467 acres of poppy plantations destroyed from Nov 11 to Nov 15 Kpi tops the list of area under poppy cultivation
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 16 : In crackdowns against poppy cultivation, security forces have destroyed 467 acres of plantations in Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts from November 11 to November 15, reports have said.
On November 15, a joint team of Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) destroyed approximately 25 acres of poppy plantations at Loibol Khullen village in Kangpokpi district.
During the operation, the security forces destroyed bags of salt and various equipment used in the cultivation of poppy.
On the same day, another team of Manipur Police, CRPF personnel and officials of the Forest Department destroyed another 20 acres of poppy plantations, and burnt down five makeshift huts at Kotlien in Kangpokpi district.
The team also destroyed bags of salts and fertilisers and other equipment found on the spot.
From November 11 to 15, security forces destroyed as many as 436 acres of poppy plantations in the hill ranges of Somdal, Lamlai Chingphei, and Litan village, and burnt down 51 huts used by cultivators.
While security forces seem to have intensified the drive against illicit opium cultivation, it still remains a major problem in Manipur, which is situated close to the Golden Triangle-region where the borders of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet, known as a major centre for the production of opium and heroin.
Significantly, illicit opium poppy cultivation has also been flagged as one of the reasons for fuelling the Manipur conflict which, since May 3, 2023, has killed over 250 persons and displaced thousands of people.
While the crackdown against illicit opium cultivation continues, the extent of the cultivation in Manipur is not known due to lack of proper and widespread surveillance and as a result of difficult terrains.
In September last, reports said, the State police had uncovered extensive illegal poppy cultivation across 13 hectares of cleared forest land during a drone surveillance operation in Senapati district.
The aerial survey, conducted by the Forest Department and locals, reportedly revealed widespread deforestation in the upper and lower Khabung villages specifically for poppy farming.
While extensive survey is absent, the State Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) in 2023 had published a data wherein it said opium poppy plantations were detected across 15,496.8 acres of land in the hills during 2017-2023.
It said poppy plantations of 18,664.50 acres were destroyed during the same period.
Most of the plantations in about 13121.8 acres of land were spotted in the Kuki-Chin dominated regions, NAB had said in the report.
In Naga dominated areas, poppy cultivation was detected on 2,340 acres of land, while 35 acres of cultivation was detected in areas belonging to "other" communities, as per the data.
The NAB's report "community-wise poppy cultivated area in Manipur" is given below with names of communities against area of poppy plantations detected during 2017-2023:
Kuki-Chin: 13,121.8 acres
Nagas: 2,340 acres
Others: 35 acres
Another NAB report said as many as 18,664.50 acres of poppy plantations were destroyed across the State during the same period--2017 to 2023.
The report said the maximum number of plantations measuring 4,305.10 acres were destroyed during 2022-23.
As many as 2,306.50 acres of poppy plantations were destroyed in 2019-20, and 2,239 acres were destroyed in 2017-18.
Notably, the maximum number of opium poppy plantations measuring 4,397.40 acres were destroyed in Kangpokpi district, said the NAB report, which detailed data on district-wise destruction of poppy plantations.
The districts and poppy plantation (in acres) destroyed during 2017-2023 as per the NAB report are given below--
Kangpokpi: 4,397.40 acres (destroyed)
Ukhrul: 3,018 acres
Churachandpur: 2,699.80 acres
Tengnoupal: 2,575 acres
Chandel: 1,982.50 acres
Senapati: 1682 acres
Kamjong: 1,048.50 acres
Imphal East: 733.90 acres
Bishnupur: 395 acres
Tamenglong: 77 acres
Kakching: 39.50 acres
Noney: 12 acres