Imphal (PTI): Around 70 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in three villages in Manipur's Ukhrul district were destroyed, police said on Tuesday.
Thirteen huts, which were found on the poppy fields, were also burnt down during the drive on Monday, and an investigation has been initiated to identify the culprits involved in the illegal plantation, a senior officer said.
"A joint team of the Manipur Police, the forest department and the Assam Rifles conducted poppy destruction in Phalee, Tora and Champhung villages under Lungchong Maiphei (LM) Police Station in Ukhrul. Approximately, 70 acres of poppy plantation was destroyed," he said.
An FIR has been registered and efforts are being made to identify the culprits, the police officer said.
Last week, the Manipur Police and the forest department had destroyed around 55 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in the hill range of Shihai Khullen in Ukhrul district.
Notably, the Manipur government has destroyed a total of 19,135.6 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in at least 12 districts since 2017, according to an official report.
In Kangpokpi district, the highest of 4,454.4 acres were destroyed during the period, followed by 3,348 acres in Ukhrul and 2,713.8 acres in Churachandpur, the study – Mapping and Estimation of Opium Poppy Cultivation Area using Remote Sensing and GIS Technology – revealed.
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Nagpur (PTI): Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Tuesday said that he has expressed his willingness to resign from the post, and now the party high command will decide on it.
Talking to reporters on Vidhan Bhavan premises, Patole said the Congress's group leader in the state legislature will be chosen today.
Following the party's worst-ever defeat in the assembly elections in Maharashtra, party sources had earlier claimed that the senior Congress leader had requested the central leadership to relieve him of the responsibility of the organisational post. Patole, however, had clarified last week that he had not tendered resignation and rumours were being spread.
Patole said the Congress's Maharashtra in-charge will arrive in the city on Tuesday evening, and the party's group leader in the state legislature will be elected.
He said discussions about the state chief's post would also take place.
Queried whether he has tendered his resignation from the state chief's post, Patole said, "I have expressed my willingness. The party high command will decide on the same."
In the recently held assembly polls, the ruling Mahayuti registered a resounding victory and retained power in the state, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi suffered a drubbing, winning 46 seats, of which Congress managed just 16 seats.