CHINTAPALLI (VISAKHAPATNAM): With their sights set on cashing in on the flare-up in the anti-bauxite agitation, the CPI Maoists have begun reviving their anti-bauxite committees as part of their efforts to beef up their rank and file in the bauxite reserves zone and unite tribals for anti-bauxite agitations.

According to sources, Maoists have revived two of their anti-bauxite committees, which will be known as Bauxite Belt Area Committees, to create awareness among tribals about bauxite mining and its impact.

Around three-four anti-bauxite committees were formed nine years ago when late chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy made efforts to excavate bauxite reserves in the Agency areas to supply ore to Anrak Aluminium Limited and Jindal Steel through Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation .

However, the committees lost purpose following the delays in clearances and permissions for excavation of bauxite from the central government and naxals losing their grip in the area after a series of encounters, arrests and surrenders.

Maoist leader Ganesh initially led the bauxite belt area committees consisting of four to five members each when he was the area committee secretary. These committees worked actively for almost five years.

Now, the Reds under the guidance of senior leader Chalapati have revived two of the committees and plan to increase their number by merging them with various ground level committees, sources said.

According to sources, the main committees would work under the direction of armed cadres by creating extensive propaganda about the impacts of bauxite mining and ask local people's representatives to conduct protests.

According to highly placed sources, the Red guerillas were focusing on Galikonda, where they lost ground almost one and a half years ago and were taking steps to strengthen the village level committees and militia network. "Galikonda, including GK Veedhi, Koyyuru and Chintapalli mandals, is the main pocket for Maoists to carry forward their anti-bauxite agitation as the area has huge bauxite reserves. At present, they have a stronghold in GK Veedhi and some parts of Chintapalli," said a senior police officer working in the Visakha Agency .

Sources said that the Reds recently visited Palakajeedi, Balarevula, Pokalapalem, Kunukuru, Garimanda, Pedavalasa and other areas in Galikonda.

The top naxal leadership has given the responsibility of conducting anti-bauxite agitations to Kudumula Venkata Rao alias Ravi, chief of the Central Regional Committee (CRC)-1, which is one of the military formations of the CPI Maoists in the Andhra-Odisha border area. Korukonda area commander Naveen has been conducting the meetings in Jerrela.

"We have information about Maoist movement in Galikonda and will enhance combing operations there," said Visakha Rural SP Koya Praveen.

Meanwhile, sources said that the police department was chalking out plans to take up community policing programmes in the area and police officers deployed in the Agency areas would interact with heads of the villages to counter the Maoist threat.

