Crime under control in Odisha, says Naveen

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 25:

Criminal activities are under control in Odisha, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the State Assembly today.

Replying to an adjournment motion on law and order situation in the state moved by the Opposition, he said while criminal activities by the Maoists also have come down in 11 districts of Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundergarh and Nayagarh, despite the CPI(Maoist) efforts to re-group in these areas, the law and order in the state is under control.

The position continues to remain challenging in the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput and Nuapada, he said.

The Chief Minister on the other hand, complained of Centre reducing aid for modernization of police forces.

He informed the House that new mobile towers will be set up in 253 locations to augment communications network in the state.

However, unless the Centre proactively spends from the USO (Universal Service Obligation) Fund, mobile operators will not set up these towers. This continues to be a matter of concern, Patnaik said.

The Opposition had today served a notice for an adjournment motion on law and order situation title ‘there is no rule of law in the state neither there is discipline’.

Participating in the debate, Leader of the Opposition Narsingha Mishra told the House that the Chief Minister is unaware of the ground reality. He raised the incidents of police’s atrocities at Kendrapara, Belabahali and Phulbani to make his point.