Friday, April 15 2005 17:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Concerned over the spread of naxalism in Karnataka, Chief Minister Dharam Singh today (Apr 15, 2005) said that the State Government has decided to strengthen its intelligence machinery and raise a new reserve battalion with Central assistance to counter the menace.

Addressing the Chief Ministers' Conference convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, Singh that said the Government has set up special anti-naxalite squads who were being given training in counter-insurgency operations besides strengthening the police force to meet the threats from extremist and terrorist groups.

Pointing out that forest conservation laws were highly restrictive and give no powers to the State Government even to allow use of forest land and produce by tribals, who were now being lured by extremists into their fold, the Chief Minister also demanded review of the existing rules.

The naxalite groups who had earlier been operating in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region have shifted their base to the eco-rich Western Ghats and are trying to lure tribals in the area by propagating that they would be evicted from their homes because of the Kudremukh National Park there.

He praised the Centre's decision to create an Inter-State Internal Support Team to effect coordination among the States tackling the naxalite/extremist problem and said that Karnataka was already cooperating with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to deal with the problem.