JORHAT, Oct 23 � As Sadiya has become the hub of Maoist activities in Upper Assam in recent times, the Government of Assam is aiming to create a work culture among the youths of that area so that they get attracted towards a lifestyle of peace and prosperity. This was informed by Syed Iftikar Hussain, Upper Assam Commissioner after his visit to Sadiya recently.
�In Sadiya I found several youths involved in Maoist activities�, said Hussain, �they revealed that the Maoists pay Rs 2500 to Rs 3000 per month to their families after their enrolment in the organisation�.
Talking about their strategy, Hussain said that the members of the organisation often roam in very small groups consisting of two or three members unlike the ULFA and other militant groups. Unlike other militants they do not wear any uniform and conduct their operation in civil dress. He also hinted that a few social overorganisations work as their ground-level organisation.
He further revealed that some of the local boys and teenagers in those areas were used by the organisation for their own benefits. He cited the example of Lakhikanta Handique who was detained by the police. Lakhikanta Handique was assigned to provide four mobile SIM cards to one Moina Dohutiya at Dhola, who happened to be a member of the organisation since four years back.
The Maoists often took shelter inside dense forests in Arunachal Pradesh where they cannot be easily traced by the security personnel. He further said that one veteran cadre of the organisation Aditya Baruah was taking shelter at the residence of Tingraj Orang of Mahadevpur, Arunachal Pradesh and the police went to arrest him. But the host of the house cleverly sent him away from the scene after introducing him as their family member. The youths of Moran, Tea Tribes, Nepali, Sonowal Kachari and Ahom communities living in those areas have joined the outfit in great numbers.
Deopani Chapori village inhabited by 200 families has most of its members working outside Assam. The families informed that the members were going to work in Bangalore and Kerala. But according to police information, 75 per cent of those missing members of those families have joined the Maoist outfit.
After the visit the Upper Assam Commissioner spoke to Vinod Seshan, SDO, Sadiya about the growing Maoist activities in those areas. He further asked the SDO to undertake some development projects in the subdivision to make the economy of the area stronger and attract the young generation towards work culture. The main possibility in strengthening the economy lies in dairy farming in those areas as there are hundreds of acres of land covered with green carpet of grass where the cattle can live on. Hussain said that there are six shelf help groups who had been doing a commendable job in this direction. They have been producing 500 litres of milk per day and are supplying them to the Milk Co-operative at Rs 25 per litre.
He also said that the cultivators of the Sadiya subdivision produce potato in large amounts. But they had to sell their potato at a cheaper rate. So the SDO was advised to help to create a direct link between the potato chips production companies and the cultivators. Likewise he also pointed out the potential of orange juice processing and marketing to the outside market.
�It is only by enhancing the economy of the area, the problem of insurgency can be stopped permanently�, he said.
