DIBRUGARH, July 28 - Anticipating law and order problem in the aftermath of the publication of the draft NRC on July 30, the district administration here has deployed at least four companies of security forces comprising CRPF, CISF and Nagaland Police in different parts of the district.
�One unit of Rapid Action Force from the CRPF is also stationed in the district for immediate response in case of emergency or volatile situation. A few platoons will also be kept as reserve for need-based deployment. Two control rooms; one police control room and one control room at the office of the Deputy Commissioner will also be receiving information and complaints, besides monitoring the situation during the entire period of display of the draft NRC,� Deputy Commissioner Laya Madduri told newsmen today.
Although the NRC updating process has provision for correction, objection and claims, in case names of genuine Indian citizens are omitted or deleted, the Deputy Commissioner here said that there could be some vested interest groups and trouble mongers who may seek every opportunity to create communal flare-ups.
Further, repercussions of incidents taking place elsewhere could also trigger law and order problem. Tensions could be aggravated by rumours and fake news in the social media, said the district magistrate.
On seeking clarifications, she said that enough opportunities will be given to the citizens to be heard at their respective NRC seva kendras.
�Therefore, genuine Indian citizens whose names have not been published in the draft NRC need not be emotionally disturbed or feel insecure. There is ample scope for corrections,� she added.
The district administration also held meetings with various leaders of the civil societies, organisations, religious leaders, political parties, NGOs and communities in the run-up to publication of the draft NRC.
In Jorhat: The Jorhat district administration has fully geared up to tackle any kind of situation that may arise after the NRC draft is published on Monday, our Staff Correspondent adds.
Addressing mediapersons at the Conference Hall of the Circuit House this evening, Deputy Commissioner Narayan Konwar said that the administration was totally prepared to meet any eventuality that may happen after the draft is published on July 30.
Konwar said that out of the total 67 NRC seva kendras (NSKs) in the district, 40 have been identified as sensitive and one �very sensitive� (Mariani), while 20 have been marked as comparatively safe.
The DC said that all possible measures have been taken to maintain peace and harmony and cautioned that the administration will take tough action as per provisions of the law against trouble-makers.
He said that anybody found spreading rumours and circulating fake news will be dealt with firmly.
Konwar urged the people not to panic if names of some people were not found in the draft list as from August 7 the process of filing claims and objections will start and continue till September 28.
He said an elaborate security plan had been prepared by the administration and police to maintain law and order.
Jorhat Superintendent of Police Vaibhab Nimbalkar, who was also present in the briefing, said that the Government has despatched two additional companies of security forces to the district to enhance the security scenario in view of the NRC draft publication.
Nimbalkar said one CISF and one Nagaland Police (India-Reserve Battalion) company will support the existing force.
The SP said that special Quick Reaction Teams will be kept ready in all police stations to immediately take action against any unlawful activity.
Stating that the district police has been organising awareness meetings in areas under all six police stations over the NRC issue in recent times, Nimbalkar said the social media monitoring cell of the Jorhat Police too was keeping a close watch over the situation.
He said police had identified certain people who could spread rumours and circulate fake news. The SP asked people to contact police via control room phone Nos. if any untoward incident was spotted. The numbers are 0376-2320018, 9435713190 and 0376-2300124 of Jorhat DC office.
In Sonari: The Charaideo district administration is fully prepared to publish the draft NRC along with the rest of the State on July 30, an ANN Service report stated.
Addressing a press meet here this afternoon at the DC�s conference room, Deputy Commissioner Vivekananda Phukon said every effort will be made to publish a hassle-free NRC.
Copies of the draft NRC will be available in all the 29 NRC seva kendras of the district. He informed that out of a total of 4,76,000 population, 4,58,344 persons applied for inclusion of their names in the NRC through 99,186 applications. Phukon also informed that names of 4,14,000 persons have already appeared in the first draft of NRC published on December 31 last.
Jitmol Doley, Superintendent of Police also briefed the Press about the security measures taken for peaceful publication of the NRC. Jitu Kumar Das, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jayanta Mout, SDPRO were also present in the press meet.
A control room with landline No. 03772-255123 has been set up in the DC�s office for the general public.
In North Lakhimpur: The Lakhimpur district administration is ready to facilitate publication of the draft National Registrar of Citizens (NRC) on July 30, our Correspondent adds.
This was stated by Dr Jeevan B, Deputy Commissioner of Lakhimpur at a media briefing in his office here today.
Addressing the mediapersons, the DC said that there was no reason for the public to panic if their names did not appear in the draft NRC as this was not the final document. He explained about all the steps to be followed by the concerned people for various grievances concerning the NRC, i.e., if their names were not included in the draft publication.
The DC also appealed to the masses not to believe in or indulge in spreading rumours and asked the public to inform the district administration if such developments take place. The district administration was fully prepared for publication of the NRC draft on the scheduled date, he added. Additional Deputy Commissioner (NRC) Bipul Das was also present at the press briefing.
In Sonitpur: We are ready to publish the draft NRC on July 30, Sonitpur Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Deka told mediapersons at a press briefing at the DC�s conference hall here on Friday, our Correspondent adds.
He added that the BLOs (Block Level Officers) of 98 Seva Kendras in Sonitpur district were getting ready for the D-day. He also informed that the necessary paper was kept ready and will be supplied to the BLOs, NSK and to the villages on time.
