Reported by, May 9 -- Bit Irom

Imphal: The Central Forest Division, Manipur, conducted an extensive Area Domination Exercise along the foothills of the Heingang Reserve Forest on May 9, 2026, primarily to prevent illegal encroachment, stop illicit tree felling, and curb unauthorized earth excavation.

The exercise was carried out amid significant loss of forest cover in Manipur, with approximately 877 square kilometers disappearing between 1987 and 2021, and an additional 52,000 acres lost between 2021 and 2025 due to rapid deforestation.

The state, particularly in hilly regions like Kangpokpi and Churachandpur, has faced accelerated degradation of reserved and protected forests driven by poppy cultivation, illegal logging, and encroach...