Nearly 700 Acres of Illegal Poppy Cultivation Detected in Manipur’s Reserved Forests: Former CM Biren Singh
Imphal:
Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has raised serious alarm after an aerial survey conducted on November 24 reportedly uncovered nearly 700 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in the hill ranges of Makhan village under Sapormeina Police Station in Kangpokpi district.
The region falls inside the Kanglatongbi–Kangpokpi Reserved Forest, located near Mount Koubru, one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Indigenous communities in Manipur. Singh warned that the extensive spread of illicit cultivation is causing massive forest destruction and poses an existential threat to the state’s ecological balance and cultural heritage.
In a post on X, the former chief minister said earlier warnings issued during his tenure about the expansion of the “deadly drug corridor” of the Golden Triangle into Manipur were often ignored. He noted that forest lands have been vanishing at an alarming rate due to mass poppy plantations operated in remote hill areas.
Singh also acknowledged the “commendable work” currently being carried out by the state and central security forces — including the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, NCB, Manipur Police and other agencies — who have been destroying poppy fields across several districts on a daily basis. However, he cautioned that the scale of the illegal operations remains overwhelming.
He further stated that some areas will require large manpower and sustained operations lasting several weeks to completely eradicate the plantations, as the illegal cultivators continually expand into deeper forest zones.
Sharing aerial footage of the plantations, Singh emphasised that the recent findings confirm the severity of the crisis. He urged the government to maintain and intensify its counter-narcotics drive, stating that relentless action is essential to protect Manipur’s ecological stability, reserved forests, and culturally significant landscapes.
