BARIPADA/BHUBANESWAR: After destroying poppy plants close to Rs 11 crore, the state agencies are after more number of villages in the core area of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
So far, over 5.4 lakh poppy plants have been identified and destroyed in four villages in the critical core of the tiger reserve but sources aware of the investigation reveal that the police, Forest and Excise departments zeroed in on 11 villages where illegal cultivation of poppy has been underway for couple of years.
Although police and other agencies have not found direct link of the cultivation to locals so far, sources said poppy cultivation in STR has connection with the mafia from Jharkhand which encouraged the production in the core area of the tiger habitat.
In fact, the forest field staff had got whiff of the illegal cultivation but what really caught their notice is sale of poppy seeds, which is used for consumption, at throwaway prices in the local markets.
“Whole poppy seeds were being sold at Rs 800 per kg in Jashipur market which really caught our eye. Whereas in the retail market, good quality poppy seed is sold for anything between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 per kg,” said sources. Besides, some of the villagers also made quick money which was beyond their existing means.
This was about three months back. The Forest department took up the matter with the state police and Excise departments and full-fledged action plan was deployed to wipe out the cultivation.
The revenue inspectors of the respective areas were directed to inquire about details of land and whether those came under private or government occupation.
Locals, however, feign ignorance about the illegal trade part.
“We know it is poppy plant and its seed is used for consumption but we don’t know cultivation is illegal,” said a native of Gudgudia village who added that he had seen such plants being grown in Kukurbhuka and Bakua, in the core area of Similipal, for the last four years.
Basing on intelligence, Mayurbhanj SP S Sushree mobilised a team from Jashipur police station to uproot 5.25 lakh opium grown plants in Bakua and Kukurbhuka villages four days back.
The plants were set on fire in presence of an executive magistrate, forest and excise officers and RIs of respective areas. Earlier last month, security personnel had destroyed 13,000 opium plants worth around Rs 20 lakh in Thakurgoda and Bundeiposi villages.
Field Director of Similipal Tiger Reserve Prakash Chand Gogineni said once the Forest department came to know about the cultivation, it immediately informed the matter to Excise department.