M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Sept 28: After the decisive assault against the Maoists on the Burha Pahar by the security forces, in which the Maoists left abandoning their decades-old fort, now the authorities are working to alleviate the poor living there.
DIG CRPF B K Sharma, DIG STF Anoop Birtharay and Latehar SP Anjani Anjan air dashed there on Tuesday. They discussed poverty and put their heads together for finer strategies to keep the Maoists away.
A day after their visit, DIG STF Anoop Birtharay today talked to this correspondent about the current situation and future goals for Burha Pahar. The DIG agreed that poverty, malnutrition and economic deprivation exist here.
“There is poverty. Children are malnourished, girls look pale. Pregnant women battle hard to keep the baby in the womb. Poverty is making people age faster,” he said.
When asked about the medical facility for the villagers, the DIG said, “The commonly sick visit our camps to get medicines for fever. We provide them paracetamols.”
DIG Anoop further said that Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a meeting had asked the Garhwa DC to work towards developing the infrastructure on the Burha Pahar. “Garhwa SP has informed us about the meeting to be held on October 1 with a fleet of officers of the civil and forest to discuss the issue of development inclusive of the Burha Pahar,” he said. They will also be suggesting Garhwa DC Ramesh Gholap to get an earthen check dam built on the water stream and set up a 10 KV solar power plant here.
Regarding the reaction of the primitive tribes and residents of other communities to the new security set-up, the DIG said that the Muslims living here bring fresh vegetables, eggs etc to sell to the jawans. Few of them even prepare omelettes for them.
“You can imagine omelette getting ready for the jawans sitting atop the Burha Pahar. Was this possible 5 years ago? No. The primitive tribal Birjiyas and Nagesias are yet to open up. We are trying to make them a little bit of merchandise in their own way,” he added.
DIG Anoop further said, “4-5 families still reside at Jhalo Dera and three at Burha Gaon. The commonality between them is their destitution, deprivation and ability to survive amidst all the oddities of life. We believe peace and security on the Burha Pahar herald will a new beginning for the poor. We will try to pull our resources to bring in more and more light in the lives of the poor here who were made to live in the medieval darkness by the Maoists.”
