Arunachal: 27.5 acres of illicit opium plantations destroyed in Lazu

Itanagar, Mar 4: As part of the state government’s initiative to eradicate the drug menace from Arunachal Pradesh, the Tirap district administration in collaboration with the district police and Tax & Excise department on Friday carried out a massive opium destruction drive in Lazu circle of the southern Arunachal district, destroying large tracts of illicit poppy plantations.

During the drive, 27.5 acres of illegal opium fields were destroyed by a joint team of the administration, police and Tax & Excise department, led by Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) of Lazu, DK Thungdok, Lazu police station OC Sheychin Chena and Tax and Excise Inspector Opang Apang, official sources said.

Meanwhile, SP Tirap K Riba said that in spite of many awareness campaigns conducted at Lazu circle, some villagers are still found to be involved in illegal opium/poppy cultivation and as such the district administration and the police have to conduct the destruction of the poppy fields.

He said that apart from opium/poppy plantations more dangerous narcotics like brown sugar and heroin are being produced which will have a catastrophic effect on the society especially the younger generation.

EAC Thungdok said that earlier series of awareness campaigns on drug menace have been conducted in Lazu area in which the local farming community vehemently appealed to government for alternative crops to replace the opium cultivation. Pigs were distributed to some farmers of Lazu by the district administration along with Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department, for their livelihood.