Lack of funds hits anti-naxal projects in Kerala

KOZHIKODE: Tribal-friendly projects initiated in the rural areas of Kozhikode in the wake of reports of recurring Maoist infiltration into tribal hamlets in the past have been hit by lack of funds, police said. The projects were aimed at developing a rapport between the police and the tribals in Maoist zones. Officials said no funds were sanctioned after the new government took over and the projects, which usually began in September, were yet to take off.

According to Rural SP N. Vijayakumar, regular meetings of the DySPs were taking place in the tribal areas. But tribal outreach programmes, other than the regular ones, had not started. Adalats, interaction programmes, medical camps, special coaching classes and even PSC training sessions were earlier held in tribal hamlets. After Maoist sightings in the tribal colonies of Kozhikode, the special branch had intensified communication with tribals at the grassroots. The idea was to give them access to officials to facilitate interactions, especially on matters related to the Maoist presence in the region.

IG Dinendra Kashyap said that the transfer of the Rural SPs and the installation of the new government delayed the whole process. “Such activities are being done as part of the regular work in the areas. So, new officers have to be more familiar with the area and cannot develop such sensitive projects all of a sudden,” the IG said. He added that the violence and murders in the area, soon after the election also delayed the projects. “The force had to concentrate on the violence in the area and political murders. Now, the rural police is busy with the investigation of the murder of IUML worker Muhammed Aslam,” the IG said.