SENAPATI, Jan 27: A joint team comprising the Forest Department, Executive Magistrate, and Senapati District police, led by the SDPO Mao and OC Mao Police Station, carried out a poppy destruction drive today at the Kangjang hill range under Mao Police Station. During the operation, the team successfully destroyed 12 acres of poppy fields.
In addition to the destruction of the poppy fields, one hut, which was being used by the poppy cultivators, was also set on fire. The Chairman of Kangjang village has been summoned to appear before the Mao Police Station for further questioning.
A case has been registered at Mao PS, and an investigation is underway to determine further details.
Meanwhile, according to a government report, various law enforcement agencies, including Manipur Police, have destroyed 19,135.60 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in the state’s 12 districts between 2017 and 2024.
The report, prepared by Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre (MARSAC), in the mountainous Kangpokpi district, the highest areas of 4,454.4 acres of illegal poppy cultivation were destroyed in the last seven years (2017-2024), followed by 3,348 acres in Ukhrul and 2,713.8 acres in Churachandpur.
The MARSAC is an autonomous government institution under the Planning Department of the Manipur government. The report said that deforestation, due to mass poppy cultivation, resulted in several adverse impacts on the ecosystem, including soil erosion, a loss of biodiversity, and changes in the local climate, the report said.
