The Orissa government seems to have made up its mind to fulfill all the major demands of the Maoists, including release of seven of the top-ranking Maoist activists lodged in various jails in Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattishgarh, to secure safe release of Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Kumar and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi who were taken hostages by the rebels on February 16.
State home secretary Upendra Nath Behera, while briefing reporters after the second day’s negotiations with three of the mediators — Prof. G. Hargopal, Prof. R. Someswar Rao and Dandapani Mohanty — said the state government mediators had come to agreement on eight of the 14 demands and discussion would be held on the rest on Tuesday.
“Firstly, the government has agreed to pursue with the Centre for enlisting the Konda Reddy and Mukadora communities as tribals. Secondly, on the demand to stop Polavaram project by Andhra Pradesh government, we are opposing it from the very beginning as the dam in its present height and flood control design will displace tribals on both the sides. We have filed a case in the SC against the Central Water Commission and the Government of India,” Mr Behea said.
Responding to the third condition with regard to issue of land pattas to the tribals of Narayanpatna, Mr Behera said, “The government is alive to the need of protect interests of the tribals. Senior officers in the rank of additional secretary and joint secretary with statutory powers will be posted in tribal dominated districts like Koraput and Malkangiri. The fifth demand for extension of canal from Kotipali to Maribada under Kalimela block area was also promised by the state government to be met with shortly. On the allegation of torture by prison officials to Tandangi Gangulu and Ratanu Sirika, Mr Behera clarified that both had died in hospital.
The sixth demand is release of Shila Di or Shila Didi who is suffering from ill health and another Padma who is from Chhattishgarh.
On the seventh demand of end to the mining operations and cancellation of the mining lease of Mali and Deomali bauxite mines and all the MoUs with MNCs Mr Behera said: “The grant of mining lease is a matter of Government of India and we have agreed that in these matters that the relevant laws and rules such as PESA, Forest Conservation Act and other related forest and environment laws should be strictly followed.”
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‘Officer is in good health’
AGE CORRESPONDENT
BHUBANESWAR
Feb. 21: Maoist leader Prasad, who appeared on a local TV channel on Monday, said the abducted Malkangiri collector, R. Vineel Krishna, and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi, were in good health.
“Aame tanku thick re rakhichhu (we have kept them in good condition),” Prasad said in an interview with OTV.
In Bhubaneswar, taking note of some reports in Andhra Pradesh media that the collector was seriously ill, the state government sought a clarification from the three interlocutors.