ROURKELA: With drastic curb in mining activities in Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts leading to choking of funds supply, the Jharkhand-based Maoists have resorted to opium cultivation on the inaccessible terrains of adjacent Saranda forest in Jharkhand.The Maoists’ change of strategy to generate funds through opium farming has come to light recently when the joint forces of Jharkhand, during a combing operation, found vast tracts of land being used for the purpose.On Thursday police and CRPF detected opium plants on 1.5 acres at a forested location of Champava under Tebo police limits of West Singhbhum district. Police, who destroyed the cultivation, claimed that the plants on reaching maturity would have valued over `3 crore.Some days ago opium plants on eight acres at Taljhara and two acres at Telengira under Sonua police limits were destroyed.Those were estimated to value nearly `22 crore after maturity.It is believed that the Maoists resorted to opium cultivations in distant Jharkhand districts, including Chatra and Palamu, with the purpose of generating funds.West Singhbhum SP Arun Kumar Singh told this paper that opium plants were in flowering state and would have fetched above ` 25 crore on maturity. He said the opium farming, opted by Maoists, was aimed at stabilising the dwindling economy of Jharkhand Regional Committee of the banned outfit.Opium cultivation spread in 80 km radius of Saranda forest has been noticed so far.Cases against Maoists leaders Prasadji alias Krishna, Kundan Pahan, Barunji alias Yadav Topno and Nirmalda alias Nirdosh Horo and 25 others were registered at Tebo and Sonuma police stations of West Singhbhum district.Sources said rampant mining in Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts were major sources of funding for the Dakshin Chhota Nagpur Zonal Committee of the outfit.With the fall in mining operations Maoists’ movement has reduced significantly in bordering areas of the tribal district coupled with strict surveillance by Rourkela police.
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