...... and it was happening merely a few kilometres away from office ofthe MoEF

http://t.co/u5PDbDWyCi

Illegal miners violating every green norm, defying SC and Allahabad HC orders: Panel

Vishwa Mohan & Ayaskant Das,TNN | Aug 11, 2013, 05.48AM IST 

NEW DELHI: There's evidence of "rampant, unscientific and illegal (sand) mining" at various locations along the Yamuna in UP's Gautam Budh Nagar district, a union ministry of environment and forest probe has found. The fi ndings could be seen as an endorsement of IAS offi cer Durga Sakthi Nagpal's crackdown on illegal miners.


Referring to the illegal mining, a problem brought into focus by Nagpal, the inquiry committee said mining had been going on in violation of environmental rules, the mines and minerals (development and regulation) Act, 1957, and directions given by the Supreme Court, Allahabad high court and the National Green Tribunal.

At one site, the threemember committee found, illegal miners had hastily filled an excavated quarry by pumping huge amounts of water to hide any trace of mining activity. This had been done within hours of the environment ministry announcing the panel to probe illegal sand mining.

Making the panel's fi ndings public on Saturday, the Union environment ministry highlighted stretches along the Yamuna where illegal sand mining was rampant. These include stretches near the Yamuna Bridge (Zuppa Village), Hamid Pur-Palwal Road, Jewar; Mamnathal village (confluence of the Yamuna and Hindon); Gaddi-Samastipur village; Kundli village, Raipur Khadar and Yakutpur.

The report suggested seven measures which both the environment ministry and the state government may take up to prevent such activities. Among them is the need for appropriate disaster management safeguards in view of the area's high seismicity. The findings were submitted to the Union environment and forest minister Jayanthi Natarajan.

The report carries photographs of illegal quarries and statements given by villagers who may act as witnesses in courts if the matter comes up for hearing. The committee's findings will be submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which on August 5 asked the environment ministry and state authorities to come up with a response to the issue of illegal sand mining by Au gust 14. The NGT had come out with the direction while hearing a plea filed by the NGT Bar Association which alleged that illegal sand mining was on in UP with the "wilful connivance" of the state machinery. The report was prepared after a survey last week.

As per the fi ndings, sand mining takes place in sever al Noida and Greater Noida locations, even though only three leases have been given by the state government. Of these three, two have over shot their expiry in May The third has been extended till September 15.

All three mining leases adding up to over 400 acres are adjacent to each other in Raipur Khadar area of Gautam Buddh Nagar. Even these mines operate with out mandatory clearances There were no clearances from MoEF, the State En vironment Impact Assess ment Authority or the UP Pollution Control Board.

In 2011, UP's irrigation department had warned that the sand mining in No ida had pushed fl ood waters towards the embankment No-one took up the matter . They sent a communica tion marked to the SDM in April 2013. Realising that all of Noida would be at the risk of heavy fl oods Durga Sakthi took action only to be transferred immediately after.

.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEzLzA4LzExI0FyMDE3MDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom 

Illegal sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh..... probe and report

Probe .... http://t.co/ISOOBiFVs5

and ....http://t.co/GuBLKKBGr0

Report ....http://t.co/0zCtL2BSNw

Impact of IAS Durga's action: Govt forms committee to look into illegal sand mining

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Aug 7, 2013, 04.32PM IST 

The ministry's move comes in the backdrop of the action taken by the young IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpal against illegal sand miners who were allegedly involved in such activities under political patronage.

NEW DELHI: The Union ministry of environment and forest has constituted a three-member committee to inquire into the allegations of illegal sand mining in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh and asked it to submit its report by Friday.

The ministry's move comes in the backdrop of the action taken by the young IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpal against illegal sand miners who were allegedly involved in such activities under political patronage.

An official note of the environment ministry said that the committee, which was set up on Tuesday would ascertain "the factual position" of the alleged illegal sand mining as being highlighted by the media.

The committee which made its first spot visit on Tuesday itself will also suggest further course of action in the matter in view of the reported incidents in the Gautam Buddh Nagar area of Uttar Pradesh.

"The secretariat assistance to the committee, headed by a director-rank officer of the ministry of environment and forest will be provided by the regional office of the MoEF, Lucknow. The committee will submit its report to the ministry by August 9", said an office order.

