Pilot project to contain Naxal militancy soon

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to launch a pilot project in Malkangiri and Rayagada districts to contain Naxal militancy in an effective manner by a strong doze of security and development measures.

Official sources said that the scheme will be implemented in other Naxalite-affected districts in phases. As a beginning civic action programme has been taken up in the Naxalite-affected areas by organising public relations and health camps, sports tournaments and participation in tribal festivals.

There is a proposal to bring out publicity materials highlighting the futility of militancy and its negative impact on the development of the region to be distributed in the interior tribal dominated areas.

The modalities and framework of inter- State joint task force for Orissa-Andhra Pradesh has been worked out and a number of joint anti-Naxalite operations have been conducted. Besides, the modalities for inter- State anti-Naxalite operations in Orissa-Jharkhand border have been worked out.

The State Government has declared CPI (Maoist) and seven of its frontal organisations as �unlawful� under Section 16 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1908, to crackdown on the ultras. Officials claimed that the activities of the over ground front organisations of the CPI (Maoist) and other allied groups have gone down significantly after the ban.

In view of the increased attack of the Naxalites on the trains and sabotaging of railway tracks, a State-level coordination committee for railway security has been set up under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.

Official sources claimed that senior officials of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) are regularly meeting to chalk out strategies to deal with the threat from the Naxalites. The Intelligence Department has organised training for RPF personnel.

Four battalions of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed in the Naxalite-affected areas of the State to counter the Left wing extremists (LWEs).

Out of the three, India Reserve battalion sanctioned by the Centre, one battalion has been raised and made fully functional. The recruitment for the second and third IR battalions has been completed and the personnel are undergoing training.