Normalcy returning to Lalgarh : WB govt

Amitava Roy
Lalgarh (West Bengal), Jun 24 (PTI) With the operations
by the Indian security forces entering the fifth day to
reclaim areas taken over by Maoist-backed tribals in Lalgarh
area in West Bengal, the state government Wednesday said that
the situation was returning to normal.

"I think the situation is returning to normal in Lalgarh.
I have talked to the local people. I have heard their
grievances. I feel if we all work together, normalcy will
return soon," West Bengal Chief Secretary Asok Mohan
Chakraborty told newsmen at a helipad next to the Lalgarh
police station.

Asked how long the operations would continue, Chakraborty
said, "The forces are here. It will depend on them and their
commanders. It is not for me to comment on."

Posed with the same question, Inspector General of Police
(Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said "the operations are on."

Asked why the operations did not appear to be visible,
Kanojia said "We are not conducting operations to make it
visible to you."

With six truckloads of rice arriving, the chief secretary
said from Thursday, besides rice, dal and potatoes would be
provided free to displaced villagers and in relief camps for
which the Block Development Officer has been given
instructions.

Maoists, Chakraborty said, were trying to pressurise
the villagers to stay away from relief camps and rice
distribution centres.

"I talked to the local people and asked them to defeat
the designs of the Maoists," Chakraborty said.

During the visit of the chief secretary, who arrived
by helicopter, thousands of people queued up at the BDO's
office for receiving six kilos of rice each.

"The people of the area suffered a lot. You can make
out that they are in great difficulty," he said, adding that,
people sought jobs, beside food and resumption of transport
services.

"Development activities must be started as soon as
possible. The prerequisite is to restore confidence in the law
and order system. Maoists did not allow government offices,
police and ration shops to function. We are trying to restore
this," he said.

Asked for a time frame, he said, "It's difficult to
give any time frame as we have to deal with the villagers who
are not our enemies. We have to take them into confidence. It
is not possible to give any schedule."

Asked about the alleged harassment by police, the
chief secretary said that the forces have been repeatedly
warned not to indulge in activity that might harm villagers.

"The state and central forces have arrived in the
interest of villagers and not against them. This must be kept
in mind by all," the chief secretary said. "There is no rift
with villagers. Today also I told them to be very cautious in
dealing with villagers."

Chakraborty also said, "if we get definite information
or complaints, we will take strong action."

Asked if lack of development had led to the agitation
by tribals, he said, "if certain sections did not deliver,
this is not the way to press demands.

"Killing doctors and nurses, is it protest?" he asked
referring to the blowing up of an ambulance in Belpahari by
the Maoists in the district in November last year when a
doctor and nurse were killed.

"Anyway, we are trying to start with a clean slate."

The chief secretary, accompanied by DGP (Coordination)
arrived here after visiting adjoining Purulia and Bankura
districts.

In Lalgarh he held a meeting at the BDO's office with
officials and visited the CRPF camp at Ramkrishna Vidyapeeth.

Chakraborty also went to the block hospital and met
patients.

He said that health services were being augmented and
the hospital would have an air-conditioned ward with 12 beds.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had instructed
for augmenting health services, he said. PTI AMR