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Kashmir Government Destroys Opium Drug Crop

KRALE-CHAK, INDIAN ADMINISTERED KASHMIR, INDIA - JUNE 15: A Kashmir government official destroys illegally cultivated Poppy on a patch of land cultivated by Kashmiri farmers on August 15, 2014 in Krale- Chak 45 km (28 miles) west of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. The government has identified several hectares of land in Kashmir villages that will be destroyed over a month tenure. A kilogram of such poppy husk sells for $ 16 - 25 (1000-1500 INR) in the local markets and the cultivation of poppy is banned under state law. Opium cultivation in Kashmir has shown significant increase over the past few years according to Excise and Taxation officials. Large stacks of land are coming under the cultivation with derivatives mostly landing with drug and narcotic suppliers across India. Every year government officials clear such plantations. The cultivation is mostly used to derive fukhi- a powered form of the poppy husk that is in great demand in the northern state of Punjab. Officials yearly confiscate hundreds of kilograms of such substance from offenders. The drug abuse in Indian administered Kashmir is gripping the valley youth at an alarming increase. According to a United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) sponsored survey, Kashmir division alone had 70,000 drug addicts including 4000 women in the year 2008. Experts say that among the drugs consumed in the valley are medicinal opiates, such as Spasmoproxyvon, Alprazolam, Codine phosphate, Diazepam, Alprax and cannabis derivatives like hashish and marijuana. (Photo by Yawar Nazir/ Nurphoto) (Photo by Yawar Nazir/NurPhoto)

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