Biren Singh warns of “existential crisis” in Manipur amid alarming poppy cultivation, mass deforestation

Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has sounded a grave warning over what he describes as “widespread destruction” of the state’s forests, urging immediate and decisive action to prevent an impending environmental catastrophe.

Sharing a video clip on X on Wednesday night—which he claimed shows illicit poppy plantations and large-scale deforestation in the Kolten and Selsi hill ranges under T. Waichong Sub-division in Kangpokpi district—Singh said the visuals explain the causes behind Manipur’s recurrent floods. 

“All our forests have been destroyed while we are trying to pull each other down. None of our leaders have spoken out against such wide-scale devastation,” the BJP leader wrote.

Singh questioned the inaction of the Forest Department, asking why no steps had been taken against those responsible. He alleged that armed militant groups are suspected to be behind the illegal poppy cultivation and deforestation in the region.

“Unless we take concrete action, the state will face an existential crisis,” he warned, calling for urgent intervention to protect Manipur’s fragile ecology and prevent further environmental degradation.

His remarks come at a time when the state continues to struggle with ethnic tensions, displacement, and governance challenges—issues that observers say have diverted attention from escalating ecological threats.