22/06/2025
It is deeply alarming to witness the rapidly changing climatic conditions and their devastating impacts, particularly in our beloved state of Manipur. The unchecked deforestation for large-scale poppy cultivation has become a dangerous reality — one that threatens not only our environment but also our collective survival.
Let us pause and ask: Who truly benefits from this?
The harsh truth is that the profits from poppy cultivation are enjoyed by a handful of powerful and protected groups, cutting across social, community, and religious lines. The poor farmers, often trapped in a cycle of poverty and coercion, receive only a fraction. Meanwhile, our society bears the enormous costs — monetarily, morally, socially, and environmentally.
Recent floods in the Imphal Valley, the scorching summer heat, water shortages, and the drying of reservoirs like Khuga Dam are not isolated events — they are the direct consequences of reckless deforestation and poppy cultivation.
Worse still, the profits are being funnelled into anti-social activities, ensnaring our youth — the very backbone of our future — into dangerous paths. If anyone claims this is for the betterment of the community, we must recognize that we are being misled into a future of uncertainty and darkness.
It’s time we say NO — to the exploitation of our land, our people, and our resources.
Let us rise collectively and immediately to protect our environment, save our youth, and safeguard our future. The survival of our state and our planet must come above all else.
Because when the sun sets forever, no caste, creed, religion, or nationality will matter — only the ruins of what we failed to protect will remain.
