Thoughts from the void: Memorandum on Hemp Drugs in Ajmere-Merwara 1894

Memorandum on hemp drugs in Ajmere-Merwara, by the Assistant Commissioner and Collector of Excise Revenue, Vol 3, Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1894-1895, https://digital.nls.uk/74464868

With reference to your office endorsement No. 3330-R., dated the 26th September 1893, and in continuation of my letter No. 724, dated the 16th October 1893, regarding the collection of certain information required by the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission I have the honour to state as follows. 2. As already reported in my letter quoted above, printed copies of the questions were sent to— (1) the District Superintendent of Police, (2) the Civil Surgeon, Ajmere, (3) the Revd. Dr. J. Husband, and (4) the Abkari Inspector. Answers from Nos. (1), (2), and (4) have been received and are herewith submitted. These answers will, I fear, generally not be of much assistance to the Commission. The fact is that, so far as I can ascertain, there is no one in Ajmere-Merwara who has made a study of the subject or who desires any alteration in the existing system. The Revd. Dr. J. Husband, who laid the questions before the Committee of the Ajmere Total Abstinence Association, informs me that the questions asked do not come within the scope of the operations of the society. 3. The statement called for in paragraph 4 of Mr. McIntosh's circular No. 28 of 11th August 1893 has been filled in as far as possible and is herewith submitted. The only information available, which has been given in the statement in question, is the number of shops and the amounts realized by the sale of the contract of drugs for the past twenty years. I regret that I am unable to furnish the other information required to complete the statement in respect of import, export, and sale of drugs, as no such accounts have hitherto been kept, and the present and the former contractors are unable to furnish the required figures. The hemp plant is cultivated in Ajmere-Merwara to only an exceedingly limited extent, and here and there a few plants grow spontaneously. The total amount of hemp grown in these districts is insignificant. No license fees or fixed duty are levied in these districts: the revenue is derived by selling the monopoly of the sale of drugs. 4. The points mooted in the memorandum referred to in paragraph 3 of Mr. McIntosh's circular of the 11th August 1893 are dealt with below: (1) Care is taken that the hemp plants are sold to the contractor. In the case of wild plants they are either destroyed or sold to the contractor. A copy of the rules regulating the cultivation, &c., of hemp is appended. (2) With the exception of bhang and majam, no hemp drugs are manufactured in these districts. Ganja and charas are imported from other districts, chiefly from the Punjab. (3) No duty is levied on the importation of any drugs-(a) The controlling authority is the Collector of Ajmere. There is one uniform system in Ajmere-Merwara, which is carried on under the Excise Act, XXII of 1881. (b) A few wild plants are found here and there, but not to any large extent. The possession and sale of these plants are regulated by the rules referred to above. The plants being so few, no difficulty is experienced in controlling their possession and sale. (c) The cultivation of the hemp plant is permitted under the rules already referred to. As a matter of fact, however, but very little hemp is cultivated, and that principally by malis and the Brahmins of Pushkar. (d) The sole importer of the drugs is the contractor, to whom a license for the exclusive right of the sale of the drugs is granted. The import is covered by rawannas from the authorities of the districts whence the drugs are exported. On arrival the consignments are weighed and checked with the rawannas by the Excise officers and the police (e) There are no wholesale vendors here, and the contractor is the only person permitted to sell drugs by retail; he has his own shops in the district, which are under the supervision of the preventive staff: all shopkeepers employed by the contractor are supplied with 'nokarnamas' under the countersignature of the Collector. (f) The drugs contract is sold yearly to the highest bidder; no rates or other tax are fixed. In case of failure on the part of the contractor to pay the contract money, the contract is resold and the deficiency, if any, is recovered from the original purchaser. (g) As already stated the drug shops in the district belong to the contractor. Their number and sites are fixed by the Collector on application of the contractor with reference to the requirements of the people. (h) The contractor supplies the drugs to his shops in the district. The average retail prices (to consumers) are as follows:— First quality per rupee. Second quality per rupee. Bhang 1 seer. 2 seers. Ganja 16 tolas. 20 tolas. Charas 4 " 5 " Majum 32 " 40 " The prices do not vary appreciably in the different parts of Ajmere-Merwara. (i) The maximum amount of drugs for sale and possession is bhang or any preparation or admixture thereof, one-quarter of a seer: ganja or charas or any preparation or admixture thereof, 5 tolas. (j) The average number of persons prosecuted during the past three years for smuggling drugs is nine. The preventive establishment patrol the district and check smuggling on any extensive scale satisfactorily. (k) No modifications of the present excise system in respect to hemp drugs are under consideration. (l) The required statement is annexed. Explanations in regard to it have been given in paragraph 3 of this letter. (m) The system in force in Ajmere-Merwara is shortly as follows. The contract for drugs is put up every year to auction, and it is sold to the highest bidder, provided that there is no objection to the man. The contractor maintains shops for the retail sale of drugs at places fixed by the Collector with reference to the requirements of the people. But very little hemp is cultivated in AjmereMerwara, although, subject to certain rules, the cultivation is not prohibited and but a small quantity grows wild. The hemp plants are sold to the contractor. Bhang and majum are the only preparations made locally, ganja and charas being imported from other provinces, usually from the Punjab. The retail shops are supervised by the preventive establishment, who also patrol the district and successfully prevent smuggling on any large scale.

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Memorandum on Hemp Drugs in Ajmere-Merwara 1894

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