Development gun for Naxals

With Chhattisgarh bleeding in Naxalite violence, Madhya Pradesh has reasons to be alarmed. Particularly when Naxal dalams are reportedly active in four districts ? Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori and Sidhi.

With Chhattisgarh bleeding in Naxalite violence, Madhya Pradesh has reasons to be alarmed. Particularly when Naxal dalams are reportedly active in four districts — Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori and Sidhi.

HT Image

Inspector-General Vijay Yadav on Tuesday pressed the alarm bells at a high-level meeting on red terror at Mantralaya, presided over by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Yadav warned that the situation would worsen unless strategy belts were tightened.

As a pre-emptive measure to strike at the breeding ground of the Naxal menace, Chouhan emphasised development at the grassroots with active participation of people’s representatives so that tribals would not feel alienated.

Though Naxal activities are under control in the State, utmost alert should be maintained given the dangerous situation prevailing in neighbouring states, Chouhan said.

The meeting decided to step up development in tribal-dominated districts and Naxal-affected areas. At the same time strengthening of police force in the trouble-prone areas was emphasised. Maoists’ design to establish a Red Corridor from Nepal to south India (Pashupati to Tirupati) may suck the State into Naxal violence in the State unless pre-emptive measures are taken.

Report of Naxalites making inroads in Sidhi district is alarming as a series of development activities, including the recently signed Hindalco and power projects worth several thousand crores, is in the pipeline.

It was decided that the fuel quota for police should be increased so that policing is not affected for want of petrol or diesel.