MDA lauds Government

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 22: The Manipur Democratic Alliance (MDA) has lauded the Chief Minister's statement at the ongoing Assembly Session wherein he mentioned that the State Government is making preparations to switch the illegal poppy plantations in the State to legal cannabis plantation.
Speaking to media persons at Shiv Sena Manipur State unit office today, MDA convenor M Tombi said that the dependency on poppy plantation in the hill areas of the State as a means of livelihood by the poor people and the mushrooming drug factories/dens in such remote areas have led to serious negative impacts on the youths.
Pointing out that the people engage in poppy plantation despite drives by security forces, mainly because it is their (people) source of income, Tombi said that MDA welcomes the State Government's proposal to switch the poppy plantation with legal cannabis cultivation.
He reasoned that as the ganja/cannabis will be planted for industry and medicinal purposes, it will aid in increasing the State's resources.
As per a report of reputed medical boards and research, cannabis can even be used to treat cancer patients, he explained, urging the people to extend cooperation towards ensuring proper cultivation of top notch quality cannabis in the State.
On the other hand, Peoples' Democratic Alliance (PDA) president L Seth said that as the hill regions of the State are vast, the MLA Local Area Development Funds cannot sometimes manage all the development initiatives.
Explaining about all the hardships the people settled in the remote areas of the hills have to go through, he appealed to the State Government to allocate extra funds if possible over the existing MLA Local Area Development Fund.