Mission to destroy poppy plants fails
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 21, 2011:
A mission of the Narcotic Control Bureau, Imphal Regional Office to eliminate poppy plants at Singda range have failed as the mission team was unable to reach the area where the plants are grown.
A team of the NCB comprising of the state's concerned agencies, volunteers of AMADA and reporters from Imphal with security provided by the Assam Rifles attempted today to reach the areas where the plants are reportedly grown.
NCB officials took up the mission after getting information that poppy plants are grown in a mass scale nearby the villages of Ireng Naga, Khonvum, etc.
along the Singda hill range.
When NCB officials appraised officials of a camp of the 26 AR for providing security to the team, the AR personnel denied the report of poppy plants being grown in the area saying they did not find any field with poppy plants.
The NCB team however, convinced them with the report compiled by them based on field survey reports.
Acknowledging the report, a column of 26 AR led by a Major joined the team on its mission.
A joint team of state Narcotic Affairs Bureau (NAB), Customs Division Imphal after contacting the Sapermaina PS and arrived to join the team.
AMADA volunteers also joined the team to help eliminate the illegal cultivation.
On reaching a thick forest, the AR personnel ordered the team members to remain silent for security reasons and then they tried to extract information from the villagers nearby.
They contacted a villager for detailed information about the poppy plant cultivation and also searched the area using binoculars.
Half an hour later, the team resumed its march.
After about 20 km, they saw a hill face growing poppy plants which was clearly confirmed by using the binoculars and also from disclosures made by some villagers whom they met on the way.
Finally the march came to a halt when they reached a tri-junction and was unable to decide which of the three roads they were to take to reach the area.
The AR personnel put an end to the mission saying the hill side was not under their operational area but was within the jurisdiction of the 10 Dogra Regiment.
They insisted the team to turn back.