He appealed to all concerned not to worry even if their names were not found in the draft NRC as every opportunity will be given to include, exclude or correct information, etc.
�One who does not find his or her name in the draft, or any name is mis-spelt, then he or she can apply newly and the name can be corrected,� he clarified, adding that every individual can find his or her name by sending SMS by registering the ARN and also through the website.
He mentioned that though there are no sensitive seva kendras, yet for tackling any untoward situation, seven companies of additional forces will be deployed in the district.
The district administration has already opened a control room at the Deputy Commissioner�s office with a toll free No. 03712-232440. The SP of Sonitpur, PP Singh, who was also present in the press meet, informed that police had been monitoring the social media so that nobody can spread any rumours just ahead of publication of the draft NRC.
On the other hand, the administration has promulgated Section 144 CrPC with effect from Friday as a precautionary measure.
In Dhubri: An estimated 1.8 lakh to 2 lakh names may be excluded from the draft NRC that is to be published on July 30, our Correspondent adds.
Under 136 NSKs in 991 villages and towns of Dhubri district, NRC officials collected 3,09,466 application forms for inclusion of 17,12,431 people in the NRC draft, out of which 6,12,520 names have already appeared in the first draft NRC.
Reliable sources close to the NRC updation process claimed that names of 10 to 12% people may be excluded from the draft NRC. These names may also include people whose names had appeared in the first draft of NRC.
It was also informed that the names which were excluded in the draft NRC includes that of 9,170 D-voters, 16,504 doubtful foreigners with cases pending in Foreigners Tribunals and their family members, including children who were born after March 3, 2004. However, the names of 1,157 declared foreigners and their family members have been completely eradicated from the draft NRC.
However, the Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri, Anant Lal Gyani, while addressing a press conference on the NRC process said that they are still not clear about the number of names that will be excluded from the draft NRC.
He also asked the people not to believe in rumours and said that names of indigenous people of Dhubri will not be excluded from the NRC.
�If someone�s name has not been included in the draft NRC, they can visit their respective NSK centre and fill a Claims and Objection form.�
He also added that in this Claims and Objection phase, additional documents may be submitted by the applicant, which after being verified, may include their names in the NRC.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the district for the NRC publication. Dhubri SP Longneet Terang informed that they have already deployed 2 companies of CRPF and kept an additional 12 companies on standby mode, which includes BSF, CRPF and forces from Jharkhand.
Control rooms in different areas have also been set up and special cells to curb the spread of rumours through the social media has also been established, claimed Terang.
In Diphu: Just a day before publication of the draft NRC, Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong Mridul Kumar Mahanta while briefing the media about the nitty-gritty of claims, objections and corrections and various time schedules for the process, he mentioned that the NRC authority will convey through personal mail to the persons whose names have not featured in the draft roll.
Superintendent of Police of Karbi Anglong Dr Siva Prasad, who was also present during the Press update, told the mediapersons that eight companies of Central Reserve Police Force had been pressed into service alongside one company of ITBP and a quick response team has been prepared with core of the elites. He mentioned that Assam Police, which consists of the district police force, are fully geared up to tackle any untoward situation.
He informed that the district police force in association with the State police have taken ample precautions to thwart any mischief which may spread through social media. He informed that out of the 42 NRC seva kendras, five have been marked as sensitive.
In Kokrajhar: Deputy Commissioner Niranjan Baruah convened an all-party meeting in connection with the draft publication of NRC at the DC�s conference hall here today, our Correspondent adds.
During the meeting, the DC informed that the NRC update process was going on in full swing and the district administration was working sincerely to make the draft publication of NRC a grand success.
He also informed that in case any applicant does not find his name in the draft NRC, he/she may approach the concerned authority after August 30 and applicants who do not find their names included in the final draft should not have any fear or apprehension.
It is also possible that names of the entire family members are not mentioned in the publication as the document provided by them to the issuer might be fake or unknown to them. In those cases, the applicants will be given a stipulated time to submit evidence and will be given opportunity to register their claims and objections.
He also assured that names of all genuine Indian citizens as per cut-off date of March 24 midnight, 1971 will be incorporated in the draft NRC.
Baruah informed that there were 5 revenue circles in Kokrajhar and 97 NRC seva kendras, 10,29,000 members and out of this 57.12 percent were included in the first draft published on December 31, 2017.
He urged the people to beware of rumour mongers and anti-national elements who may use the social media to instigate the common people for their vested interest. He further urged the public to act responsibly.
Addressing the meeting, Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police Rajen Sing said that full security coverage, besides mobile forces have been deployed for intensive patrolling.
Round-the-clock vigil along the border areas, including the inter-State and Indo-Bhutan international border has been intensified to prevent any untoward incident, he said, adding that several Army units and SSB jawans were also deployed in the vulnerable localities for area domination. He added that adequate security personnel had been posted in the sensitive areas. Besides, some 8 zonal officers and some 37 sector officers have been deployed, he mentioned.
Sing appealed to the people not to be misled by rumours and misinformation campaign by certain vested interest groups. Strong legal action will be taken against such elements, he said.
The meeting was attended by representatives of various students� organisations, political parties, leading citizens and members of apex bodies of different communities living in the district.
