Imphal : As illegal poppy cultivation and its harvesting is one the main causes of the communal violence in the state, the government is preparing to destroy acres of poppy plants ahead of its bumper harvesting by October end in the southern parts of Manipur bordering Myanmar.

A joint committee of the Narcotics Control Bureau and Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) has been formed to survey and destroy poppy plantations, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said in a statement on Saturday.

The new move is being taken to strengthen the War on Drugs campaign in the State, the Manipur chief minister said, adding that drones are being used to spray chemicals in far-flung areas that cannot be accessed by the authorities.
In the war on drugs, around 14,359.4 acre of poppy cultivation and 20 acre of cannabis were destroyed under BJP 1.0 (2017-2022), while under BJP 2.0 (2022-23) 4305.1 acre of illegal poppy cultivation was destroyed. 3517.8 acre of poppy cultivation was destroyed in 2022 alone.

For this year (2023) till March, 787.3 acres of poppy cultivation destroyed to date. Since January 1, 2020, 80 people including 16 village chiefs, 62 poppy cultivators, and 2 investors have been arrested.

Highlighting the report “Magnitude of Substance Use in India 2019” published by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, the Chief Minister said that yet another serious issue in Manipur is the missing of youth below 30 years from society. States that the finding highlighted in the report regarding the prevalence of alcohol use, ganja use, opioids, and others in the State is quite alarming and concerning, Biren added.

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