The committee will also enquire into the 'adverse environmental impact' of the alleged illegal sand mining in Gautam Buddh Nagar district.

Though the illegal sand mining had reportedly been going in the area for long, it caught government's attention only when the media highlighted it in the wake of strict action taken by the local sub-divisional magistrate Durga Sakthi Nagpal against the miners last month.

Nagpal had subsequently to face suspension. Although she was ostensibly suspended for ordering demolition of wall of an under-construction mosque in the area, local politicians were caught in camera claiming how they got her suspended for taking action against sand miners, the claim which was denied by the Uttar Pradesh government. 

Central govt's probe panel endorses Durga's action against illegal sand mining

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Aug 8, 2013, 09.42PM IST 

A central probe panel has found that sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar district was being carried out in violation of laws.

NEW DELHI: In what could be an endorsement of the action taken by the IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpalagainst illegal sand miners, a probe panel of the Union environment ministry has found that mining activities in the Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh were being carried out in clear violation of the environment law and none of the miners had applied for clearance either to the central ministry or the state authorities.

The three-member panel, which visited mining sites and interacted with local authorities during the past two days, is learnt to have prepared its inquiry report with the help of inputs provided by the ministry's Lucknow-based regional office.

Sources said that the inquiry panel has favoured booking all the illegal sand miners under relevant section of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 having provisions of punishment with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to five years or with fine up to Rs 1 lakh or with both.

"Scrutiny of records showed that none of the miners had ever applied for environment clearance which is mandatory for any mining activity in the country as per the February, 2012 order of the Supreme Court", said an official.

The report will be submitted to the ministry on Friday. It will subsequently be submitted to the national green tribunal (NGT) which had on Monday asked the environment ministry and state authorities to come out with their response on the issue of illegal sand mining by August 14.

The NGT had come out with the direction while hearing a plea filed by the national green tribunal bar association which alleged that the illegal sand mining activities were going on in Uttar Pradesh with "willful connivance" of the state machinery.

Besides assessing the impact of such activities on environment, the report of the probe panel also carries details of further course of action which the state authorities need to take under the rules of the Environment (Protection) Act in view of the last year's apex court order.

Taking cue from the Supreme Court order, the union environment ministry had on May 18, 2012 delegated the powers of mandatory environment clearance of mining of minor minerals, including sand, of lease area upto 5 hectare to the concerned State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs) of the respective state governments.

Under the existing rules, cases of mining of minor minerals, involving lease area between 5 hectare and 50 hectare are already being handled by the SEIAAs whereas the Union ministry of environment and forest deals with the cases of environment clearance in respect of projects of mining of minor minerals with lease area equal to or above 50 hectare........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDgvMDgjQXIwMDYwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

AND

.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMy8wOC8wOSNBcjAxMDAy&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Media brings the issue of illegal sand mining on minister's table

http://t.co/V6LIixjT3b

Inspection team likely to visit Gautam Budh Nagar sites today

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Aug 6, 2013, 04.40AM IST 

NEW DELHI: With the young IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal bringing into focus the menace of illegal sand mining which thrives under alleged political patronage in Uttar Pradesh, the Union ministry of environment and forest has decided to take stock of the situation by sending a team of officials at the site in Gautam Budh Nagar district. The visit is likely to occur on Tuesday.

Environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan told TOI that the team would be sent to the illegal sand mining sites at the earliest. "We will crackdown on illegal sand mining under the Environment Protection Act. We intend to know the full facts of the issue. We would send a team there in a day or two," said Natarajan.

Asked about the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order restraining sand mining in river beds across the country without prior green clearance, the minister said, "Though I haven't yet read the order, we have complete mechanism in place to implement it fully in the light of an earlier Supreme Court order to this effect".

The apex court had in February, 2012, directed states to grant leases for mining of minor minerals, including sand, even in a less than five hectares area only after getting environmental clearances. Earlier, plots that were less than five hectares did not need permission for mining.

Making certain observations about sand mining, the Supreme Court had noted adverse effect of such activities on biodiversity. It had said, "Sand mining on either side of the rivers is one of the causes for environmental degradation and also a threat to the biodiversity. Over the years, India's rivers and riparian ecology have been badly affected by the alarming rate of unrestricted sand mining".

