Assam Police Eliminate Poppy Worth Rs 27.20 Crore
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Synopsis
On February 2, Assam Police destroyed 170 Bighas of illegal poppy cultivation in Goalpara district, valued at Rs 27.20 crore. This action follows similar efforts by Manipur Police. Chief Ministers of both states commended the efforts to combat drug cultivation.
Key Takeaways
- Assam Police eradicated 170 Bighas of poppy.
- Destruction valued at Rs 27.20 crore.
- Efforts praised by Chief Ministers of Assam and Manipur.
- Ongoing initiatives against illegal poppy farming in NE.
- Environmental impacts due to poppy cultivation highlighted.
Guwahati/Imphal, Feb 2 (NationPress) Following the action of Manipur Police, Assam Police has also obliterated 170 Bighas (over 56 acres) of poppy cultivation in the Char regions of Goalpara district, as reported by officials on Sunday.
An official from the Assam government stated that illegal poppy farming valued at Rs 27.20 crore was eradicated in the Char regions (the riverine areas of the Brahmaputra River) over the last two days.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his counterpart from Manipur praised the efforts to eliminate illegal poppy cultivation.
Sarma expressed in a post on X: “Dear Local Pablo Escobars, Sorry to ruin your planned Udta Assam celebration! The Goalpara Police have destroyed 170 Bighas of poppy farming in the Char regions worth Rs 27.20 crore in January. So next time you consider drugs, remember Assam Police first.”
Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh conveyed in a post on X: “I deeply commend the decisive actions taken in Assam, under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma ji, to tackle the challenges posed by poppy cultivation.”
“We unite in our firm commitment to create a future where every youth in the NE is safeguarded, nurtured, and provided the chance to prosper free from the influence of drugs,” Singh stated.
Manipur Police, along with paramilitary and other security forces, have been consistently dismantling illegal poppy cultivation, predominantly in the hilly regions.
According to a government report, various law enforcement agencies, including Manipur Police, have eradicated 19,135.60 acres of illegal poppy farming across 12 districts in the state from 2017 to 2024.
The report, compiled by Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre (MARSAC), indicates that in the mountainous Kangpokpi district, the most significant area of 4,454.4 acres of illegal poppy cultivation was destroyed over the past seven years (2017-2024), followed by 3,348 acres in Ukhrul and 2,713.8 acres in Churachandpur.
MARSAC is an autonomous body under the Planning Department of the Manipur government. Deforestation caused by rampant poppy farming has led to numerous detrimental effects on the ecosystem, such as soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and alterations in the local climate, the report highlighted.
The Manipur government has frequently stated that the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur (since May 2023) is linked to illegal immigrants from Myanmar, asserting that these migrants, after unlawfully settling in the state, initiated the cultivation of illicit poppies.
