The Punjab & Haryana High Court has directed the Governments of Punjab, Haryana, and UT Chandigarh to submit a status report from experts regarding the availability of any “permanent solution” to the issue of increasing wild cannabis growth in the towns.

Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal were reviewing a suo motu case concerning the unchecked proliferation of cannabis plants across various towns.

The Court noted that “Status report by way of affidavit of Executive Engineer, Horticulture, Division No.1, Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh has been filed stating that efforts have been taken to cut/uproot/destroy the Cannabis plants which are growing in discriminately all over the towns in the States of Punjab and Haryana as well as Union Territory, Chandigarh.”

While scheduling the next hearing for October 15, the court directed the counsel for the respondents (Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh) to submit status reports from experts on whether a permanent solution to the problem exists.

Previously, the division bench of Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sandeep Moudgil had criticized the Chandigarh Administration and Municipal Council for their indifferent approach to addressing the rampant wild growth of cannabis in the city.

"This Court is amazed at such response wherein a casual affidavit has been filed (Municipal Corp.) Such an issue needs to be addressed with all seriousness and a special team of staff including the labour must be deployed to ensure that no such wild growth of cannabis plant ever grows again but it does not seem to be the intention of Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh,” the Court had then observed.

Mr. Anurag Chopra, Addl. Advocate General, Punjab. Mr. Deepak Balyan, Addl. Advocate General, Haryana. Mr. Sanjiv Ghai, Advocate with Mr. Parminder S.Kaul, Advocate, for respondent- M.C. Chandigarh.

Case Title: Court on Its Own Motion vs. State of Punjab and Others