GUWAHATI, Nov 3 ? Even as a world wide campaign is on against the drug menace, opium poses a serious threat to Singpho people living in Margherita of the State. The problem has reached such a magnitude that more and more youths are getting attracted towards opium.
Though the Singpho people used to consume opium during 18th century, the problem became apparent in 90s following free flow of opium from the Indo-Myanmar border. According to local people there are about 17,000 opium addicts in and around Margherita. The addicts may be more as no proper survey is yet to be initiated so far.
?Opium problem began to surface in Margherita and bordering areas of Arunachal Pradesh in 1990 following increase in activities of the underground groups,? Sing Gum told this correspondent.
To substantiate his claim, Gum said that taking advantage of frequent movement of militants across the border a section of people of India and Burma had started running opium business in Margherita and bordering areas of Arunachal Pradesh.
The 23-year Singpho youth has been consuming opium for the last seven years and does not want to give up this practice. Gum is not alone; there are hundreds of Singpho youths of Margherita who are facing the same situation. It is learnt that many of them have sold off their property to consume opium.
Singpho people generally consume ?clothed opium? which is reportedly supplied from Arunachal Pradseh and bordering areas of Burma. In five districts of Arunachal Pradesh opium is cultivated and a bulk quantity is sold in the bordering areas of Assam to meet the demand of the people. Opium is cultivated in the hilly areas of Arunachal Pradesh and the bordering areas of Burma and then sent to Margherita as per demand of the people.
In Margherita as many as 12 villages with a population of 12,000 has been badly hit by opium. Though a section of leading citizens of Margherita has now come forward to save their young generation, but they have not been able to create awareness against the menace of opium.
The Singpho people believe that opium is God gifted for which they do not want to give the practice. Moreover, several farmers of Margherita area consume opium before going to their paddy field, which they feel that it gives extra energy for working more time in the paddy field.
To know exact gravity of the problem, this correspondent contacted Rajesh Singpho who is also a senior leader of Singpho National Council (SNC). According to him, the opium problem has taken a serious turn not only in Margherita but also in some parts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Myanmar.
?What is more important is that a concerted effort is a must to create awareness among the people. Despite the problem no government has taken any step in this regard?, the Singpho leader observed. Rajesh who has been closely monitoring the situation for the last several years informed that the Singpho population which was recorded at 50,000 in 1950 now it has dropped to only 20,000.
? The dwindling population is clearly due to perennial use of opium?, he added. Asked whether they had taken up the matter with the state government, Rajesh revealed that the state government is not at all serious to tackle the problem.
Interestingly, India and Myanmar have recently signed an agreement vowing to gear up operation against the drug peddling that has been creating a serious problem for the last several decades. The pact has rekindled the hopes of the Singphos who are eagerly waiting for a concrete step from the government to solve the problem for the sake of their young generation.