New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has strictly instructed the central paramilitary forces to assist the local administrations in Manipur in destroying illegal poppy cultivation in different places in the state. The fresh instructions intimated to the paramilitary forces including the Assam Rifles follow intelligence inputs that illegal settlers in Manipur, mainly coming from Myanmar, are involved in poppy cultivation.
Recently the central government informed the parliament that 45.68 sqkm area of reserved forest, proposed reserved forest, protected forest, protected area (wildlife) and unclassed forest have been affected by poppy cultivation. The affected areas are spread around nine districts of Manipur including Chandel, Churachandpur, Kamjong, Kangpokpi, Noney, Senapati, Tamenglong, Tengnoupal and Ukhrul. Majority of the area (17.49 sq km) falls under the Kangpokpi.
Meanwhile, illegal puppy cultivation as well as drug trafficking has also emerged as an alarming issue in Manipur.
"As per reply by the forest minister, 45 sqkm of forest land in Manipur has been destroyed because of illegal poppy cultivation during 2023-2024 in mostly Kuki-dominated districts. These districts are under the controlled areas of central security forces and Kuki militants who are in talks with the Centre," Dr Seram Rojesh, Delhi Meetei Coordinating Committee Convenor, told ETV Bharat.
"This clearly shows that central agencies and security forces are not seriously taking the issue of poppy plantation in Manipur. This is against the Forest Protection Act and a complete failure of both the state and central governments," he said.
Forest minister Bhupender Yadav recently informed in Parliament that to counter the menace of poppy cultivation and plantation in forest areas in Manipur, various measures are being taken by the state government which include destroying 77.44 square kilometres of poppy cultivation by the combined team of police, forests, narcotics and affairs of border (NAB), Manipur and paramilitary forces. At least 2,351 cases have been registered by Manipur police from 2017 to 2023.
"Further, the arrest of 2,943 persons under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 has been reported by the state government for various drug-related cases including poppy. The forest department has registered 43 FIRs against poppy cultivators. An area of 142 hectares under poppy cultivation has also been rehabilitated by taking up afforestation," said Yadav.
"Protection and management of forests is primarily the responsibility of the concerned state government and UT administration. To prevent illegal activities in forest areas, legal provisions are there in the Indian Forest Act, 1927, the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Local Forest Acts/Rules," he said.
Awareness cum sensitisation programmes are also being conducted to educate people on the adverse effects of poppy cultivation on the environment, the socio-economic condition of the people and legal implications.
However, Suhas Chakma, director of Rights and Risk Analysis Group, a think-tank working on different issues of the Northeastern region ruled out the possibility of any linkage between the poppy cultivation with the current conflict in Manipur. "It's not only Kukis but the Meeteis who are also involved in poppy cultivation. And the cause of the current conflict in Manipur is centred around the Scheduled Tribe (ST) issue," said Chakma.
It is worth mentioning that Manipur was engulfed in violence in May last year after the Meitei community started demanding ST status which was opposed by the Kukis, who have also been demanding a separate administration.
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