03-23-2008, 01:36 PM
<b>Naxals growing on large-scale extortion</b>
Devesh K. Pandey
Sunday, Mar 23, 2008
<b>Chatra (JHARKHAND) : Extortion has become a major source of revenue generation for the naxals operating from the hilly terrains and dense forests of Jharkhand, one of the most natural resource-rich States of the country. Even though relentless police action has dealt a heavy blow to their expansion plans in the area, efforts to throttle their money supply lines have not succeeded so far.</b>
The naxals here have strategically targeted every source of wealth generation in the State such as government-contracted construction works, auctions, coal and mineral mining, and brick kiln business. The police have reason to believe that the naxals raise as much as Rs.350 crore per year, nearly double the annual budget of the Jharkhand police!
The most important source of the naxalsâ income is levy-collection from âtendu pattaâ (the leaf used for making beedis) and âkatthaâ contractors. The money generated through these two sources only is estimated at about Rs.57 crore per season.
Lately the extremists have also started raising funds through cultivation of opium and by extorting money from opium growers. The police said such activities were going on in Chatra, Latehar, Giridih, Hazaribagh and areas along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border. Besides, the police have information that Government employees working in remote areas are also being forced to part with âprotection moneyâ.
Intelligence inputs gathered by security forces have revealed that at least on paper, 70 per cent of the revenue collected by the naxals from various districts, which is done by zonal commanders, is forwarded to the higher level functionaries for the âparty fundâ. The rest is used for day-to-day expenses. <b>âHowever, there are instances where zonal commanders have been found leading a lavish life and buying properties, whereas the lower-rungs live in pitiable condition. In many cases, top naxal leaders have vanished with the collection amounts running into crores,â said a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer.</b>
The officer said the lure of money was so strong within the cadres that the fight for retaining the levy amount had led to a rift among various groups and eventual parting of ways. Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee, which has emerged as a powerful outfit giving a tough fight to its parent group, and Jharkhand Liberation Tigers are two such examples.
While the CRPF along with the police has managed to contain naxal activities to a great extent, the Administration has failed to put a check on the system of levy collection. âThe government-contracted works are their main source of levy collection. We try our best to convince the contractors to lodge complaints against any threats from the naxals, but rarely do they come forward,â said a senior police officer.
<b>âIt may sound weird but at times we feel that all the government-funded developmental works should be frozen to ensure that the money meant for infrastructural development does not get diverted to the naxals who use it for procurement of weapons,â said the officer.</b>
Devesh K. Pandey
Sunday, Mar 23, 2008
<b>Chatra (JHARKHAND) : Extortion has become a major source of revenue generation for the naxals operating from the hilly terrains and dense forests of Jharkhand, one of the most natural resource-rich States of the country. Even though relentless police action has dealt a heavy blow to their expansion plans in the area, efforts to throttle their money supply lines have not succeeded so far.</b>
The naxals here have strategically targeted every source of wealth generation in the State such as government-contracted construction works, auctions, coal and mineral mining, and brick kiln business. The police have reason to believe that the naxals raise as much as Rs.350 crore per year, nearly double the annual budget of the Jharkhand police!
The most important source of the naxalsâ income is levy-collection from âtendu pattaâ (the leaf used for making beedis) and âkatthaâ contractors. The money generated through these two sources only is estimated at about Rs.57 crore per season.
Lately the extremists have also started raising funds through cultivation of opium and by extorting money from opium growers. The police said such activities were going on in Chatra, Latehar, Giridih, Hazaribagh and areas along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border. Besides, the police have information that Government employees working in remote areas are also being forced to part with âprotection moneyâ.
Intelligence inputs gathered by security forces have revealed that at least on paper, 70 per cent of the revenue collected by the naxals from various districts, which is done by zonal commanders, is forwarded to the higher level functionaries for the âparty fundâ. The rest is used for day-to-day expenses. <b>âHowever, there are instances where zonal commanders have been found leading a lavish life and buying properties, whereas the lower-rungs live in pitiable condition. In many cases, top naxal leaders have vanished with the collection amounts running into crores,â said a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer.</b>
The officer said the lure of money was so strong within the cadres that the fight for retaining the levy amount had led to a rift among various groups and eventual parting of ways. Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee, which has emerged as a powerful outfit giving a tough fight to its parent group, and Jharkhand Liberation Tigers are two such examples.
While the CRPF along with the police has managed to contain naxal activities to a great extent, the Administration has failed to put a check on the system of levy collection. âThe government-contracted works are their main source of levy collection. We try our best to convince the contractors to lodge complaints against any threats from the naxals, but rarely do they come forward,â said a senior police officer.
<b>âIt may sound weird but at times we feel that all the government-funded developmental works should be frozen to ensure that the money meant for infrastructural development does not get diverted to the naxals who use it for procurement of weapons,â said the officer.</b>