The NGT order on Monday, in fact, only pushed for implementation of the SC orders while hearing the plea of the NGT bar association which contended that illegal mining and transport of lakhs of tonnes of sand is being carried out every year and is causing a loss of lakhs of crores of rupees to the state exchequer.

Many reports, however, show that UP is not the only state where illegal sand mining continues under alleged political patronage. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar too saw illegal sand mining. 

NGT on illegal sand mining in Uttar Pradesh .... Durga Shakti Nagpal's impact

http://t.co/xvPNz5DIHb

National Green Tribunal pushes states to implement SC order banning sand mining

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Aug 5, 2013, 09.04PM IST 

NEW DELHI: With the young IAS officer Durga ShaktiNagpal brining into focus the menace of illegal sand mining which thrives under alleged political patronage in Uttar Pradesh, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday restrained sand mining in river beds without taking prior environmental clearance across the country.

The Tribunal asked states to come out with their response on the issue by August 14 whereas the Union ministry of environment and forest decided to take stock of the situation by sending officials at illegal sand mining sites in Gautam Budh Nagar area in UP as early as on Tuesday.

The Green Tribunal came out with the order while hearing a plea filed by the National Green Tribunal Bar Association which alleged that the illegal sand mining activities were going on in Uttar Pradesh with "willful connivance" of the state machinery.

The plea was filed in the backdrop of Nagpal's action against illegal sand miners in Gautam Budh Nagar district. Though the Tribunal initially restrained illegal sand mining on the beds and banks of rivers Yamuna, Ganga, Hindon, Chambal and Gomti among others in UP, it later modified its order considering the nationwide implications of such an illegal activity.

Union minister of environment and forest Jayanthi Natarajan told the TOI that the team would be sent to the sites of illegal sand mining (Gautam Budh Nagar) at the earliest.

"We will crackdown on illegal sand mining under the Environment Protection Act. We intend to know the full facts of the issue as being highlighted by media and therefore would send a team within a next couple of days", said Natarajan.

Asked about the Green Tribunal's order restraining sand mining without prior environmental clearance, the minister said, "Though I haven't yet read the order, we have mechanism in place to implement it fully in the light of earlier Supreme Court order to this effect".

The apex court had in February last year directed states to grant leases for mining of minor minerals -- including sand, gravel, clay, marble and other stones -- even in a less than five hectares area only after getting environmental clearances from the ministry of environment and forest. Earlier, plots which were less than five hectares did not need any permission for mining.

Making certain observations about sand mining, the Supreme Court noted adverse effect of such activities on biodiversity. It had said, "Sand mining on either side of the rivers -- upstream and in-stream -- is one of the causes for environmental degradation and also a threat to the biodiversity. Over the years, India's rivers and riparian ecology have been badly affected by the alarming rate of unrestricted sand mining".

The Green Tribunal order on Monday, in fact, did not go beyond the pronouncement of the apex court orders. It only pushed for implementation of the orders while hearing the plea of the NGT Bar Association which contended that "rampant" illegal mining and transport of lakhs of tonnes of sand is being carried on every year and is causing a loss of lakhs of crores of rupees to the state exchequer.

"Uttar Pradesh state authorities have failed and/or have intentionally not taken appropriate legal action against the project proponents (those carrying out mining) and thus have abetted and willfully connived in allowing such illegal sand mining to take place in complete violation of environmental and other applicable laws," the petition alleged.

Many reports show that UP is not the only state where illegal sand mining continues under alleged political patronage. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar too saw illegal sand mining despite the Supreme Court's order banning such activities.

MSP for minor forest produce

http://t.co/WUxBeJzlH0

Tackling red menace: Government introduces minimum support price system for forest produce

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Aug 2, 2013, 11.15PM IST 

NEW DELHI: In a move which may help in breaking Maoists' financial backbone, the government has approved a scheme to procure 12 minor forest produces including tendu leaf, mahuwa seed, lac and tamarind through a the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism like foodgrain.

