BHUBANESWAR: Amid concerns of Naxal infiltration, Odisha Police has requested the state government to improve road infrastructure in Nuapada district to strongly deal with left-wing extremism (LWE) menace.
Anti-Naxal operations in Nuapada district are crucial as it shares border with Chhattisgarh which is currently the worst left-wing extremism (LWE) affected state in the country.
To check the movement of Naxals and prevent any infiltration bid, proactive security response is underway in Nuapada district and company operating bases (COBs) of security forces have been set up at strategic areas along the Chhattisgarh border.
However, poor road connectivity in areas bordering Chhattisgarh remains a major concern as it is substantially hindering swift response and counter offensive measures of the security forces against the Maoists. Good road connectivity is also required so that administrative officials can reach out to Naxal-affected villages and extend benefits of different welfare schemes of the state government, said the police.
The COBs have been set up at forward locations like Datunama, Bhaosil and Dhekunpani in Nuapada district to effectively counter infiltration and movement of the ultras into Odisha from Chhattisgarh side.
However, when senior officers recently visited the area they found out that these COBs are connected by kutcha roads which are prone to improvised explosive device (IED) blasts during the movement of security forces. In June 2022, three CRPF personnel were killed in an ambush set up by Maoists in Nuapada district.
Construction of metallic roads from Dharambandha to Bhaosil COBs (12 km), Sunabeda to Dhekunpani COBs (8 km) and Sunabeda COB to Datunama joint task force (JTF) is important to augment the security forces response against Maoist activities, the police said.
Roads connecting Sunabeda and Dhekunpani COBs and Sunabeda COB and Datunama JTF have already been sanctioned under Mukhyamantri Sadak Yojana-Connecting Unconnected Villages in Difficult Areas (MMSY-CUVDA) scheme for the year 2024-25. However, construction work of these roads is yet to be taken up due to forest clearance issues. Construction of road from Dharambandha to Bhaosil has not been included in any connectivity scheme.
In a letter to Home department additional chief secretary, Satyabrata Sahu, DGP YB Khurania requested urgent steps to obtain forest clearance and construct metallic roads in the areas by considering it as a special case.
The roads will minimise the threat of lED attacks and ambush by Maoists targeting security forces. They will also help augment the ongoing anti-Naxal operations and enhance the delivery of government services to the local inhabitants, he said.
Last month, 16 Naxals were neutralised in Chhattisgarh’s Kularighat reserve forest area in Gariaband district, which is only five km away from Nuapada border.