Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has issued a stark warning about what he calls the “widespread destruction” of the state’s forests, urging authorities to act swiftly to avert a looming environmental disaster.

On Wednesday night, Singh shared a video clip on X, claiming it depicts illicit poppy plantations and extensive deforestation in the Kolten and Selsi hill ranges under T. Waichong Sub-division in Kangpokpi district. He said the visuals clearly illustrate the underlying causes of Manipur’s recurring floods.

“All our forests have been destroyed while we are trying to pull each other down. None of our leaders have spoken out against such wide-scale devastation,” the BJP leader wrote, expressing frustration over the apparent silence surrounding the issue.

Singh strongly criticised the Forest Department, questioning why no action had been taken against those responsible for the rampant destruction. He alleged that armed militant groups are suspected to be behind the illegal poppy cultivation and deforestation in the region.

Warning that the state could face an “existential crisis” if concrete measures are not taken immediately, Singh called for urgent intervention to safeguard Manipur’s fragile ecology and halt further environmental degradation.

His remarks come amid ongoing ethnic tensions, widespread displacement, and governance challenges—factors that observers say have diverted attention from the state’s rapidly escalating ecological threats.