Imphal East SP Ksh Shivakanta said that it is necessary to break off the financial support system of poppy cultivators to prevent poppy cultivation in the state.
He highlighted that poppy cultivators in the hilly region of the state are not worried about expenses since many are investing large sums of money in this illegal act. The local clubs have a crucial role to play in this regard to effectively tackle the issue, he maintained.
Ksh Shivakanta appealed to local clubs to support the initiative of government and help to prevent poppy cultivation and put an end to illegal and harmful activities.
Shivakanta made the call during an awareness campaign on the War on Drugs and Deforestation held at Pukhao Laipham Community Hall in Imphal East district.
The campaign was jointly organized by the Peace and Development Coordinating Committee (PDCC) and Village Development Sporting Club, Pukhao Laipham.
DFO, Central Forest Division, RK Amarjit, who also spoke at the event, informed that four of the 36 Biodiversity Hotspots of the world are in India, and Manipur is situated in the region of the Indo Himalayan and Indo Myanmar Biodiversity Hotspots.
He emphasized the need to preserve and protect the reserved forests and protected forests of the state to protect these biodiversity hotspots.
The Forest Department needs the support and cooperation of the public to check activities that pose a threat to these forests, he said.
As part of the program, a poster campaign against drugs and deforestation was launched, and the Deputy Director of the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, T Brajakumar, also attended the program.