Bhubaneswar: The Orissa government on Thursday
discussed better coordination between central para-military
forces and the police for anti-Maoist operations, official
sources said.
This was discussed at the first meeting of state`s
Unified Command attended by senior officers of Border Security
Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Orissa
Police and intelligence wings.
"Today`s meeting was mostly on forging coordination
among the Orissa police, BSF and CRPF," Chief Secretary B K
Patnaik told reporters after the meeting.
The issue of lack of coordination among the central
forces and state police was discussed at the meeting in the
backdrop of killings by Maoists in Koraput and Malkangiri
districts where five battalions of BSF were deployed for over
six months.
"We will hold meetings frequently to ensure that there
is proper coordination among the forces engaged in anti-Maoist
operations in the state," he said.
Problems faced by the Central forces at the field
level and their solutions were also discussed, the chief
secretary said.
The meeting, however, did not take any decision on
appointment of a major general for the unified command. "There
was no such discussion on appointment of a major general at
the meeting," Patnaik said.
There were five battalions (one battalion comprises
540 personnel) of BSF and eight of the CRPF in Maoist-hit
districts.
Around 6,330 personnel of Orissa Police were also
engaged in anti-Maoist operations in the state.
Officials of the central forces sought help of the
state government in providing essential requirements to
personnel posted in remote and inaccessible areas.
PTI
