Post-Maoism Bastar, Security Camps to Turn Infrastructure Hub
Focus on demining of IEDs: Dy CM Sharma
Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government has prepared a blueprint for post-Maoism Bastar, which focuses on using the areas where security camps are opened, to build schools and hospitals, besides launching a massive operation to demine the entire forest and forested villages in the tribal-belt of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The state government plans to undertake primarily twin-project in Bastar post-Maoism to development infrastructure in each village by using the areas where security camps, manned by the Central forces, have been opened in the region, and demine the entire forested belt of IEDs, planted by Maoists, Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister Vijay Sharma who holds home portfolio, said.
He said that the Central forces deployed in the Bastar in counterinsurgency will gradually handover the camps, currently manned by them in remote areas of Bastar, to Chhattisgarh police before being withdrawn, and the vast areas being used by these camps will be made the Centre of infrastructure development of the locality by building schools and hospitals there.
Mr. Sharma said that there is also a plan to establish processing units of minor forest produce in these areas for value addition to boost the economy of the local tribals.
Around 400 security camps have been opened in Bastar region, comprising seven districts of Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Dantewada, Sukma, Narayanpur, and Bijapur.
He further said that the state government would launch a massive operation to demine the forests and forested villages of Bastar region of IEDs, under a project called, IED free village.
Mr. Sharma described the removal of IEDs, planted by Maoists in deep forests and forested villages in Bastar region, as a big challenge for the security forces post-Maoism Bastar.
He said that after Naxal commander Papa Rao’s surrender, Bastar can be safely declared as Naxal-free because hardly 30-40 Maoist cadres are now left in a very few pockets.
They are also going to surrender before the March 31 deadline to eradicate Naxalims, he added.
