Baripada (Odisha): Authorities in Mayurbhanj district have uncovered and destroyed a large-scale illegal poppy cultivation deep inside Similipal National Park, police said on Monday. Acting on credible intelligence, a joint team comprising the Jashipur police, Odisha Forest Department, Excise Department and other officials detected two separate patches of opium plants spread over approximately 1.09 acres of protected forest land.
During the operation, officers identified and destroyed a total of 95,850 opium plants, with an estimated market value of around ₹1.91 crore. The plants were uprooted and burnt in the presence of independent witnesses, forest officials, excise officers and an executive magistrate.
The discovery of such extensive cultivation within a national park—a designated protected forest with significant wildlife value—has raised serious environmental concerns. Similipal, officially recognised as India’s 107th national park and Odisha’s largest protected area, is home to rich biodiversity, including tigers, elephants and other wildlife species.
Police have registered two separate cases under relevant narcotics laws at the Jashipur police station. The investigation is ongoing to identify those responsible for the illegal cultivation and determine how such a large-scale operation was conducted inside the ecologically sensitive sanctuary.
Officials emphasised that the crackdown reflects a zero-tolerance stance on unlawful activities in protected forests and reiterated their commitment to safeguarding wildlife habitats while enforcing the law.
.png)
The opinions posted here do not belong to 🔰www.indiansdaily.com. The author is solely responsible for the opinions.
As per the IT policy of the Central Government, insults against an individual, community, religion or country, defamatory and inflammatory remarks, obscene and vulgar language are punishable offenses. Legal action will be taken for such expressions of opinion.