More cell towers in agency areas to help anti-Naxal ops

More cell towers in agency areas to help anti-Naxal ops
x
Highlights

The State government has asked the public sector company BSNL to install more cell towers in the agency areas of Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari districts to keep track of outlawed Maoists, who are said to be regrouping to fight against bauxite mining and other development projects. 

Visakhapatnam: The State government has asked the public sector company BSNL to install more cell towers in the agency areas of Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari districts to keep track of outlawed Maoists, who are said to be regrouping to fight against bauxite mining and other development projects.

The government approached the BSNL since no private operator came forward to take up the work, fearing threat to life and property.

Police sources said the Union government had sanctioned 12 mobile towers for Visakhapatnam, 26 for Vizianagaram district, 10 for East Godavari and five towers in West Godavari districts. Out of 53 sites, work on towers commenced at 51 places and of them 30 became operational recently.

Though the BSNL planned to set up towers at Jerrila (GK Veedhi mandal) and Maddigaruvu (G Madugula mandal) in Vizag Agency, the government relocated the towers to Rudakota (Pedabayalu mandal) and Rallagedda (Chintapalle Mandal) due to the security reasons.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) annual report 2015-16 says that the Maoist violence in AP had gone up by 94 per cent in 2015-16 compared to previous years as a result of the proposed bauxite mining and few other issues.

Intelligence sources said that the CPI (Maoist) has been extending direct support to locals against the mining in Vizag Agency and construction of Polavaram project in West Godavari.

The police forces are worrisome that the outlawed Maoists are slowly regaining ground in wake of resistance over proposed Polavaram project and bauxite mining, though the State government had kept the latter one on hold.

Senior officials said expanding mobile network in the far flung villages not only benefit the police in taking up anti-Maoists operations but also the local people in getting medical aid.

Show Full Article
Print Article
Next Story
More Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENTS