IMPHAL: In a joint operation, approximately 8.6 acres of poppy fields in the flowering stage were destroyed in the Makuilongdi forest area under the jurisdiction of Senapati police station in Manipur.
The operation was conducted by a coordinated team comprising the Senapati Forest Department, an Executive Magistrate, and the Senapati Police, under the leadership of the SDPO Senapati. This step is a part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal poppy cultivation in the region.
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh commended the team for their proactive approach, highlighting the harmful effects of such activities on the environment and community stability. “The poppy plants, which were found to be in the initial stage of flowering, have been destroyed, and a case has been registered at Senapati Police Station for further investigation,” the Chief Minister shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Since the launch of the "War on Drugs" campaign in 2018, the Manipur government has eradicated 19,135.6 acres of illegal poppy plantations across 12 districts. The campaign, initiated a year after N. Biren Singh assumed office, seeks to tackle drug-related issues and their ties to ethnic conflicts in the state, including concerns over poppy cultivation allegedly involving Myanmar immigrants.
Meanwhile, the Manipur government has cleared 19,135.6 acres of illegal poppy cultivation across 12 districts, according to a study utilizing remote sensing and GIS technology.
A study conducted by the Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre under the Planning Department using data from the Narcotics and Affairs of Border wing of the state police highlighted substantial progress in tackling illegal cultivation.
The Kangpokpi district experienced the most widespread eradication, with 4,454.4 acres cleared, followed by Ukhrul at 3,348 acres and Churachandpur at 2,713.8 acres. Other affected districts included Tengnoupal, which lost 2,575 acres; Chandel with 1,982.5 acres; and Senapati at 1,682 acres.
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