By IANS
Bhubaneswar : The Orissa government Friday announced its decision to bar the entry of political and religious leaders and social activists to the riot hit Kandhamal district until normalcy returns.
The government, which last week did not permit a team led by the opposition Congress party to visit Knadhamal, about 200 km from here, Thursday did not allow Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury to visit the district.
Yechuri, two MPs and a bishop met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday and expressed their desire to visit the troubled areas.
An official of the chief minister’s office told IANS that Patnaik told the team that the situation in the district is limping back to normal and their visit to the area might stir fresh violence.
At least three people were killed and dozens injured in clashes between Scheduled Caste (SC) Panas – most of whom are Christians – and Scheduled Tribe (ST) Kandhas who are Hindus since Christmas Eve.
The state government has clamped a curfew in the district and deployed more than 1,500 policemen, including three companies of paramilitary forces, but the situation continues to remain tense. There have been reports of fresh violence in the district in the past one week.
The chief minister has visited the affected areas twice – once with a team of officials and again Wednesday with union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
State congress chief Jayadev Jena and former chief minister and leader of opposition J.B. Patnaik also accompanied them Wednesday.
However, the state government did not allow any other politician, religious leader or NGO member to visit the region.
“We have barred the entry of leaders and activists to the area because it may aggravate the situation,” an administrative official told IANS.
“Nobody will be allowed to distribute relief to the affected directly. Anybody wanting to help the victims are requested to hand over their materials to the district administration,” he said.
“Paramilitary forces will remain deployed in the district till Jan 7 and the night curfew in the affected areas will also continue for some more days till everything becomes normal,” he added.
The district administration has started assessing the loss of life and property in the affected areas. It has been asked to complete the survey and submit a report to the government by Saturday.
“As per the preliminary estimate, as many as 383 families have been affected in Brahmanigaon, Barkhama, Katingia and Dindira villages and at least 2,000 people who lost their houses have been given shelter in relief camps,” the official said.
The state government has sanctioned Rs.400 million in addition to the earlier Rs.4 million released from the chief minister’s relief fund for relief and rehabilitation.
“Money is not a problem for providing relief and taking up rehabilitation of the affected families,” home secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra said.
Central Range Revenue Divisional Commissioner Suresh Mohapatra, who was deputed to Kandhamal as a crisis manager, said 60 cases have been filed in different police stations in the district and at least 93 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.
The Biju Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition government in Orissa has been accused of not taking appropriate and timely action in the matter.