Villagers join 'War on Drugs' mission, destroy poppies
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 28 2022: In a boost to the 'War on Drugs' mission launched by chief minister N Biren Singh, villagers have started coming out and destroying poppy plantations in areas under their respective villages.

The villagers also appealed to the authority concerned to provide alternative livelihood arrangement as promised by the state at the earliest.

Phailenmol hill range in Kangpokpi district, which is located around 60 km from Imphal, had huge poppy cultivated areas despite intensification of CM Biren's 'War on Drugs' campaign.

However, villagers from in and around the hill range came out on Wednesday and scythed the poppy plants.

One Jampu Khongsai, who took part in the poppy destruction activity, informed media persons that in spite of the prohibition imposed by the civil society organisations and village heads of the area, some self-motivated people have been surreptitiously carrying out poppy plantation along the lull range of Phailenmol.

He further informed that most of the poppy planters are generally from poor families and they ventured into such illegal practice out of compulsion to support their families.

The government has asked the poppy farmers to desist from farming poppy and to take up other works for which the government promised to provide alternative arrangements.

"However, the government has still not made any alternative arrangements, nor has any of the farmers received assistance from the government.

He went on to state that the police are now out in search of village chiefs on the ground that the poppy plantations are being carried out with the support of the village chiefs and CSOs.

Therefore, to save the village chiefs who have no role in the poppy cultivation and to help the "War on Drugs" campaign launched by the chief minister, the villagers have come out to destroy any poppy cultivation, he added.

He also appealed to the government to provide al ternative arrangement for the survival of the villagers as an encouragement to the villagers who have come out on their own to destroy poppy plantations.

Meanwhile, a combined team of 75 police personnel comprising personnel of NAB police station, 8th Manipur Rifles and Chandel district police led by its SP (ops) Amarjit Lamabam destroyed poppies found cultivated in around 10 acres of land in Henshi area.

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