Bhopal: For the first time in independent India, revenue survey has begun in Abujhmad, a 4,000 sq.km. forested region extending from south Bastar in Chhattisgarh to Gadchhiroli in Maharasthra, considered the Maoist capital in the country.
The local administration of Narayanpur district in south Bastar has made massive mobilisation of revenue officials and security personnel to make inroads into Abujhmad, loosely translated in English as “unknown area”, to collect demography data of the area with an objective to launch various infrastructure and developmental projects in the region. “We have completed survey of one village — Akabeda. It is a very challenging task since the area is known as a Maoist-stronghold,” Narayanpur district superintendent of police Santosh Singh told this newspaper on Monday.
Abujhmad has remained un-surveyed so far as the Centre in early 1980s had decided to leave it un-surveyed to protect and preserve the flora and fauna of the forest by preventing human interference.
However, later, Maoists have found the area as their safe haven, and have laid landmines in vast areas of the region.
“We have reports that Maoists have been running weapon-manufacturing factories in the region. Senior CPI(Maoist) leaders, including central committee members, have been using the forested mountainous region as their safe haven,” Mr Singh disclosed. Maoists run a parallel government in the region.
