TEZU, 6 Oct: The Lohit district administration is planning the use of electronic surveillance system to keep a strict vigil on illicit poppy or opium cultivation in the district.
Apart from using drones and regular police patrolling, surveillance cameras (CCTV) will be set up in the fields to monitor and stop poppy cultivation.
The police, the narcotics and the forest departments have been entrusted to regularly patrol the areas and initiate legal actions against the violators as per the NDPS Act.
On Wednesday, the district administration organized a mass awareness campaign against illicit poppy cultivation in Wakro, involving the CBOs, NGOs, the youths and students and the women welfare society. Mini marathon races were organized in various locations to send a strong message to opium growers.
Lohit DC Marge Sora issued a stern warning to the people involved in poppy cultivation and told them to “either stop the illegal practice or face the music.”
“Enough considerations have been made in the past against the defaulters,” he said, adding that “no one involved in illicit poppy cultivation will be spared this time.”
As the harvesting season of opium approaches, the administration cautioned all the farm labourers and the landowners about legal consequences and the punishment for the offences of opium cultivation, trading and trafficking.
SP Ankit Singh said that no leniency or mercy will be shown to the offenders this time under any circumstance.
“None involved will be spared, no matter whether they are landowners or labourers. All shall be dealt strictly as per the law,” the SP said.
Wakro EAC Tamo Riba highlighted how opium was introduced to the hill people of the North East by the British.
Wakro unit CALSOM secretary Solemso Ama appealed to the villagers to cooperate with the administration in eradicating the opium problem, which has brought a bad name to the district.
Former PHE CE L Kri spoke on the ill effects opium has on the user’s body, his/ her family and society as a whole.
The members and representatives of various CBOs and public leaders have also extended their full support to the administration’s endeavour.
Posters on the ill effects of opium and drug consumption were also distributed during the campaign.
The first leg of the day-long campaign ended at Chikroglat. Around 170 people, including opium cultivators and landowners attended the awareness meeting and assured the DC that they will not cultivate opium anymore. The tax, excise and narcotics officers of Lohit also attended it.
The second leg of the campaign will be organized next week.
