Poppy cultivation in Latehar district has declined considerably. Sources said it was done in around 1,000 acres some five or six years back but now its cultivation is restricted to around 200 acres in the district.

Nitin Khandelwal SDPO Balumath said, “There has come a drastic decline in poppy cultivation.

 Its cultivation goes on here definitely. Selaiyya and Balubhang panchayats under Balumath police station are notorious for this banned crop cultivation. We will try hard to further reduce its cultivation from 200 acres as it was one 1,000 acres some five or six years back.”

Poppy cultivation is reported from remote areas of Chandwa and Manika police stations too.

Khandelwal said, “Poppy cultivation has had protection from extremists.

 It has had extremists’ patronage. Terror funding comes from the growers of this crop.” It was DIG, STF, Saket Kumar Singh who had told this newspaper that this poppy cultivation has given birth to Narco naxalism, which needs to be crushed with all might.Khandelwal said,

 “Police reach out has become more intense. Police are reaching in areas which were forbidden in the past. Our reach is everywhere. This has panicked growers and their patrons who are naxalites.”

Prashant Anand SP Latehar said, “We have set up a narcotics control room in Balumath police station which is headed by SDPO Balumath. This narcotics control room will keep a close tab on all activities related to this crop and its cultivation.

There will be a data completion of this.”

 Anand said, “ Just 2 or 3 days after setting up this narcotics control room last week our police conducted a massive raid at a household belonging to Khan brothers  at Rahmat colony under Balumath police station where police seized vehicles bearing registration number of as far a state as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.”

“Himachal Pradesh and Punjab registration carrying vehicles raises alarm as this trade of poppy has attained an interstate dimension where there is a big flow of cash,” reiterated Anand.

Khandelwal said police seized 1000 kgs of doda a product of poppy and learnt of 3 Khan brothers Daud, Zahid and Golden who made good their escape when the police raided their household.

Sources said November to February months are poppy months.  It is sown in November and is harvested between January - February. Khandelwal said,

“I conceded growers will do cultivation but I reassure that harvesting of it will be frustrated by all means by our police.”

This banned cultivation is done on forest land and government land. 

Water availability is another requisite for it. SP, Latehar said police have identified the possible locations in remote areas which are exploited by growers for this illegal means of earnings.