International seminar on alternative to poppy underway
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 27 2023:
A two-day international seminar on 'Alternatives to Illegal Opium Poppy Cultivation in Northeast India: Alternative Livelihood Imperatives' organised by Department of Political Science & Human Rights of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University-Regional Campus Manipur (IGNTU-RCM) commenced from Monday at IGNTU-RCM central auditorium, Makhan village in Kangpokpi district.
The inaugural function of the seminar, which is sponsored by North Eastern Council (NEC), Shillong, was attended by Dhanamanjuri University (DMU) vice chancellor Prof N Rajmuhon Singh as chief guest and IGNTU-RCM director Prof Ng Ngalengnam as president, while CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology Branch Laboratory, Lamphelpat, Imphal senior principal scientist & AcSIR Prof Dr H Birkumar Singh and CPR Fellow & former Indian ambassador to Myanmar, Afghanistan & Syria Gautam Mukhopadhaya were present as guests of honour along with Manipur University Department of Economics Prof Ch Priyoranjan Singh as special guest.
In his address, Prof Priyoranjan highlighted the issues of ecological disaster, agrarian crisis, changing economic livelihood and Government of Manipur's initiative of 'War on Drugs'.
According to him, globally, several countries undertook similar wars on drugs to come out of the menace of drugs.
But in the context of Manipur, one needs to understand the features of tribal economy, which at present, in the name of common property regime, the elites and powerful are taking away land and accompanied resources.
There will come a time when access to land itself would be denied to the common people, he opined, adding that there are structural and institutional problems associated with land ownership pattern in the Manipur hills.
He stated that in such a scenario, tribal scholars and academicians have been demanding land reforms, wherein individual ownership is allowed.
He also highlighted that there is agrarian crisis in the hills of Manipur and the drivers for poppy cultivation are poverty, weak state, infrastructure deficit, conflict, lack of assets and livelihood alternatives.
Priyoranjan also emphasised on having a deep knowledge, on the structure of economy in the hill region and cautioned that without it, it will be hard to understand the issues of tribal economy and eradicate poppy cultivation in the state.
On the other hand, Prof H Birkumar emphasised on how anthropogenic pressure causes poppy cultivation.
To overcome it, he suggested focusing on targeting development of human resource and eco-tourism.
Gautam Mukhopadhya linked increase in the internal conflict, unstable and weak governance with increase in the cultivation and production of poppy in Myanmar, while batting for holistic approach, reviving indigenous crops, focussing on aggregate model and on diverse plantation in the state.
Prof N Rajmuhon highlighted the excess use of chemicals which deteriorate our biodiversity.
He stressed on medicinal plantation as an alternative means of livelihood.
The inauguration function was followed by a plenary session after which a technical session ensued.
Six resource persons participated as panellists in plenary session entitled, 'Opium Cultivation, Land, Displacement, Migration, Drugs Menace & Narco-terrorism in NE India'.
Prof Ch Priyoranjan was the moderator of the session and MU Centre for Myanmar Studies director Prof MC Arunkumar, Imphal Review of Arts and Politics editor Pradip Phanjoubam, Gautam Mukhopadhaya, IGNTU-RCM Department of Social Anthropology faculty Dr Immanuel Varte, freelance journalist Ninglun Hanghal and Central Agricultural University, Imphal College of Agriculture head (Entomology) Prof Dr Khumukcham Ibohal Singh were the panellists.
In the technical session that was chaired by University of Hyderabad, Telangana Department of Sociology Prof L Lam Khan Piang, five resource persons including DMU's Samson Sitlhou, Arunachal University Department of Political Science associate professor Dr B Komow, Highland National College, Kanglatongbi Department of History assistant professor Khamdong Asen Newmai, IGNTU-RCM assistant librarian Dr Moses Maguipuinamei and NKC Handloom & Handicraft CS Ltd, Churachandpur secretary and national awardee S Chongboi Haokip presented papers.
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