Massive opium cultivation found in core areas of Similipal Tiger Reserve

AFTER destroying poppy plants close to 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.

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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.