Police are creating awareness among the people to tackle the menace of poppy cultivation in the Naxal affected districts in the State. State Nodal Agency for the destruction of poppy cultivation in the State – CID -- has also ensured full cooperation to deal with the menace during a recent meeting held with the police heads of the most vulnerable Naxal affected districts.
“We are trying to create awareness among people about the ill effects of the produce, also fixing responsibilities with Panchayat Representatives asking them to destroy immediately if any such cultivation is spotted in their area,” said Chatra SP, Anjani Kumar Jha. Now the Panchayat people themselves have started destroying poppy cultivation in many areas after the announcement made by the police that they will be held responsible if any such cultivation is spotted in their area. We are also destroying it as and when we get any information in this regard added the SP, said the SP.
The Jha further added that making a change in pattern, people this time planted poppy at least one month earlier from the routine schedule due to heavy rains and presence of ample humidity in the weather as the plant basically was water dependent.
“State Nodal Agency Sampat Meena, holding a meeting with all the Naxal affected districts through Video Conferencing, has also ensured all support to deal with the menace,” said Jha.
latehar Police also said that Mukhias and the Panchayat Representatives are being told to destroy it as soon as they get information in this regard.
“Precautionary meeting are being organized with the Mukhias and Panchayat Representatives of different Panchayats asking them to destroy it as soon as it is found or at least inform the police about it so that it could be destroyed by the police,” said latehar SP Anoop Birthare.
He also claimed that poppy cultivation in his district has decreased up to 20 per cent recorded 4-5 years back due to the heavy damage done by the police in the last few years by destroying the crop in hundreds of acres of land.
According to latehar SP, poppy cultivation is usually done on forest land beside rivers and ponds in the interiors of Naxal affected districts where there is no regular movement of police.
“Although there is no proof, but there is a probability that the Maoists must be getting a share in the produce,” he said. Involvement of other channels in Punjab, UP and Haryana are also being found out, he added.
The official data provided by the CID also stated that a total of 117 cases were registered this year till September and 125 people were arrested in this regard.
259.19 acres of land was also destroyed by the police this year. “CID till date has trained and sensitized 16 DSPs, 146 Police Inspectors (I), 350 Assitant Sub-Inspectors and 7 constables making a total of 519 police personnel through 19 training programmes,” said the official records.
Khunti, Chatra, latehar and Palamu are the most affected districts in Jharkhand as these districts are Naxal affected having distant hills and jungles.