In the villages of Kulgam tehsil, hundreds of kanals of land previously occupied by illicit poppy cultivation have been transformed this year into fields of cash crops and vegetables. This significant change marks a new chapter in the tehsil’s journey toward prosperity by rejecting the cultivation of illegal poppy.
Each spring, many villages in Kulgam would cultivate poppy, posing a persistent challenge for the administration to eradicate it. In the past year, however, the administration has taken decisive steps to not only destroy the poppy fields but also provide farmers with alternative cash crops, offering a sustainable solution to the issue.
Kulgam tehsil has achieved a major breakthrough by eliminating nearly all illicit poppy and wild cannabis cultivation within its borders, effectively thwarting the efforts of those involved in the drug trade.
Bilal Ahmad, Tehsildar Kulgam, told Rising Kashmir that last year they destroyed poppy crops on approximately 453 kanals of land in the tehsil.
He said the process of destroying the illicit poppy was labour-intensive, requiring the team to reach each village based on clues about poppy cultivation. The teams destroyed poppy last year in villages like Bugam , Bachroo, Tarigam, Balsoo, Sopar, Nanibugh, Chehlan, Nurshingpora, Lirrow, Pombay, Beigam, and other villages.
He said the combined efforts of the Revenue, Excise, and Police departments last year ensured the comprehensive destruction of poppy fields.
Furthermore, on the directions of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulgam, agriculture and Horticulture department was roped in for cultivation of other cash crops, he said.
“The administration also educated the public about the legal consequences of cultivating poppy, warning that violations would be met with strict actions under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985,” he said.
This act prohibits the production, manufacture, cultivation, possession, sale, purchase, transport, storage, and consumption of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.
He said that almost every month, the district and tehsil administrations chair NCORD meetings with tehsil and panchayat-level members. In these meetings, their role and commitment to eliminating drug addiction in society are deliberated upon. Initiatives are being made and intensified to make every village Nasha Mukht.
“We even registered First Information Reports (FIRs) under the NDPS Act against six cultivators. We have been issuing public notices with the support of Auqaf committees, making announcements in mosques about the illegality of poppy cultivation. Through mass awareness campaigns, we have reached out to the public, urging those who have cultivated poppy to destroy it themselves to avoid legal repercussions,” Tehsildar said.
He noted that many villagers complied, destroying their illicit crops voluntarily. For those who did not, the administration’s team intervened and eradicated the remaining poppy fields.
He said that special drives and camps were held in hot spot areas for cash crop subsidies and schemes of the government to make it a success.
He said that this year, the tehsil administration began early, conducting announcements, mass awareness, and social mobilization during the winter and early spring.
“We put forth the provisions of the NDPS Act and the consequences for offenders cultivating illicit crops to the villagers. As a result, the prevalence of poppy and other illegal crops has drastically reduced in Kulgam tehsil, with only 7-10 kanals of poppy were cleared this year, cultivated by a few anti-social elements”, he said.
Adding, “We have urged the community to inform us if they notice even small portions of illicit crops anywhere in the tehsil. This collaborative effort between the public and the administration is crucial to making Kulgam drug-free.”
The drug problem in society is growing, which affects almost every community member. It is imperative for everyone to contribute to ensuring that no illegal drugs are cultivated in their area and that drug peddlers do not operate freely.
“Mass awareness and social mobilization result in near elimination of poppy cultivation compared to last year,” Tehsildar Kulgam said.
