Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 16 : As every election throws up the challenge of conducting polls in Abujhmad which is located in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, the camps of security forces posted in the area are boosting confidence among villagers and motivating them to participate in the biggest festival of democracy.
Abujhmad, a dense, almost impenetrable forest region whose name stands for "unknown hills", holding within it the last of the Maoist bastions in the country, includes around 200 villages.
Estimated to be around 40,000 people, it is covered by the single Assembly constituency of Narayanpur. However, 90 per cent of its area remains unsurveyed.
But, with the establishment of police camps at Maspur and Dondribeda under the naxal-stronghold Abujhmad area, villagers are now confidently speaking about their needs, from basic amenities as well as the desire to cast a vote.

Concerns for potential voters at village Mashpur in the unsurveyed Abujhmad area include potable drinking water, electricity, education, healthcare facilities, road connectivity, and other basic amenities.
While the entire nation is celebrating 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', villages in the naxal-hit Abujhmad lack basic needs like potable water, power supply, education, healthcare, road connectivity, internet, and others.
With more than 400 voters, the residents of the village of Mashpur expressed their desire to exercise their voting rights following the establishment of a police camp near the village.
The population of Mashpur believes that exercising their voting rights will help them get the basic facilities. The villagers have not participated in the voting process for the last few elections.
According to villagers, after the establishment of the police camp, an ambulance facility is now accessible to them, and security personnel also provide them with medicines in case they fall ill. The camp has also paved the way for road connectivity. Earlier, the villagers had to march several kilometres by keeping patients (including pregnant women) in the sling as road connectivity was not available in the area, but the situation is changing positively now.

Moreover, the civic action programme being carried out by security personnel after the setting up of the camp is also making a positive impression among the villagers.
While speaking to ANI, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Prabhat Kumar stated that elaborate arrangements have been put in place to ensure the peaceful execution of elections.

According to the history of naxal incidents, polling booths have been categorised as sensitive and hypersensitive, the SP added.
He further said that the delpoyment of forces have been done keeping in view the sensitive region.
"With the deployment of 45 companies of CAPF received from outside along with locally available and operational forces, efforts are being made to ensure incident-free execution of the election processes," Kumar said.
Of 142 booths, the administration has shifted 36 booths falling in areas under naxal influence to places close to roads.
Moreover, in 33 booths, the polling personnel will be dropped through choppers.
"Police and security forces have the important task of establishing camps and creating confidence among villagers so that they can express themselves confidently. Three camps, including Maspur, Irakbhatti and Kasturmeta, have been opened in March (this year). Whenever camps are established, people feel safe and they express themselves confidently. As naxals are away from them, villagers are openly expressing that they will exercise their voting rights," Prabhat Kumar said.
Villagers are delighted as now doctors are visiting and civic action programmes are ongoing while the road connectivity is improving, said the officer, adding that these programmes will continue in the future as well.
"15 to 18 villages are now feeling independent and expressing their desires. Hopefully, this will improve the voting percentage," the SP said.
When asked about the strategic importance of camps at Maspur and Dondribeda, the SP said that this would be a game changer because 40 years ago, buses and trucks were plying between Narayanpur and Chhote Bethiya (in Kanker).
"However, the condition of the road was not well in all seasons, but in summer, people could conveniently go to Pakhanjur and Chhote Bethiya. Due to naxal influence, we went back 40 years back, the road got closed and vehicular movement stopped. Soon we will be able to visit Chhote Bethiya from Narayanpur by bus. The vehicular movement will start on the axis of Dondribeda and Maspur, an ambulance facility is going to be available and agencies engaged in undertaking developmental works will be able to reach those places easily," Narayanpur SP added.
The Bastar Lok Sabha constituency is scheduled to vote on April 19, with the Election Commission announcing results on June 4, as per their statement on March 16.Share to Twitter