cannabis plants be filed in this Court once every two months,” the order stated. The case, taken up by the court on its own motion, had earlier prompted expert reports from various agencies, including the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and the Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. These reports unanimously recommended physical removal and consistent monitoring as the primary methods to control the unchecked spread of cannabis. In an interim order in September last year, the court had directed municipal authorities to take immediate steps to uproot and destroy cannabis plants, which were reported to be growing indiscriminately across towns in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh. At that time, the court had also sought expert opinions on potential permanent solutions. Earlier last year, a high court bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Sandeep Moudgil had sought reports on wild cannabis growth in Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula. Expressing concern over the unchecked spread of wild cannabis, the high court had directed the administrations of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula to submit detailed reports by May 20 on measures taken to address the issue. During a hearing related to drug seizures in Punjab, the high court bench noted that cannabis plants were flourishing in several open spaces across Chandigarh. “A significant number of cannabis plants can be spotted in various areas, including near judges’ residences in Sectors 4, 7, 10, and 11, as well as in Sector 24, particularly around the Secretariat roundabout, the High Court’s outskirts, and Rajendra Park,” the court observed. The bench highlighted the risk of young people, and even children, accessing and misusing these plants. With Wednesday’s directive, the matter has been disposed of for now. However, the court made it clear that if any irregularities are found in the compliance reports, the issue will be revisited.
