Officials to review Kandhamal package implementation

A team of senior officials will visit the strife-torn Kandhamal district on Wednesday to review the implementation of the special development package announced for the district by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on September 27.

The team comprises the special administrator for Kandhamal, the revenue secretary and other senior officials of the state government.

This was announced by Patnaik after a high-level meeting to review the situation in Kandhamal.

The chief minister had announced a special development package for all round development of the tribal dominated Kandhamal district in the wake of large scale communal violence there which, so far, has claimed over 40 lives besides rendering several thousand families homeless.

The package included the setting up of a technical training institute in Kandhamal district to impart vocational training and generate employment for the youths, opening a BEd college and also setting up a horticulture training centre in the district.

The chief minister had also announced the setting up of special camp courts in the office of every revenue inspector to deal with land disputes involving people belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Moreover, a dedicated court at Phulabani under a commissioner was announced for dealing with revenue cases.

Similarly, for verification of caste certificates on a war footing, ten police inspectors have been deployed in the district. Patnaik has also announced the opening of eight new tehsils in the district for balanced development of the region.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department on Monday arrested three tribals from Baliguda block in connection with the killing of senior VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others at Jalespeta ashram on August 23 in Kandhamal district.

The three arrested persons were produced at the court at Baliguda and a senior police official said, several vital clues on Swamiji’s murder have been obtained from them.

Besides, the main miscreant involved in the alleged nun rape case was arrested on Monday, said Manmohan Praharaj, the director general of police. A police team headed by B Radhika, inspector general (police) left for Delhi to persuade the catholic nun to cooperate in the crime branch investigation process.

The nun was allegedly raped at K Nuagaon in Kandhamal during a bandh on August 25.

The riot-hit Kandhamal is limping back to normalcy with the lifting of prohibitory orders under Section 144 in the town areas during the day time.

"We have lifted the prohibitory orders during the day time from last evening to enable the people to celebrate the Durga Puja and Baraladevi Yatra, the biggest annual festival of the Kandha tribals", Kishan Kumar, the district collector told Business Standard.

However, the prohibitory orders under Section 144 were in force in the rural areas and night curfew prevailed in nine towns of the district.