Context: Manipur Forest Department planted bamboo on 255 hectares of forestland previously cleared for illegal poppy cultivation.
Coverage: Identified 307 hectares across Chandel, Churachandpur and Senapati hill districts; surveys have been conducted since 2018.
Objectives:Restore degraded forests, discourage illicit poppy cultivation and generate local livelihoods.
Forest statistics: About 78% of Manipur’s geographical area is classified as forestland; actual forest cover is around 74%.
Border smuggling: Areca nuts and Burmese teak are among forest products smuggled across the India–Myanmar border. Seizures generated ₹115 crore in revenue during FY 2023–24 to FY 2025–26.
Bamboo: A fast-growing, woody grass belonging to the family Poaceae; it is not a tree.
Forest cover vs. forestland:Forest cover refers to land patches meeting the Forest Survey of India’s canopy-density criteria, irrespective of ownership or legal status. Forestland is a land-use/legal classification; the two are not interchangeable.
