Instead of making fun of the mission, the government’s efforts should be acknowledged, says chief minister N Biren Singh. The chief minister was speaking at a function organised to dispose of pre-trial drugs and psychotropic substances worth more than Rs 34 crore in the international market.
TFM Desk
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Thursday asserted that the “War on Drugs” is a committed mission of the present BJP-led government and nobody can derail it with “unfounded” criticisms and “politically motivated” instigations.
The chief minister was speaking at a function organised to dispose of pre-trial drugs and psychotropic substances worth more than Rs 34 crore in the international market seized by Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) and Manipur police at Pungdongbam Chingmang in Imphal East District. Biren set the drugs on fire in the presence of ministers, MLAs, high ranking police officers, media persons, villagers and local leaders, a release said.
Biren also said that the government would terminate the service if anybody from the Manipur Police Department is found guilty in drug and psychotropic substance related cases, no matter whether he or she is a relative or a family member. He informed that around 40 departmental enquiries involving police personnel regarding drug-related cases are going on.
The chief minister asserted that for him, “War on Drugs” is not an idea which was conceptualised recently. He began to feel the need of commencing an effective campaign against intoxicants in the mid-90s when he was the editor of a vernacular daily, he said.
After he became the chief minister of Manipur, Biren said that he announced to launch “War on Drugs” in 2018 on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which falls on June 26.
Urging different organisations to come up with “sincere mind” in this regard, he said that the government would definitely consider all the valid points and suggestions. He said that instead of making fun of the mission, the government’s efforts should be acknowledged.
The chief minister stated that travelling to most interior areas hiking difficult terrains to destroy poppy plants and convincing villagers to grow alternative cash crops in place of poppy is not an easy task. It needs efforts guided by true conviction, the chief minister said. In this regard, he lauded NAB, Manipur police, paramilitary forces and all those involved in the War on Drugs. He said that destruction of poppy farms would continue until villagers stop growing it.
The contraband items, which were consigned to flames on Thursday, were Heroin powder (2 kg 271 gm 535 mg), Ganja (273 kg 87 gm), 5,80,853 WY tablets, 1,22,696 SP capsules and 530 N-10 tablets. These were seized by NAB, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Noney, Senapati, Imphal West and Imphal East district police, official sources added.
Regarding daylight robbery of cash and jewellery at Ningombam Lamkhai near Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, a few days back, the chief minister said that culprits involved in the incident had been nabbed, and investigations are going on.
Deputy chief minister Y Joykumar Singh, CAF and PD minister Th Satyabrata, State Planning Board deputy chairman L Rameshwor, Manipur Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board chairman H Dingo, Kshetrigao AC MLA L Indrajit, Imphal West adhakshya RK Taruni, Imphal East adhakshya P Bimola, DGP LM Khaute and other high ranking officers of Manipur police also attended the function.