Manipur’s Forest Department detects poppy plants across 307 hectares through drone surveys as it steps up forest patrols, anti-trafficking operations and enforcement.
Imphal, Oct. 9: Manipur’s Forest Department has detected poppy plants across 307 hectares of land during recent drone surveys in the state’s hill districts, with officials expecting the identified area to increase as the exercise continues.
Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Anurag Bajpai disclosed the findings at a press conference at the Forest Head Office in Sanjenthong, Imphal, on Friday. He said the department had begun drone-based surveys around 10 days earlier to identify poppy cultivation and strengthen surveillance against illegal activities in forest areas.
The report on the detected cultivation identifies Senapati, Chandel and Churachandpur districts. The survey is continuing, and the department expects to identify additional areas.
Bajpai said the period following the monsoon presents significant challenges for forest protection, as illegal activities tend to increase during the dry months. These include poppy cultivation, forest fires, illegal extraction and trade of forest produce, cross-border movement of timber and betel nuts, and hunting and trafficking of wild animals.
According to Bajpai, around 78 per cent of Manipur’s geographical area is classified as forest area, while reports indicate that the state’s forest cover stands at about 74 per cent. He said the department had intensified surveillance from the second half of September in preparation for the dry season, which extends over the coming months.
Forest Department Introduces Round-the-Clock Monitoring
To prevent illegal activities, the Forest Department has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to Divisional Forest Officers, covering forest protection, fire prevention and coordination with local communities.
The department has also introduced an SMS alert system to report incidents in forest areas. Bajpai said the system currently has 9,500 registered users and operates around the clock. When an incident is reported, an alert reaches the department’s headquarters and the concerned forest division.
He said forest guards were conducting daily foot patrols across forest areas, both during the day and at night. The department has maintained these patrols over the past two years. Bajpai said he personally monitors the activity by requiring personnel to upload geo-tagged photographs as evidence of their patrols.
Action Against Poppy Cultivation
The department has been surveying poppy cultivation areas since 2018. Bajpai said poppy plants could continue to emerge in locations where the crop had previously grown because seeds scattered during earlier cultivation may germinate in subsequent seasons, even without fresh planting.
The department is consulting scientific agencies on ways to eliminate the plants. One approach under consideration is replacing poppy plants with faster-growing trees that can limit their growth. Work on an SOP for this purpose has begun, he said.
Information about the recently identified cultivation areas has been shared with the respective district police, and FIRs have been registered. The department has also filed Forest Offence Reports and is coordinating with paramilitary forces and the narcotics department to organise destruction drives.
Village chiefs in areas where poppy cultivation has been detected are being called in and cautioned against the practice. The department is also considering alternative livelihood options for people who depend on poppy cultivation for income.
As part of efforts to replace poppy cultivation with other plants, the Forest Department has started planting bamboo in previously affected areas. Bajpai said bamboo had been planted across 255 hectares of land previously used for poppy cultivation over the past two years.
Revenue From Seized Forest Produce Rises
Bajpai also raised concerns over the illegal movement of Myanmar teak and betel nuts across the international border into Manipur.
He referred to a Supreme Court order requiring forest produce seized by deployed border forces to be handed over to the nearest forest office. Items seized by Customs must likewise be transferred to the Forest Department after the necessary procedures are completed.
Once the seized goods are handed over, the department takes appropriate legal action before auctioning them. The proceeds are deposited into the state exchequer.
According to figures shared by Bajpai, revenue from auctions of illegally imported forest produce rose from approximately Rs 30 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 38 crore in 2024-25. It reached Rs 247 crore in 2025-26.
He attributed the rising figures to an increase in seizures and said the department was strengthening intelligence-sharing with other agencies, Assam Rifles and police forces to intercept illegal consignments.
The department is also preparing for a possible increase in forest-related offences during the dry season, with surveillance and enforcement measures being stepped up across vulnerable areas.
26 Forest Officials Suspended Over Tree Felling
Bajpai said illegal felling of trees remained one of the most serious offences involving forest areas and warned that action would be taken against anyone found responsible, regardless of whether they were government officials or members of the public.
Referring to the recent felling of more than 100 pine trees in Thoubal district, he said the department had suspended 26 officials of the Yairipok Forest Beat. An inquiry into the incident is underway, and further action will be decided after the report is received.
He also warned of strict action against people involved in hunting wild animals and birds or excavating soil from forest land.
Manipur Lost Around 50 Sq Km of Forest Cover
Responding to a question on changes in the state's forest cover, Bajpai said the Forest Survey of India conducts assessments of forest cover across states every two years.
He cited the 2023 assessment, published in 2024, which reported a loss of around 50 square kilometres of forest cover in Manipur. The decline was most pronounced in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts, he said.
Bajpai identified road construction and other development projects as major factors contributing to the loss. Around 600 hectares of forest land were used for development work in the previous year, and forest land continued to be diverted for such projects in the current year. He said efforts were being made to compensate for the areas lost.
The department has also taken action over reported mountain cutting and road construction in the Yaingangpokpi and Khamenlok areas. Bajpai said an FIR had been registered and the work halted in coordination with nearby paramilitary forces.
On the controversial Tiger Road, he said the matter was pending before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The state government has filed an affidavit in the case, and construction work on the road has been stopped.
The department's measures, Bajpai said, are aimed at strengthening forest protection and preventing illegal activities during the dry season, when forests face increased risks from fires, unauthorised cultivation, timber trafficking and other offences.
