Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 27: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday raised concern over Left-wing extremism, saying it was still a “sensitive” issue in five districts.
“The LWE situation remains sensitive in districts like Malkangiri, Koraput, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Bolangir,” Patnaik said during the debate in the Assembly relating to the home department’s expenditure.
Patnaik, however, claimed that Maoist activity is on the decline and there was perceptible improvement in the situation in Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundergarh and Nayagarh districts during the year.
The Chief Minister claimed that pro-active action taken by security forces resulted in the arrest of 71 Maoists, including Sabyasachi Panda, leader of the Orissa Maobadi Party, and Tella Anil Kumar, state committee member of Andhra-Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee. Police had recovered a record number of 143 weapons in 2014, he said.
Besides, 99 LEW cadres and other militants surrendered in the state during the 2014, including Nachika Linga, the leader of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha, Patnaik said.
The Chief Minister said connectivity plays a key role in restricting LWE activities and pointed out that significant steps had been taken for construction and improvement of roads and bridges in these areas. Steps were also being taken to install 253 mobile towers to extend mobile connectivity to the public in LWE-affected areas, he said.
Patnaik said 18 marine police stations had been made functional to keep vigil on coastal security as the state has a coastline of about 480 km.
