Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 11, 2010:
In continuing drive against cultivation of poppy plants, volunteers of All Manipur Anti-Drug Association (AMADA) today joined hands with the villagers of Monghot Chepu village in Ukhrul district in destroying poppy plants in around five acres of land.
The AMADA destroyed the poppy plants after a team led by its president, M Padmini and general secretary Ph Phony convinced the villagers and brought about an understanding with them on the evil usage of the plants in making heroin (No 4).The AMADA volunteers convinced particularly the village chief, Lethang and his younger brother Letkholun Khongsai.
When the team, accompanied by reporters from Imphal, reached the village under Litan PS of Ukhrul district, could see mass scale plantation.of poppy plant in area extended over five acres of fields.
In the destruction drive, younger brother of village chief and villagers also extended co-operation to the AMADA volunteers taking part in felling down the plants.
Before AMADA arrived there, none of the government authority came to ban the cultivation of the plants or destroyed when growing the plant, according to Letkhosei who added that they agreed to destroyed the plants extending co-operation to drive of elimination of intoxicant items launching by the AMADA from the state for better future.
AMADA President, Padmini said observed that AMADA concern over the mass scale plantation of poppy plant which is the source of Heroin No.4 in hill areas of the state conducted the drive with the appeal to the villagers to cultivate other eatables and food grains instead.
While convincing the villagers, AMADA as help by the mother of Takhellambam Momocha of Singjamei Thongam Leikai, Ibechouba who recalled the villagers about the inhuman crimes on which her belove son Momocha killed by a drug addict youth in 1987. The mother also gifted two each bags of potato seed and pea and one bag of mustard oil seed to the villagers for cultivating to their fields after destroying poppy plants.