It has been rightly said building relationship solves scores
of issues. This is what CRPF 4th Battalion of Rayagada is exactly striving at.
The relationship score of the Jawans under the leadership of
Commandant Balaram Behera has soared and become an eye opener for the tribals
living in the interior villages of Rayagada district. The process of confidence
building coupled with philanthropic actions has helped the innocent tribals get
nearer to the democratic process and development programmes.
In recent civic programmes conducted by the CRPF at
Pandratola village of Mukundapur gram panchayat, Anandapur village under
Seiskhal gram panchayat and Tembaguda village under Gudari Block, notebooks,
pens and pencils were distributed among the school children, while the general
public got utensils, water containers and drums.
These three villages are situated amidst deep forest. As
Commandant Behera himself is an Odia and has worked in this terrain for a few
years, he understands the culture, aspirations and anxieties of the tribals.
Instead of delegating the responsibility to his juniors, he
directly interacts with the tribals through a methodology of public hearing and
takes their issues to a proper forum at the Government level. He is complemented by a team of committed
Jawans in delivering the responsibility.
The local tribal leaders and the PRI members are also encouraged
to speak out without fear. In a shining example, recently Gudari Sarpanch
Bilasini Sabar was brave to address a gathering at Tembaguda where Deputy
Commandant Kaushal Sadhan Giri, Asst Commandant Anil Kumar, Inspector KK Roy
and TR Mishra were present.
As more and more people have come to understand the
intricacies of police operations and left wing extremists, drifting towards a
violent means has come down drastically in Rayagada; so also human rights
violations. On every CRPF Raising Day, their campus goes open for day and night
with several cultural extravaganzas. Get into their campus; the Jawans will
make you feel at home. There is a small aviary, a vegetable garden, a place
specially designed for the pigeons and an aquarium having country fish, etc.
It has created employment by establishing a flour mill and
supplying flour at cheaper price. A donation box is kept in the canteen for
supporting the cause of orphans, destitute and aged persons. All this is the
brainchild of Behera who has gone beyond the traditional police-giri.
CRPF-Rayagada is rebuilding and reaffirming the
police-public interface and has shown the way unlike its other companies
elsewhere in the State. They have proved that commanding is not by coercion but
by winning the hearts. And, of course, philanthropy is a small means towards
achieving a noble cause. This has kept everybody’s morale high. Tribals of this
hinterland have equally reciprocated.
Source: http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/befriending-tribals-rayagada-crpf-shows-the-way.html
