The Narcotic Cell of Excise Department, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh along with the
Central Bureau of Narcotics and District Administration, launched an poppy
plantations destruction drive and around 200 hectares of illegal poppy plantation
fields were destroyed on Monday at various locations in Namsai district.

The drive against illicit poppy plantation came in few days after State Governor Brig
(Retd) Dr B D Mishra during recent visit to Lohit and Namsai districts had expressed
serious concern over the “alarming” drug situation in parts of eastern Arunachal
Pradesh which according to Brig Mishra was “destroying the whole society”.

The Anti-opium operation will be carried out in other district also said an official of
the team .

It must be mentioned here that total of poppy crops fields destroyed in the country
during 2014-15 the State’s share accounted for 44%, and 767 tonnes of illegal opium
was produced by the State during that period.

It must be mention here that the quantum of drugs addiction/abuse is rising more
than 200% since last Öve years in the eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh, specially
in Lohit, Namsai, Anjaw, Longding and Tirap,.”

The Anti-opium operation will be carried out in other district also said an oØcial of
the team . The level of illegal poppy plantation has drastically increased in these
districts since last two years.

On the other hand a coordination meeting convened at the Lohit deputy
commissioner’s conference hall here on Monday to Önd ways and means to combat
opium cultivation in the district. In the meeting it was decided that the destruction of
a few opium growers’ livelihood was nothing compared to the overall wellbeing of
the society.

(Source: arunachal24)