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Our Correspondent
Imphal, Feb. 8 (EMN): Manipur Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, has announced a cash reward of INR 10 lakh to a village for voluntarily destroying poppy plants grown in their village to mark joining and supporting the state government’s ‘war on drugs’ campaign.
Singh has announced to give cash reward to Peh (Paoyi) village in Ukhrul district during a press conference in Imphal on Saturday.
Expressing happiness over the support extended by the villagers to the government campaign, he stated that Peh (Paoyi) would be promoted as a role model for other villages in the government’s ‘war on drugs’ campaign.
Informing that he had directed the officials of Horticulture, Agriculture and Fishery departments to visit the village to find out suitable alternative livelihood activity for the villagers, he also appealed to other villages across the state to follow Peh (Paoyi) village’s path in this regard.
Meanwhile the headman of Peh (Paoyi) village AS Mawongsang, when contacted on phone, also expressed happiness on behalf of the village on hearing the chief minister’s message.
“We are happy to hear the government’s move. A team of state government officials also visited our village today and had an interaction in the village (to explore other livelihood means),” says headman Mawongsang.
Though the total poppy plantation area destroyed in the village was yet to be estimated, he assumed that it could be around 2 acres. The plantation took place for the first time, he added.
On February 3, the state Governor Dr. Najma Heptulla, while addressing the on-going budget session of the Manipur legislative assembly, informed that large quantities of contraband drugs like heroin powder and WY(world is yours) tablets were seized and over 2,800 acres of poppy plantation destroyed besides registering 258 drug-related cases and arrested 357 persons.