Guwahati, Feb 15 : A survey by the
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has identified six districts in Arunachal
Pradesh most affected by illicit poppy cultivation.
The survey, which was conducted between
the last week of January and February 10, found widespread cultivation
of opium in Longding, Tirap, Upper Siang, Changlang, Lohit and Anjaw
districts.
NCB’s zonal director Madho Singh today
said the survey was carried out with the help of satellite images and
ground survey. “We are also conducting a similar survey in Manipur.
Three districts in the state, Senapati, Ukhrul and Churachandpur, have
already been covered.”
“During the survey, illicit cultivation of
poppy was found in small and isolated patches in the remote areas of
the affected districts,” he said.
But there has been a marginal reduction in
opium cultivation in Arunachal Pradesh this year because of
co-ordinated operations carried out by government enforcement agencies,
Singh said, adding that those involved in illegal cannabis cultivation
would be dealt with firmly.
He said the NCB would launch an awareness
drive next month to motivate farmers engaged in opium cultivation in
Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh to switch over to alternative crops
like cardamom, oranges, apples besides other cash and staple crops.
“The NCB in co-ordination with police,
CRPF and district administration destroyed 85 acres of illicit poppy
cultivation in Wakka, Longding and Pongchau circles in Longding district
of Arunachal Pradesh on February 8 and 9,” Singh said.
He said it becomes very difficult to arrest the cultivators since most of the illegal cultivation is on forestland.
In many parts of Arunachal Pradesh,
villagers cultivate opium on a commercial scale since it involves huge
money in a short period of time.
Cannabis is grown on a largescale in the
interior and inaccessible areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Since
most of these plantations are tucked away in hills and forests,
government agencies have a tough time destroying these.
Some of these plantations are in areas
infested by rebel outfits. As such, they are not deemed safe by the
bureau for carrying out operations without adequate security, which is
not always readily available.
The NCB zonal director said they have also
sensitised ground-level officials of the police, forest and revenue
departments and asked them to collect intelligence about opium
cultivation in the remote and interior areas of the state.
Another cause of serious concern is the rampant opiate addiction among the people in these areas.
In September last year, the NCB destroyed cannabis (ganja) crops spread across 109 hectares in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Destroying cannabis and poppy farms in
Manipur and Arunachal Pardesh is also difficult because of stiff public
resistance, mostly from the women, for whom it is a source of
livelihood.
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