Orissa police organize public interaction camps for tribals

GAJAPATI - In an initiative to bridge gap between police and public, the Orissa police have started interacting with the tribals in the State’s Gajapati district.

Gajapati district is dominated by tribals and is affected by Maoist activities. Often, Maoists take advantage of the innocent tribals.

A major part of the district is inaccessible, as it is located amid the forests. It becomes difficult for the police force to fight Maoists because they don’t receive any support from the tribals, the reason being their unfamiliarity with the police.

Officials say they wish to bridge the gap between police and the tribals and understand their concerns.

“The purpose behind this camp is to make the people here familiar with the police so that police in turn can know about the problems faced by the local people. The main motive is to bridge the gap between people and police,” said Sanjeev Arora, Superintendent of Police, Gajapati.

Meanwhile, the organization of the public interaction camps proved to be a major hit. Volleyball matches and free medical check up camps were the highlight of the camps. Besides, the tribals received free medicines, clothes and food.

Tribal women were delighted after attending the camps.

“We used to face lot of problems. Health problem was one among them as doctors hardly paid any visit to this area. We even faced water problems. Roads are not good enough and we also face problems in communication. Although, earlier, we had no medical facilities but now we receive them after the doctors have started arriving,” said Jely Patra, a tribal woman.

Life is tough for the villagers in insurgency-hit areas. As residents have to live consistently under pressure from the security forces and Maoists as well..

Maoist rebels say they are fighting for the rights of poor farmers and landless labourers and which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described as one of the gravest threats to India’s internal security.

Maoists have a presence in 14 of India’s 29 states, but control only tiny pockets within them. By Sarada Lahangir (ANI)