Angry Biren issues warning to poppy growers
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 22 2022:
Chief minister N Biren on Thursday was enraged on seeing drone footage of hilly regions bereft of any vegetation after the same were cleared for poppy cultivation and categorically stated that his government will declare war against poppy cultivators.
The CM shared a video of him glued to the drone footage of the hills near Selsi village and surrounding and expressing anger on his social media accounts on Thursday.
In the video, the CM said that some people in hill districts, especially in Kangpokpi and Tamei area are involved in large scale poppy plantation bringing destruction to the ecosystem of the hills and shame to the whole state.
Since they clear the vegetation for their illegal practice, the state would continue to face water scarcity and it will increase manifold if the illegal practice is not stopped, he said.
The CM also showed several farmhouses on the hills and how the anti-social people are planting poppy amid pea plants as cover-up.
He said that these people should not be called human being as they are destroying the environment and affecting the common people for their own benefits.
They are enemies of the society and it is time the people rise and teach them the right lesson, he said.
While confiding that police have arrested a village chief in connection with poppy plantation and will arrest others in further operation against the illegal practices, Biren stressed the need for harshest penalty such as life imprisonment to deter such activities and to protect the state and its people.
Issuing a strong warning against those involved in the illegal activities, Biren said that this is the last warning and the government will declare war against the poppy cultivators as part of its War on Drugs campaign.
The government will not compromise in this war.
It will fight them whether they are armed or not, he added.