New Delhi: With just a day left for a deadline set by the Orissa government to remove the 431-day-old road blockade by tribals on express highway no 200 at troubled Kalinga Nagar, the administration has started
mobilising forces in the area.
At least 15 platoons of armed police have been positioned at "sensitive" locations in the state's growing steel hub where 13 tribals were gunned down last year during the land acquisition process.
The tribals have been blocking the road since the incident, affecting the movement of traffic.
According to Jajpur's Superintendent of Police Asit Panigrahi, district police have sought 25 more platoons for ending the blockade.
"Police may be forced to chase away the agitating tribals if they do not lift the blockade by tomorrow morning," Panigrahi said.
At a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the tribals had earlier agreed to end the 14-month blockade in the wake of a high court directive to the government to clear the road and inform it on measures taken for this purpose.
The government is expected to submit its reply to the high court on Friday.
District Collector Arabinda Padhee said he still hoped the issue would be resolved through negotiations.
"There is nothing better than resolving the issue through talks. We are still on the job and hope the agitating people will understand that all of us should respect the court order," he said.
Padhee, however, did not rule out the use of force to clear the road blockade if the talks failed.
"But we will ensure that innocent people are not affected when the police goes into action," he said.
Sources said the necessity of mobilising forces at Kalinga Nagar area was felt after the tribals, who had earlier agreed to lift the blockade, changed their mind.
In a letter to Jajpur's district administration, the chief minister's office here has suggested that the district administration should inform the protestors that the blockade had to be lifted by tomorrow.
The letter further said: "The issues raised by them should not be linked with the removal of road blockade. The high court order is binding on all, both for the government and the agitators. No condition should be attached for implementation of the court order."
Instead of making any effort to remove the road blockade as assured by them, tribals under the banner of Bisthapan Virodhi Jana Manch (BVJM) on Thursday organised a meeting of adivasi women to observe the International Women's Day.
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