The centrally-sponsored system will remove contractors\middlemen who had to pay hefty protection money to Maoists. The responsibility of purchasing the forest produce on MSP will be with the state-designated agencies under the scheme.

Other minor forest produce which are to be procured on the basis of MSP include bamboo, karanj, sal leaf, sal seed, chironjee, wild honey, myrobalan and gums.

It is estimated that nearly 40% of the Naxalites' annual funding (roughly Rs 140 crore per annum as per a recent study conducted by a think tank) comes from the contractors involved in procuring these minor forest produce in Maoist-affected states.

Maoists manage rest of their funding through extorting miners, road contractors and private companies in mineral-rich red zone including Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The scheme, which got the Union Cabinet approval on Thursday, will also ensure that the tribal population gets a remunerative price for the produce they collect from the forest. It will also provide alternative employment avenues to them. An estimated 100 million forest dwellers depend on the minor forest produce for food, shelter, medicines, and cash income.

The ministry of tribal affairs will be the nodal authority for implementation and monitoring of the scheme. The MSP would be determined by the ministry with technical help of TRIFED. The scheme will have Rs 967 crore as central government share and Rs 249 crore as the state's share for the current Plan period.

The idea of choking the flow of fund to Maoists through MSP-based system was first discussed during the chief ministers' conference on June 5. The meeting was held in the backdrop of the brutal attack in Chhattisgarh which left 28 people including senior Congress leaders of the state killed on May 25.

Deliberations on strategy to deal with the problem had seen chief ministers of seven naxalite-affected states agreed to have a policy where the states can directly procure forest produce through MSP mechanism so that such economic activity does not fall into the hands of Maoists.

"At present, these lucrative forest produce are being procured by private contractors who have to part their earnings with Maoists out of fear. Once states start procuring these products, it will help in blocking the 'finance' of red ultras", said an official.

The new scheme seeks to establish a system to ensure fair monetary returns for forest dweller's efforts in collection, primary processing, storage, packaging, transportation etc, while ensuring sustainability of the resource base. "It also seeks to get them a share of revenue from the sales proceeds with costs deducted," said an official statement.

It will cover minor forest produce, which are not nationalized in states having scheduled areas and scheduled tribes in accordance with Fifth Schedule of Constitution. These are Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Jharkhand.

"The scheme supports primary value addition as well as provides for supply chain infrastructure like cold storage, warehouses, etc. Emphasis on scientific harvesting along with interventions stated in the scheme can sustain the process while ensuring higher returns to the collector. This package of intervention can help in organizing unstructured minor forest produce markets," said an official statement...........................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDgvMDMjQXIwMTUwNA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Durga Shakti Nagpal ..... the case unites new generation of bureaucrats who want to bring change without fear and favour

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UP cannot keep IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal under suspension for more than 90 days

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Aug 2, 2013, 08.26PM IST 

Durga Shakti Nagpal can be placed under suspension beyond three months only if her suspension order is confirmed by the central government.

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government cannot keep the brave IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal — who launched a massive crackdown against illegal sand miners in Gautam Budh Nagar district — under suspension for more than 90 days without the Centre's consent.

The young IAS officer can be placed under suspension beyond three months only if her suspension order is confirmed by the central government. Even in that case, she cannot be placed under suspension beyond one year.

The All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules says that the state can keep the officer under suspension for maximum 90 days, pending disciplinary proceedings.

The central government (ministry of personnel which is the cadre controlling authority of all IAS officers in the country) can either confirm or deny the state's suspension order based on report of the departmental proceedings.

Under the rule, the state cannot delay the report beyond 90 days (initially 45 days which may be further extended to another 45 days) — that means Uttar Pradesh government cannot put Nagpal under suspension, pending disciplinary proceedings, beyond three months without being conformed by the Centre.

During disciplinary proceedings, the IAS officer has to present her reply through her superior to the chief secretary.

The chief secretary, being the top bureaucrat in the state, can take a call to either continue the suspension or revoke it depending on report of the disciplinary proceedings.

State will then have to send the report to the Centre for confirmation. Opinion of the central government will prevail after processing the report.

If Centre goes by the state's report, the suspended officer can move to the central administrative tribunal (CAT) for "revocation" or "stay" of the suspension order.

