Maoists Calls For Economic Blockade In Jharkhand

JHARKHAND

Maoists calls for economic blockade in Jharkhand

Newkerala.com

27th May 2006

Ranchi: Security has been beefed up in view of the Communist Party of India (Maoist)'s call for a three-day economic blockade in Jharkhand from today, to ensure interrupted transportation of minerals produced in the state.

Comparing experience of Naxalite attacks during such economic blockades in the past, senior government officials said that authorities stressed that there should be a healthier co-ordination between para-military and railways forces in the mineral rich districts.

They said that security has been tightened up after the discovery of CPI (Maoist) blockade. Even extra forces have also been arranged at important mines.

Following the violence started off by the Naxalities, despite of government’s efforts, transporters in Lohardaga, famous for Bauxites, apprehended the presence of landmines.

According to exporters from the main coal belts like Dhanbad, Hazaribag, Chatra, Palamu, Latehar and Giridih, blockade might interrupt the work.

Transportation and mining activities in Bhabnapur, famous for Dolomite and lime stone and Sarguja district in neighbouring Chattisgarh might be affected in large due to economic blockade by the Naxalites.

Security has been beefed up in view of blockade but booking and carriage would be affected, railway sources said.

The rebels are expected to block the movement of minerals by rail and road in their areas of influence in Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh.

Pamphlets in the Naxal-infested Gumla district in Jharkhand showed that most of these states had signed MoUs to set up industrial units. The land of the poor will be acquired and minerals exploited to feed these plants. Our agitation is a protest against the imminent displacement of the poor and loot of minerals.

In Jharkhand, the issue of mineral exploitation and displacement of locals, as part of the implementation of the 44 MoUs signed with private companies in the past five years, is a sensitive issue.

The CPI, CPI (ML), CPI (M), JMM and several members of the Catholic and Protestant Church have opposed implementation of the MoUs.

In Gadchiroli, Naxalites burnt two trucks on May 23 and 24 on the Dhanora-Hattitola road and the Murumgaon-Sawargaon road each.