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Imphal, Feb 8: Huge areas of illegal poppy plantation in an area of around 169 acres were destroyed at several villages in Manipur’s Kamjong district, an official source available here said.
The poppy destruction drive was carried out under the strong supervision from District Administration Kamjong led by the Deputy Commissioner Rangnamei Rang Peter on Monday.
A total of around 110 acres of poppy cultivation was destroyed at the Phungyar sub-division, 70 acres of poppy plantation at Thawai village, 20 acres of poppy plantation at Marou village and 25 acres of poppy plantation at Maokot village.
Monday’s drive comes under the Chief Minister N Biren-led State Government’s ‘War against Drugs’ Mission and Zero Tolerance Policy against poppy plantation.
Village chiefs and villagers of the areas targeted extended full support to the District Administration Kamjong in its mission, sources added.
Under the ongoing ‘War against drugs campaigns’, illegal drugs (including 560 kg of opium and heroin and 500 Kgs of brown sugar) worth Rs 1,228 crore in the international market were seized in 2022.
About 1,780 acres of poppy plantations were destroyed, even as the area under poppy cultivation has declined from 6,742 acres in 2021 to 1,118 acres in 2022, as the general public responded to the government’s initiative, according to chief minister. So far, 703 persons, including five village chiefs, have been arrested and 497 cases have been registered in connection with poppy plantations and smuggling of drugs.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister had chaired a meeting with the state forest officials in connection with the joint survey of forest by state officials on Monday.
In a social media post, Biren wrote, “I was briefed about the findings of a joint survey of forest by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Team at my secretariat today.”
The state government has been closely monitoring the forest areas and taking up measures for effective prevention of deforestation and illegal poppy plantations in the state, he added.
