Agartala: With the close proximity of Bangladesh and Myanmar, Tripura has been used as a drug and contraband smuggling corridor for over a decade. Cannabis cultivation became rampant in the bordering sub-divisions of the state, which grew as an alternative source of economy.
The per capita income in 2011-12 with respect to consumer price index of 2004-05 was Rs 50,000, and in 2017-18 it rose to Rs 80,000 with respect to the price index of 2011-12, without expansion of industries or appreciable increase in agriculture productivity.
Since 2005, with the decline of insurgency rubber cultivation got a boost in Tripura and land use pattern of the state was changed. The conversion of agriculture land to rubber estate became was taken up extensively in the state.
However, the fluctuation in rubber market at international level since 2010 pressed people to look for alternatives, and many people took up cannabis cultivation and became part of the smuggling rackets that spread in the neighbouring countries.
Intially, dry cannabis leaves for addiction were supplied to Bangladesh, Middle East countries, Afghanistan and a few provinces of Pakistan besides the local markets.
However, from 2016, cannabis and drug dealings shifted in a major way to domestic markets in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. These states turned into promising markets for Tripura-grown cannabis.
The inner parts of most of the rubber estates across Indo-Bangladesh border from south to north stretches were turned into cannabis farms.
The supply chain of brown sugar, heroin, psychotropic substances, stimulating drugs, Codex, Phensedly and sex-tablets expanded from golden triangle of Manipur to Tripura and farther to Bangladesh with the help of cannabis cultivators. Apart from courier services, even Indian Postal Service was used as the carrier of the narcotic substances in Tripura.
Often police raids on the postal outlets and courier dispatches resulted in huge successes.
Unfortunately, the then government showed leniency towards the drug business and it appeared that drug peddling was the main source of livelihood of former ruling party cadres and their political activities were funded by the proceeds of illicit drug dealings. Consequently, a section of policemen, civil administration and ruling party leaders gradually got involved in the drug smuggling racket.
In the absence strong control, the previous government headed by Manik Sarkar could not curb the situation.
It is not a surprise that more than 80 per cent of the youngsters today are addicted to drugs in various forms and are involved in social crimes, including crime against women.
During the period of insurgency from 1992 to 2007, thousands of families had to move leaving home and hearth.
Well established businessmen and village entrepreneurs ran away from the rural areas and re-settled in urban areas and became poor. In fact, a major chunk of these people were Bangladeshi Hindus, who had left their wealth and property, worth crores of rupees, to escape the atrocities against them in that country. Once again, they were rendered homeless due to insurgency.
Drug business appeared to be the easiest earning option for them when they found nothing much was being done to leash the growing menace.
However, after the new BJP-IPFT government came into power in the state in March this year, on the day of swearing-in in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb made a clarion call for making “drug free and crime free” Tripura.
In the first meeting of the council of ministers, the government pledged a statewide crackdown on cannabis cultivation and drug business.
The top brass of the state police department was given the target to achieve the goal. Launching its operations against drugs, police detected a strong nexus among a section of policemen, smugglers and a few local political leaders. (PTI)
