CRPF camps in naxal areas to get solar panel for regular power supply

NEW DELHI: A small table fan whirred away and windows were opened to let in light due to no power as Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to a group of CRPF jawans at the remote Chintalgufa camp in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on May 30 – the first such visit by any Home Minister to deep inside naxal-infested Bastar.

The reality check has now prompted the Home Minister to ask paramilitary forces to go for solar energy to power up their camps and barracks. A senior Ministry official said Singh last month approved that solar panels be installed at all remote camps of security forces in naxal-affected areas as regular power supply to the camps remains a far cry.

"Naxals have blown up the over-head transmission lines. The Home Minister, during his visit to Sukma, had asked Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to take steps for laying of underground cables for bringing electricity to the camps. But that is a long-term plan and may take years – the Centre has hence decided to go for solar energy to power up the camps. We cannot forever depend on diesel generators," a senior home ministry official told ET.

Post that trip, Singh has initiated some more steps to address the situation in Chhattisgarh, like installtion of coolers in all barracks, after Jawans listed out their complaints to Singh. "Orders have been issued for training of CRPF and BSF in the local language for a better connect with locals and helping build an information network. The telecom department and BSNL have also been asked to fast-track the installation of mobile towers in Sukma district for better connectivity – some towers now are expected to be movable too to help forces during operations," an official said.

He added that Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley have also had an agreement to increase the ‘Hard Area’ allowance for paramilitary men fighting Naxals on the lines of forces taking on extremists in J&K or North-East. "The Finance Minister has assured that the issue of increasing this allowance will be factored in at the supplementary grants stage this year," the MHA official told ET.