Fresh poppy plantations after pledge taking events
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: August 24, 2022 -

HAVING confirmed poppy plantations in 5/6 villages in the hills, it is suggested that the government should swing into action to not only destroy the poppies but also pull up and expose the village authorities for their outrageous acts of undermining the mass movement against psychotropic substances and aiding anti-social elements.

Since the launch of War on Drugs campaign, there has been continuous seizures of psychoactive drugs by state and central forces from different parts of the state while groups of villages led by the chiefs or elected representatives have taken the pledge to extend unconditional support to the anti-drug drive.

However, there was always strong suspicion that the vow to prevent plantation of poppies wouldn't be an instant success story as those elements, who had been funding poppy planters and purchasing the harvested opium were certain to look for locations that haven't been under the government's radar.

With outputs from traditional agricultural practices not comparable with the highly profitable poppy plantations, it was obvious that the drug dealers would invest in fresh locations and engage the local population in growing poppies with promises of better returns.

For villagers in remote parts of the state where condition of living is miserable and benefits of government-sponsored welfare schemes hard to avail, any offer for livelihood would be enticing.

As such, it is not surprising that in-spite of the much publicised pledge-taking events held at the official residence of the chief minister in connection with the War on Drugs campaign, poppy plantations have been detected in villages which weren't bound by the pledge.

Now that the government has confirmed information about fresh plantation of poppy in 5/6 villages in the hills and the chief minister disclosing that police and NAB personnel have been instructed to arrest chiefs of the said villages and initiate legal action against them, the public would eagerly wait for the day when these village chiefs are held accountable and punished suitably ' for allowing poppy plantations.

As the drug issue has been deeply rooted in the society, it would be wishful thinking that the scourge would end with the launch of the campaign but the drive must be sustained at any cost.

Among others, the police officers and personnel working at the ground level along with their informants, if any, should be motivated to lead the campaign. If the need arise, the law enforcement agencies should be made acquainted with drone technology which is considered one of the most effective weapons of surveillance.

With poppy plantation areas generally covering large tract of land periodical use of drones might help identify the location and aid the security forces to plan decimation drives.

However, as there is strong possibility that village chiefs might feign ignorance about plantation of such evil crops, though known for obstinacy when it comes to land ownership, it is suggested that instead of waiting for the poppies to ripen, the government authorities should destroy the plantations at once.

Efforts should also be made to extract information from villagers nearest to the plantation site on who is/are funding cultivation of poppies for letting off the real culprits would make no sense of the War of Drugs campaign.