In a first, Dantewada villagers answer survey questions to help assess Maoist impact in Chhattisgarh

Express News Service
RAIPUR: Gamavara village at Bhansi was earlier cited as among the hardcore areas dominated by the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in Dantewada, which is one of the worst Maoist-affected districts of the country. 

Now, the local inhabitants of Gamavara say that they have been living in peace as no perceptible activity of Maoists or violence have been reported from their village in the last five years.

This is one among the several observations coming out of the unique survey that is being carried out in Dantewada, to objectively evaluate the severity and extent of the rebels in the region besides checking out the impact on the lives of the local population.

“The survey will quantitatively monitor the success of anti-Maoist campaign by the district police. We have compiled 10 simple questions for the inhabitants including villagers, staff of the government departments, panchayat members and the local representatives to share their perception on the extremity and influence, if it exists and to what extent, in their areas. This is the first of its kind survey in any Maoist-affected districts where the people’s understanding of the situation assumes significance to ascertain the intensity of the left-wing extremism,” said Abhishek Pallava, Dantewada superintendent of police.

On an average, around 25 set of questionnaires are randomly filled in from each village covering different segments.

The survey will be repeated every six months to monitor the change, the SP said. The results will be compiled by the district police. And later to be reviewed bythe district administration that remains optimistic that this inititaive will help plan various developmental activities.

“We are witnessing enthusiasm among the local population as they are given freedom to air their point of view and share it through a set of questionnaires”, said Sanmati Telami, Renganar woman sarpanch.

For those who cannot read Hindi, the questions have been set in local Gondi dialect.

The survey questions seek responses on Maoist-related incidents occurred in last one year, if Maoist-led frontal outfits seen active in village panchayats, whether they are conducting meetings in the village, are the armed rebels halting in the village, imposing their levy, carrying out any programme among the villagers, the security issues in the village, developments etc.