It is suspicious that there might be some hidden agendas of an external group who wants to become leader of Manipur by creating enmity among the ethnic communities of state, said N Rajendro alias Boi, advisor of Information Centre for Hill Areas Manipur (ICHAM).
He was speaking during a one day public awareness programme on ‘Complete eradication of poppy plantation cum A way forward to alternative livelihood’ held at Teinem village, Ukhrul district on Saturday.
He said the government has been taking various initiatives with the aim to eradicate poppy plantation and drugs from the soil of Manipur under ‘War on Drugs’ campaign.
In 2017, the new BJP government launched Go to Hills and Go to Valley missions due to which the relationship between the hills and valleys is getting better and the government benefits have started reaching each doorstep even in far flung places under the mission, he added.
However, due to poppy plantations in some of the greater areas of hills, the people of the state are becoming victims of drugs. It is possible that there might be some external groups who want to destroy the youths of the state by encouraging poppy plantation, he alleged.
The state has been facing a huge impact of mass poppy plantations in the greater area of the hill. With the impact of the poppy plantation even the climatic condition in the state has been changing and people have witnessed it already, he said.
He said most of the village chiefs of hills have taken oath against poppy plantation but as some of them failed to stand with the oath, the Biren government have started arresting village chiefs where poppy plantation is found in their respective village areas.
He appealed to the people and civil bodies to cooperate while destroying poppy plantations as without the help from public eradication of poppy plantations might not be possible.
President of ICHAM, Yuimi Horam, said one should not play politics with drugs and poppy plantations. The state will face a broken society with such politics, he warned.
He said that all the communities need to cooperate with each other and should work hand in hand to eradicate poppy plants from the soil of Manipur.
The programme was jointly organised by ICHAM and CSO LM Block, Ukhrul district.
