In a significant achievement for the local administration in its efforts to take development to the areas affected by Naxalite violence, households in Elmagunda village in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh have got electricity. The feat of electrifying households in this remote Naxal violence-affected village was achieved on the eve of India’s 77th Independence Day.

The task was achieved on August 14 through the efforts of district police which worked in coordination with Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited.

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Electricity had not reached Elmagunda till August 14 and people faced difficulties in their lives.

The police official said meetings were held with the villagers to make them aware of the activities of Naxals and persuade them to give thrust to the development of their village.  The villagers were also urged to keep their distance from Naxalites.

Personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) also contributed to the task.

The efforts of district administration, police and other agencies have brought smiles to the faces of villagers who now see a transformation coming about in their lives.

A camp of security forces was established at Elmagunda around six months back and this has given a fillip to development works.

Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P said that security camps in these remote villages were also acting as integrated development centres.

“On the eve of Independence Day, a significant event took place in Elmagunda village of Sukma district. The households of the village, which was freed from the Naxal activity last year, got electricity connections,” he said.

The senior police official said that security camps in Bastar Range not only perform operational tasks but also facilitate development works like road construction,  electrification and opening of PDS shops, schools, anganwadi and health centres in coordination with the local administration.

He said Elamgudna is one of many examples in the last four years where security camps have played the role of a game changer in the lives of the local population.

Sukma Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran Chavan said security camps have been established to boost the confidence of villagers in restive villages and to eradicate Naxalism.

The official said that electricity in Elamgudna households will give a tremendous boost to development, enable better education of children and help connect the local population with other parts of the state and the country.