Reiterating the commitment of the state government to eradicate drug menace from the soil of Manipur, chief minister N Biren on Friday said that the war on drugs campaign is not an easy task and he even received life threat.
“War on Drugs" mission is not an easy task. I even got death threats on social media”, the CM said. However, with the War on Drugs becoming a public movement, the mission is moving very close to becoming fully successful, he added.
Replying to a calling attention motion raised by MLA O Surjakumar on the floor of the House relating to the report of a missing VDF personnel involved in poppy destruction, he informed that a massive search operation has been carried out since the missing date.
The search operation will continue for five-six days and if the personnel is not found yet, the state government will discuss the matter with the family members for further necessary steps, he added.
Meanwhile, Surjakumar stressed the possibility of the VDF personnel being apprehended by drug lords to create fear psychosis in the minds of the personnel and discourage them in taking up poppy destruction or even getting apprehended by militants of Myanmar.
In reply, the CM informed that the government is considering all possible reasons and angles for the missing of the VDF personnel.
“We have even approached the Myanmar official informally through Assam Rifles to arrest any such VDF as he was lost in the border area”, he added.
Admitting that the geographical structure of the hills is a big hurdle in locating the area of poppy plantation, he said the poppy cultivators have started farming cabbages and mustards along with the poppy to make it look invisible from the far side.
However, the use of drones and remote satellite sensing has now made the task of identifying and destroying poppy easier, he said, clarifying that the chemical used to destroy poppy using drones will not harm the environment and it is done after thorough consultation with various experts.
