Government looking at building night landing facilities for choppers in Naxal-hit Jharkhand

New Delhi, May 31

The Centre is exploring possibilities of setting up night landing facilities for helicopters in some of the Naxal-affected areas in Jharkhand for speedy deployment of security forces and their evacuation, officials said.

Jharkhand is one of the Naxal-affected states along with Chhattisgarh and a large number of central security personnel were deployed along with the state police.

Union Home Ministry officials recently held a consultative meeting on opening new forward operating bases and camps under assistance to central agencies for Left Wing Extremism Management (ACALWEM) scheme, officials said.

Subsequently, another meeting was held with the representatives of the Jharkhand government where the possibility of setting up night landing facilities for helicopters were discussed.

The night landing facilities for helicopters will help the authorities in speedy deployment of forces and evacuations in case of emergency situations, officials said.

The Home ministry also held two review meetings with District Magistrates to review the progress of Special Central Assistance (SCA) Scheme in LWE affected areas, they said.

Last year, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had said the presence of hard-core extremists in the state was limited to only four regions of the state.

The four regions were Parasnath Pahar, Budha Pahar, Tri-junction of Seraikela-Khunti-Chaibasa district in Kolhan division and some of the areas along the Bihar border, Soren had said.

According to official statistics, a total of 196 Naxal-related violent incidents were reported in 2016 and these came down to 126 in 2020.

Similarly, 61 civilians were killed by Maoists in 2016 and the number has come down to 28 in 2020.