Imphal, April 18 2010: Poppy plants growing extending over 550 hectare of land were destroyed in the state during the current year till date, said an official of the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), Imphal adding that during the same period 2292 kg of ganja seized and eliminated by the bureau.

All species of poppies are attractive and most are cultivated as ornamental garden plants.

A few species have other uses, principally as sources of drugs and foods.

However, it is grown in Manipur particularly in the hill areas for opium and opiates obtained from it and exporting the same to neighbouring Myanmar for manufacturing Heroin (No.4) .

Cultivation of poppy plant is banned in Manipur under Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985, the official said adding that village chiefs where villagers grow poppy plants can also be booked under section 47 and 48 of the same act.

With the discovery of mass scale growing of poppy plant in the jhum fields in interior villages of hill districts like Ukhrul, Chandel and Churachandpur district, elimination drives were conducted by both by government agencies and non-governmental organisation particularly, volunteers of the All Manipur Anti-Drug Association (AMADA).

However, many of the fields could not be destroyed due to late discovery and difficulties in reaching the villages.

Out of the total of 550 hectare of jhum fields growing poppy plants destroyed by the bureau, 500 hectare were found cultivating in the fields across Ukhrul district while the remaining 50 hectare of fields were in different parts of Churachandpur district, the official said.

NCB officials took the help armed security establishments and voluntary organisations in the destruction of the said harmful plants.

According to the official, farmer harvest around 22 kg of opium from an acre of field and sell Rs 800 per Khaini container (per full container of Khaini tin) and they could earned Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 per acre of land.

A group of individuals came to collect the harvested opium for trafficking to Myanmar to reach the Golden Triangle across the porous international borders in Ukhrul and Churachandpur districts.

Farmer can earn more income by planting this plant in place of paddy.

Meanwhile, official has detected growing of poppy plants in some villages in Chandel district also at the latest.

They have detected growing the plant in mass scale jhum fields located around 18 km away from Shaji village under Machi block of interior Chandel district.

Official estimated the plant growing to around 100 acres of field but the fields appeared already harvested.

The mass scale growing of poppy plant in the hill areas of Manipur is amidst the hectic efforts of the NCB and other agencies like the State Excise Department to control planting and export of contraband ganja in the state.

Along NCB had detected 2292 kg of ganja during the last four months while trying to export on the Imphal-Dimapur section of the NH-39.Despite having a good number of security and police check posts, the stretch of the highway is considered to be the main route for trafficking ganja from Manipur outside the state.

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