Minister Biswajit's anti-poppy stand need of the hour
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: March 04, 2023 -

CERTAIN section of the population might be offended with minister Th Biswajit's assertion that poppy growers do not deserve sympathy but such evil practice merits stringent punishment.

With Manipur figuring prominently among the top states in terms of use of narcotic drugs and other addictive substances, and the trend of widespread plantations of poppy causing serious damage to the forest environment, it is but natural that minister Biswajit would feel highly agitated and vent angst against the poppy planters, especially in the aftermath of continuous detection and destruction of poppy plantations in the hill areas.

As some of the villages where poppies were found growing are the same whose chiefs and residents had pledged to give up the practice and even availed institutional assistance to cultivate legitimate cash and food crops, all sane persons as well as concerned stakeholders would be wishing that Biswajit's statement is actually translated into action.

In what could be construed as a strong message to the poppy growers to mend their ways, the minister mooted punishment of the offenders as all efforts of the state government to provide alternative means of livelihood to poppy growers by taking up different projects have not been reciprocated as was expected.

His terse but scathing remarks against poppy cultivation in the state came amid certain group of individuals justifying poppy plantation as a means for survival unmindful of the fact that substantial numbers of hill dwellers have been scripting success tales of venturing into horticultural and livestock farming with or without government support.

The minister's stand against poppy plantations is also the general wish of the society for some two years back nearly 20 non-governmental organisations and concerned stakeholders petitioned the government for incorporation of provisions in the draft of Manipur State Substance Use Policy, 2019 to shield the youngsters from the scourge of substance abuse, transparent and speedy trial against the drug kingpins and effectively prevent poppy plantations in the hills.

These proposals, submitted in sync with a notification issued by the government, might be difficult to execute but in the wake of villages undauntedly planting poppies and seizure of psychotropic drugs reported almost on a daily basis, the proposals for effective preventive actions hold merit.

Moreover, the same proposal had lamented that there has been hardly any significant progress in drug haul cases involving prominent individuals and security personnel.

The civil bodies had also observed that even if trials are conducted there is no guarantee if or when influential people named as accused in high profile drug-haul cases would be convicted as laws of the land provide them every right to remain as innocent until proven with hard evidences, no matter how long the trial process takes.

Therefore, it is imperative for the government to frame clearcut rules under relevant anti-drugs policy such as non-bailable imprisonment for maximum period to ensure exemplary punishment of the poppy planters and drug dealers, entrust independent central agencies to probe drug haul cases, award informants who help bust drug cartels or arrest of smugglers, impound properties of drug peddlers, etc.