Imphal: The Central as well as state government on Wednesday launched an out war against the poppy plantations before its bumper harvest.
In its first campaign, the state authorities have claimed to have destroyed around 20 hectares of illicit poppy plantations at Tora Champhung hill range of Manipur’s Ukhrul district bordering Myanmar on the East, official sources said on Thursday.
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The war against illegal poppy cultivation has been launched under the directive of the Union Defence Ministry and it will be concluded by November as per information from the Manipur Chief Secretary De Vineet Joshi.
The destruction of the poppy flowers was made in different methods before harvesting seasons.
Using sticks and knives, the flowering poppy was destroyed by a joint team of Ukhrul Police, Forest Department, and 6th Manipur Rifles on Wednesday.
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All infrastructures such as huts and pipelines were destroyed in the fire.
In its first operation on Wednesday around 25 huts constructed on the hill slopes were burned to the ground.
The team also sprayed “Roundup Herbicides” on the sprouting poppy.
Under the directive of the government, the Assam Rifles and police along with other concerned departments have carried out extensive surveys before carrying out the destruction of poppy cultivation.
Notably, the state government destroyed nearly 15,500 acres of poppy fields in different districts since 2017.