Manipur’s Mao tribe declares support to war on drugs mission

Manipur government’s war on drug mission garnered more public support with the Mao tribe of Senapati district declaring their support to the mission on Thursday.
The Maos inhabit the northern part of Manipur, bordering Nagaland. The Paomei tribe of the same district was the first to declare support to the mission.
Leaders of Mao Council, Mao Students’ Association, Mao Naga Women’s Welfare Organization, village chiefs, Senapati District Contractors’ Association declared their solidarity and support to the war on drugs mission during a meeting with the state chief minister N Biren Singh in Imphal today.
The delegation of the Mao based organizations led by MLA Losii Dikho met the chief minister at the latter’s secretariat to submit the declaration. State horticulture minister Letpao Haokip was also present in the meeting.
Later, addressing the media, the chief minister expressed his gratitude to the huge public support for the war on drugs mission.
Singh said, “It is a positive sign for the whole state and not just for the war on drugs mission that we can feel an emotional attachment, oneness among the people of the state irrespective of community.”
The chief minister expressed his utmost happiness to receive voluntary support from Mao Council and others against poppy plantation, illegal drug business and drug abuse.
He then said, “We are certain of the mission’s success as the involvement of the public is very important.”
Singh also lauded the Mao Students’ Union and Mao Youth Organization for their initiative to organize Cherry tree plantation drive for Green Highway & Road Safety Mission from Makhan Khuman to Mao Gate along the NH-2.
While stressing that any challenge can be faced only when people are united, the chief minister said that there seemed to be some interference from outsiders trying to create division among the indigenous communities of the state.
He further appealed to the people of the state not to be influenced by such external influences.
Meanwhile, the civil leaders also declared their support to the government and further welcomed the war on drugs initiative for a drug free society.
President of Mao Students’ Union Marikho O’ Leriina said that the union along with others was conducting a “Plant a tree with us” mission, with the main objective to reduce the impact of air pollution and dust by planting trees along the national highway.
He said this will act as a natural sink for air pollutants and arrest soil erosion at the embankment slopes and serve as a road safety measure and crash barrier for accidents.
Earlier, the Mao Council and others submitted the resolution declaring support to the government’s war on drug mission and against poppy plantation, illegal drug business and drug abuse to the chief minister.
The resolution passed by a consultative meeting on May 20 last was hosted by the Mao Council and its subordinate organizations.
The resolution read, “….resolved to vigorously extend logistic support to the leadership of chief minister Shri N Biren Singh in his endeavour to eradicate drugs from the state and to completely ban any form of drugs within the jurisdiction of Mao.”
The meeting had also resolved to penalize defaulters including for poppy plantation, opium smuggling, trafficking, etc. and that village to village mobilization shall be initiated and regular monitoring of the same to be conducted.