Manipur seeks village chiefs' help to end illegal poppy cultivation

Grappling with the menace of illicit drugs and rampant poppy cultivation by villagers, Manipur government on Tuesday reached out to the village headmen seeking their help to end poppy cultivation and motivate farmers to switch over to alternative livelihoods.

As part of the initiative, senior police officers on Tuesday held a meeting with village chiefs of 16 villages at the state police headquarters at Imphal in which they were asked to stop poppy cultivation in order to make Manipur a drugs free state.

"Manipur police department appealed to the village chiefs not to cultivate illicit poppy/ganja plants and co-operate with us in the drive against drugs including poppy/ganja cultivation for making our state drugs free. We have also shared penal provision under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act for involvement in such activities. In the session, the village chiefs also shared their grievances and they strongly requested for alternative means of livelihood and developmental works in their villages," Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said in Imphal.

Village chiefs in the Northeast, particularly in the hilly state like Manipur plays an influential role in the society and often acts as a bridge with the government and people.

A similar meeting with another group of village chiefs have also been convened on Thursday.

The village chiefs were also asked to furnish details about the prospect of alternative livelihoods in their villages in order to permanently curb illicit poppy cultivation. According to investigating agencies in the state, poppy cultivation is rampant in Manipur as the same fetch more money than other crops and the farmers are also supported by drug mafias and the cross-border network of illegal drug traders. Drugs often cross the border with Myanmar for international markets.

The state's law enforcement agencies destroyed over 5,000 acres of illicit poppy cultivation in the past two years and seized more than 1000kgs of poppy and poppy derivatives like heroin and brown sugar.

But officials said the poppy cultivation would continue without alternative livelihood support to ensure better earning.