Manipur govt directs forest officials to remain on high alert to prevent poppy cultivation

Guwahati: The Manipur government has directed forest officials to remain on high alert to prevent poppy cultivation in the state.

In an order dated September 8, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Anurag Bajpai instructed all territorial divisional forest officers (DFOs) to keep strict vigil in their respective jurisdictions.

“As the season for poppy seed sowing and cultivation is approaching, all territorial DFOs are directed to keep a vigil on such possible cultivation by anti-social elements, which not only harm the ecology but also destroy the health of society,” the order stated.


The notification further underlined that poppy cultivation on forest land violates provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985, the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, and the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
DFOs have been asked to ensure regular patrolling, deploy staff effectively, and make use of drone surveillance in coordination with the local police.

The order also directed that any identified poppy cultivation area must be destroyed immediately in accordance with standard operating procedures, with the assistance of the district administration, police, Narcotics and Affairs of Borders (NAB), and paramilitary forces.

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 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 Manipur government on several occasions said that the ongoing ethnic strife in Manipur (since May 2023) is a creation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar adding that these migrants after illegally settling in the state started the cultivation of illicit poppies.

At least 260 people have been killed and over a thousand people injured in the ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo and the non-tribal Meitei people since May 3, 2023. More than 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes and villages and now staying in relief camps in different districts for the past 20 months.

The ethnic violence between the non-tribals Meiteis and tribal Kuki-Zo broke out in the northeastern state on May 3, 2023, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.