Russia’s federal space agency, Roskosmos, will join in the effort to detect and destroy wild narcotic hemp in the Republic of Tuva this year, the republic’s head of government Sherig-ool Oorzhak told a session of the anti-drug commission, reported the Itar-Tass news agency. Roskosmos will produce satellite imagery of the republic’s territory and precisely map areas contaminated by “dope”, he said. Destruction of wild hemp, which already covers an area of 29,000 hectares in Tuva, will also be closely monitored.
Oorzhak said work to map the territory is being carried out according to the plan adopted by the federal government on measures to counter drug abuse and illegal trade in drugs through 2005-2009. In conjunction with the federal government’s plan, a system has been created to detect by satellite locations where narcotic plants grow or are unlawfully cultivated. This year such work will be carried out in Tuva.
Over the past decade, Tuva has developed into a major supplier of drugs to neighboring Siberian republics, territories and regions. Last year hemp was destroyed over an area of just over 11,000 hectacres rather than 20,000 hectacres as planned.