Increase area domination to curb civilian killings: PC to cops

Union Home Minister asks Gadchiroli police to step up area domination to curb Naxal violence.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday asked the Gadchiroli police to step up area domination to curb Naxal violence against civilians.

Sources said that at a review meeting with officials from Naxal-affected Gadchiroli and Gondia in Mumbai,Chidambaram expressed concern about the increasing number of civilian casualties of Naxal violence in Gadchiroli and observed that it showed who is dominating the area. He exhorted the police officials to increase vigilance and area domination to prevent Naxals from targeting civilians. Over 35 people,suspected to be police informers,have been killed by Naxals in Gadchiroli so far this year.

Chidambaram also expressed unhappiness over slow progress of construction of infrastructure facilities for central paramilitary forces (CPMF). He also announced at the meeting that funds allocation for the Integrated Action Plan for Naxal-affected districts from next financial year would be done for blocks as units,not districts. Problem with districts as units is that the all districts get same amount of funds irrespective of their sizes and intensity of problem, sources said. Like Balaghat and Gondia,despite being half as big as Gadchiroli,get the same amount. Also,there are blocks within the affected districts that are more affected, they added.

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He stressed that the developmental plans must be demand,not supply,oriented. Health and education must be given top priority, he said. He also called for building toilet blocks in schools.

The meeting in Mumbai was also attended by CM Prithviraj Chavan,Home Minister R R Patil and senior home department and police officials. A release from the CMO said Chidambaram asked the government to focus on road building and development works in affected areas. Financial assistance to the Naxal infested area was discussed. There was no discussion of the 13/7 blast investigation, said Patil.

(With ENS,Mumbai)

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