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Maoists threaten to blow up Balimela hydro-electricity project

BERHAMPUR: Maoists have started to use populist demands to increase their support base among tribals and dalits living in remote areas of the district.

Maoists have threatened to blow up the Balimela hydro-electricity project if power supply was not provided to the non-electrified villages in Malkangiri district within two months. They have also threatened to blast the dams of Chitrakonda and Sileru projects if their demand was not met.

This new power supply related demand came up through posters of naxals pasted at Dalkhai village at a distance of around two kilometers from Chitrakonda town.

It may be noted that providing power supply to all remote villages has been a major political plank for the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress.

Rural electrification projects have been taken up through Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) of the Central government and Biju Gramin Jyoti Yojana (BGJY) of the State government . But these projects have been delayed for various reasons in Malkangiri district.

Through the recent posters the Maoists also repeated their old threat against the traders procuring forest and agricultural produce.

They threatened to kill or punish traders who were not providing proper procurement price to the tribals or were involved in exploitation through sale of essential goods at a higher price.

Names of some liquor traders of the area also found mention in the threat posters. They were threatened to be murdered if they did not stop selling liquor and Mahua, the local brew.

Naxals also burnt down five country liquor-brewing units near Chitrakonda during past two days.

According to intelligence sources through these rhetoric the Maoists are trying to pose themselves as social activists to increase their support base among the people living in remote areas.

And by it they want to alienate the common people from the administration and government.

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