DFO Kpi summons village chiefs on poppy plantation
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, January 30 2023:
Giving more teeth to the campaign of the Government the Divisional Forest Officer, Kangpokpi Forest Division issued a summon order to the chiefs/chairmen/village authorities of several villages for a review meeting on various encroachments and illegal poppy cultivation carried out in the surrounding hill areas.
According to the Range Forest Officer, Kangpokpi Forest Division, a combined team of Kangpokpi Forest Division, Kangpokpi district police, NAB, NCB, and army personnel carried out poppy destruction drives in the hill ranges of Phoibung, Thotne, Makuli, Chandra-man, Amaledara, Mahabir, L Thomjang, Mangjol, Kolpe-chang, Phaijang and Song- pehjang in the recent weeks.
It was observed that many of the poppy plantation areas fall within notified forest areas of the district while agricultural cultivation is still done in the lower reaches of the notified forest hill ranges despite the ban on trespassing and encroachment inside notified forest land, the RFO added.
The RFO also said that an order banning entry, trekking and camping-related activities inside reserved forest was on January 26, 2023 .
Trespassing, breaking up of land for non-forestry purposes and encroachment into reserved and protected forest are clear violations of the rules and regulations of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the Manipur Forest Rules, 2021 and are punishable under relevant sections of the said laws, the RFO further added.
The RFO then said that the Divisional Forest Officer, Kangpokpi Forest Division has issued a summons order to the chiefs/chairmen/village authorities of the above villages for a review meeting on the encroachments and illegal poppy cultivation carried out in the surrounding hill areas.