The CAT (which deals with officers' service matters) acts as the arbiter — decides on the basis of the Centre's recommendations and those of the state government. It also takes into account the officer's version. It judges if the state government followed due procedures as per service rules in suspending officer.

The period of suspension on the charges other than corruption will not exceed one year, pending further departmental inquiry. If the inquiry is not completed within one year, the suspension order will automatically stand revoked.

Suspension of IAS officer can continue beyond one year only on the recommendations of the central ministry's review committee. This stage, however, comes only in the case of serious disciplinary charges against an officer. 

Relaxed norm may boost development in Maoist-affected districts

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Govt relaxes forest land use norms to boost development in Red Zones; extends the list of beneficiaries

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Aug 1, 2013, 09.47PM IST 

NEW DELHI: Thirty-five more Maoist-affected districts will now be able to divert forest land for creation of critical public utility infrastructure including schools, hospitals, police stations and rural roads without being trapped in the nitty-gritty of mandatory forest clearance.

The ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) has recently extended the 'relaxed' norms to these districts, taking the tally of such districts availing the concession to 117. The maximum 11 districts out of the new addition of 35 are in Bihar, which, of late, got Centre's special attention due to the state chief minister Nitish Kumar's clear tilt towards the UPA.

Though the MoEF's decision had come over a month before Kumar's JD(U) snapped ties with BJP, the move was extension of the Centre's other concessions to Biharincluding clearing Rs 12,000 crore package for the state.Bihar had been insisting to include these districts in the list of Maoist-affected districts for long, but the Centre earlier did not oblige the state.

The MoEF's officials, however, maintained that the ministry had simply heeded to the advice of home ministry and planning commission by extending the relaxed forest conservation rules to all these 35 districts including 11 from Bihar. Eight districts in the list are from Andhra Pradesh followed by seven fromChhattisgarh, four from Jharkhand, two each from Maharashtra and Odisha and one from West Bengal.

Under the relaxed norms, the ministry has accorded "general approval" under Section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land for creating 13 categories of public infrastructure in these districts. The provision, however, restricts the government departments to involve maximum five hectares of forest land for a particular project.

The 13 categories of works which are allowed under the relaxed norms include construction of schools, rural roads, dispensaries, hospitals, electrical and telecommunication lines, rain water harvesting structure, minor irrigation canal, police stations, water towers and underground laying of optical fiber cables, telephone lines and drinking water supply lines among others.

The MoEF had in 2011 relaxed the norms for 60 Maoist-affected districts. Later, it was extended to 22 more districts in December last year. The latest addition of 35 districts had happened on May 17, taking to tally to 117.

While 82 of them are the districts which come under the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) scheme of the Planning Commission, the 35 are those which come under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme of the home ministry.

Out of 1,00,133 projects taken up by the states for accelerated development under the IAP, 69056 projects had been completed till January this year. Under theSRE scheme, funds are provided for meeting the recurring expenditure relating to insurance, training and operational needs of the security forces, rehabilitation of surrendered Maoist cadres and community policing.........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDgvMDUjQXIwMTEwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Niyamgiri Hills ..... Vedanta ...... Bauxite Mining ..... and a question mark over the development model in 21st Century India

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http://t.co/j3iVoeLX6Q

AND

http://t.co/l8U04FYuEq

Villages reject Vedanta's plan to mine Niyamgiri hills

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Aug 1, 2013, 04.42AM IST 

Though the ministry's official position will be disclosed only in the Supreme Court in due course, closed-door discussions over the developments in Odisha indicates that it may be a lost battle for Vedanta and the state government.

NEW DELHI: Vedanta is unlikely to get clearance to mine Niyamgiri hills to feed its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Odisha. With a majority of the selected villages rejecting the state's proposal to allow bauxite mining in the area, the Union environment ministry is likely to stick to its guns and hold back the mandatory clearance.

Though the ministry's official position will be disclosed only in the Supreme Court in due course, closed-door discussions over the developments in Odisha indicates that it may be a lost battle for Vedanta and the state government.

Government sources said the ministry will not go against the wishes of people, keeping in view its earlier stand when it insisted that rejection from even one of the 12 'selected' villages would be enough to maintain status quo. As it stands, eight villages have already rejected the proposal with the rest likely to go the same way.

