By IANS,
Shimla : Poppy, the source of opium, is being cultivated illegally in Himachal Pradesh’s remote Kullu valley, police said Monday.
Poppy cultivation is banned in the hill state but some farmers in the valley’s Ani region, about 200 km from here, are defying the law.
Deputy Superintendent of Police B.S. Negi said Monday that a team of policemen has been sent to the region to take action.
On Sunday, police destroyed poppy crop in a six-acre farm in Bishladhar village. The plants were reported to be over six feet tall and almost ready for harvesting. Several villagers have been detained for questioning.
The scenic Kullu valley is already notorious for the hemp plant, which grows in the wild and is also illegally cultivated by farmers. Hemp is the source of cannabis.