Police have also sought help from panchayat representatives to curb cannabis cultivation in the area and make Gajapati ganja-free, officials said on Tuesday. “Ganja cultivation generally starts in August and September in the remote areas of the region. “In the meetings, we have advised the people not to fall prey if any outsiders or local mafia provoke them to take up ganja cultivation,” Sahoo said. The awareness drive assumes significance as ganja cultivation has been reported in vast areas in the remote corners of the district. Last year, the Gajapati district administration destroyed around 2,500 acres of ganja plantations, officials said.