Jharkhand government urges mukhias to help administration to

The Jharkhand state government today urged all mukhias to support the administration in order to stop poppy cultivation in the state.
The state's Chief Secretary Rajbala Verma, addressed the mukhias of Latehar, Palamau, Khunti and Chatra districts through video conferencing and said that such cultivation is causing harm to the youths.
According to an official release, she said though the role of mukhias for the development of their respective panchayats was more, they also have the responsibility to make their panchayats free from crime, corruption, fear and addiction.
The centre as well as the state government have zero tolerance as far as poppy cultivation is concerned, she said.

The crop has been destroyed in several districts through sustained campaign, she said.
In the event of accurate and additional information, the crop will be rooted out with effective and decisive campaign, she said, urging the mukhias to support the police, administration and the government in this campaign.

Those who inform against the people indulged in the cultivation will be kept secret and security will be provided to them, the chief secretary said.
Highlighting the NDPS Act 1985, the Director General of Police, D K Pandey, said opium or poppy not only affect the youth and the society but it also provides financial assistance to anti-nationals and extremists.

Drawing attention to the NDPS Act's section 47, the DGP said it is the constitutional responsibility of all government officials, panches, sarpanches, mukhias and grameen sevaks to inform government officials concerned about illegal poppy cultivation.