Bamboo replacing poppy patches in Manipur jungles: PCCF
The Manipur Forest Department is replacing illegal poppy plantations with bamboo across 255 hectares of forestland to restore the environment and provide alternative livelihoods. Officials are working with local village chiefs to curb illegal cultivation while coordinating with security forces to stop the smuggling of forest products along the India-Myanmar border.
Why it matters
This initiative addresses the intersection of environmental degradation, illegal drug cultivation, and regional ethnic conflict in Northeast India.
The Manipur Forest Department has planted bamboo on 255 hectares of forestland that were cleared for poppy cultivation, one of the triggers of the State’s ongoing ethnic conflict.
Manipur’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Anurag Bajpai, said his department identified 307 hectares of forestland under poppy cultivation in three hill districts — Chandel, Churachandpur and Senapati.
“We have established bamboo plantations across 255 hectares (out of the 307 hectares) as part of the efforts to restore degraded forest areas,” he told journalists on Friday (October 9, 2026).
Mr Bajpai said the department has been trying to identify a particular species that can dominate the “fast-growing and fast-spreading” poppy.
“Bamboo can help restore the environment while creating livelihood opportunities for the local communities,” he said, adding that the department has been engaging with village chiefs to discourage poppy cultivation and provide viable options to people involved in the illegal practice.
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