MU Professor calls for movement to curb deforestation, solve drug menace
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 19 2023: War on Drugs and Deforestation Campaign Committee, Naoriya Pakhanglakpa Kendra organised an awareness meeting at Malom Bazar community hall yesterday.

Delivering the keynote address, Laishram Kulachandra convenor, War on Drugs and Deforestation Campaign Committee, Naoriya Pakhanglakpa Kendra stated that during an Assembly session, the State Government had resolved to launch the campaign against deforestation and War on Drugs mission led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh across all ACs of Manipur.

Today's awareness programme was organised after a joint gathering held on March 15 resolved to take part in the campaign against deforestation and War on Drugs, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Chinglen Maisnam, Associate Professor, Economics, Manipur University pointed out that instances of wildfire have increased significantly in recent years.

It has been alleged that large scale burning of forests take place to facilitate poppy cultivation, he continued.

"It is believed that around the time the State Government's War on Drugs campaign was launched, people involved in the narco business accessed remote hill areas and recruited innocent hill brethren to partake in production poppy cultivation and widespread forest burning for the manufacture of opium", he claimed.

This is evidenced by the rampant seizure of drugs, destruction of poppy plantations and similar news items flashed before the public almost every single day, he said.

The Associate Professor highlighted that the drug overlords might benefit from all this but the thing to note at this juncture, is the impact of wildfires on the villagers.

Due to frequent wildfires and burning of forests in the hills, rivers flowing down to the valley areas have dried up and there is a severe water crisis gripping many valley regions.

He pointed out the two-fold problem currently invading public consciousness, namely, the issue of drug menace on one hand and the problem of deforestation leading to a shortage of water, on the other.

In view of such circumstances, he opined that the Campaign Committee should go beyond merely educating the public and instead launch a movement in this connection.

He suggested that a movement can launched encouraging the digging of community ponds, maintaining the pre-existing ponds and mass tree plantation across all localities.

Dr Chinglen emphasized on the need to launch such a "Green Movement" under Central Government schemes like MGNREGS etc.

The awareness meeting was also attended by Naorem Tomcha, secretary, Laininghthou Khunjaba Seva Committee, Malom Tulihal; Khundrakpam Indu, president, Malom Apunba Development Organisation and social workers namely, Khundrakpam Indu and Kangjam Maipak as presidium members.

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