"Such an outright rejection from majority of gram sabhas will only vindicate the ministry's stand," said an official source.

The ministry had cancelled the mandatory stage-II forest clearance granted to Vedanta's bauxite project in August 2010.

After setting up a one million tonne per annum alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district, Vedanta had entered into an agreement with the Odisha government for supply of bauxite through the state-owned Orissa Mining Corporation. This move was, however, challenged by anti-displacement groups and the company could never operate its plant at full capacity due to shortage of bauxite.

The Supreme Court had in April asked the Odisha government to go to gram sabhas to look into religious and cultural aspects of the (Dongaria Kondh) tribals in the region and take a decision in three months.

Independent observers of the state government will write to the environment ministry once all 12 gram sabhas come out with their views. The ministry will then have to submit its report to the Supreme Court within three months.

The matter is expected to figure in Vedanta's annual general meeting in London on Thursday. The company did not respond to TOI's questions relating to these developments till late on Wednesday evening.

A challenge before the proposed Telangana (the birthplace of many dreaded Maoists) .... the warning may help the new state look at weak links and take adequate measures to handle the menace

http://t.co/Qvs7CMnZAp

Srikrishna panel warns of Red challenge for Telangana

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Jul 31, 2013, 02.21AM IST 

It is believed that the proximity of north Telangana region with the Red zones in Odisha, Chhattisgarh (Bastar) and Maharashtra (Gadchiroli) will turn out to be advantageous for the ultras

NEW DELHI: Will Telangana meet the fate of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand which turned into Naxal hotbeds after being carved out from Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, respectively? Security indicators point to this possibility as it found special mention in the Srikrishna Committee report that factored in the region's history and its proximity to 'live' Red Zones.

Though the committee did not make the particular chapter, which deals with internal security issue, of its report public, it shared its content voicing concerns of security experts and stakeholders separately with the home ministry.

The chapter pointed out how the formation of new state could spell trouble in maintaining peace in the region which had once been in the grip of Red terror.

It also specifically noted how the over-ground sympathizers of Maoists had been in the forefront of supporting the pro-Telangana agitations, making it possible that the new state may go soft towards the left-wing extremists.

The government had set up Justice (retired) B N Srikrishna Committee for consultations on the situation in Andhra Pradesh, specifically in view of the separate Telangana statehood demand. The committee had submitted its report to the home ministry in December, 2010.

Referring to the concerns raised by the Committee as well as security agencies, officials here said the division of Andhra Pradesh would see bifurcated police force contributing to a weaker response to the Maoist menace.

"The state's special anti-Naxal force, Greyhound, which had successfully countered Red ultras in the past few years will also be bifurcated, giving breathing space to the Maoist top leadership that was chased out of Andhra Pradesh," said an official.

Incidentally, CPI (Maoist) chief Muppala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathi belongs to the Telangana region (Karimnagar district) like his other comrades from the ultras' top decision-making body, politburo, and the outfit's central committee. While six of them belong to Karimnagar, 13 others are from Warangal.

Though they all had started from Andhra Pradesh, they had to eventually flee the state amid intense pressure from Greyhound and other security agencies and took shelters in the ultras' hideouts either in Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand.

It is believed that the proximity of north Telangana region with the Red zones in Odisha, Chhattisgarh (Bastar) and Maharashtra (Gadchiroli) will turn out to be advantageous for the ultras who may use it to coordinate with their inter-state wings for bigger strikes, specifically when the bifurcated police force will hardly pose any challenge for the.

"Such a situation will also see Naxals from neighbouring states to take shelter in relatively safer Telangana during anti-Maoist operations in Odisha, Chhattisgarh or Maharashtra," said an official.

Citing examples of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, the official also pointed out that the new states have to pass through a phase of slowdown in economic activity that ultimately drive people to deprivation, forcing them to take up radical steps like taking up arms or other illegal activities.

"Maoists, generally, look for recruiting cadres from among such vulnerable people and the new state, having history of Naxal violence, may provide a fertile ground for them," said the official while keeping his fingers crossed amid fear of facing any extreme eventuality in the long run................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMy8wNy8zMSNBcjAxMDA3&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom