Jharkhand govt to raise industrial security force

RANCHI: The Jharkhand government will raise an industrial security force to cater to needs of the industry.

A senior state official said often there are complaints of poor law and order situation in the project area from various industrial houses, which results in decrease in productivity. The proposed security force will come to their rescue, he added.

Also, there are 18 of the 24 districts which are hit by Naxalism, he said, adding the force will help industries deal with extremists. This is to be noted that collection of 'levy' (extortion) by the extremists from industrial houses has become a common phenomenon in Jharkhand.

The security force will have one battalion with 20 units consisting of 50 troopers each, apart from the officers. However, the official said, it will take about a year for the force to be in action.

According to a Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) official, production of coal was affected for 88 days due to law and order factors during the last financial year. The matter came up during discussion with the Union minister of state Sriprakash Jaiswal and governor Syed Sibtey Razi.

"Poor law and order is a matter of concern for the coal companies. But I have been assured by the governor that an industrial security force is in the process of being raised, which may help us deal with the problem," Mr Jaiswal said during his visit to Ranchi last week.