POPPY CULTIVATION HAS DECREASED IN MANIPUR OVER PAST 4 YEARS, SAYS SURVEY REPORT

Illegal poppy cultivation in Manipur has gradually decreased over the past four years, according to a survey conducted by the Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre (MARSAC) as part of the Government’s “war on drugs” campaign initiated by Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

The report of the survey, conducted between September 2023 and January 2024, showed a decrease in poppy cultivation from 16,632.29 acres in 2022-2023 to 11,288.07 acres in 2023-2024. Poppy cultivation—in the hill districts of Chandel, Churachandpur, Kamjong, Kangpokpi, Noney, Senapati, Tamenglong, Tengnoupal and Ukhrul—thus decreased by 32.13 per cent from 2022-2023.

The MARSAC’s initial report showed that 28,598.91 acres were under poppy cultivation in 2021-22 across eight districts, Kangpokpi topping the list with 9,517.90 acres. The other districts were Churachandpur, Chandel, Kamjong, Senapati, Tamenglong, Tengnoupal and Ukhrul.

Across the nine hill districts, poppy was cultivated in 2022-2023 in over 16,890.37 acres, down from 28,598.91 acres in 2021-2022—a decrease of 40.94 per cent.

Poppy cultivation in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts decreased from 6,688.61 acres to 4,062.04 acres and from 9,517.90 acres to 5,407.47 acres, respectively, between 2021-22 and 2022-2023. In Tamenglong, poppy was cultivated in 96.06 acres in 2022-23. Noney was poppy-free in 2021-22 but had 132.36 acres under poppy cultivation in 2022-2023. Pherzawl is the only poppy-free hill district in Manipur, as per the survey report.

Corroborating the MARSAC survey, a report of the Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) showed considerable progress in the destruction of poppy cultivation--in 19,135.50 acres--between 2017 and 2024. The destruction was highest in Kangpokpi (in 4,454.4 acres) followed by Churachandpur at 2,317.8 acres.

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2024-07-01T15:51:27Z dg43tfdfdgfd