Maoist activities hit census operation in Orissa
By IANSThursday, April 15, 2010
BHUBANESWAR - The 2011 census operation launched in Orissa April 7 has been affected in at least three districts due to Maoist activities, an official said Thursday.
“The progress is not satisfactory particularly in Maoist affected districts of Malkangiri, Rayagada and Koraput,” Bishnupada Sethi, director of census operations in Orissa, told IANS.
The 2011 census of India is being conducted in two phases, namely a house listing operation and population enumeration. The house listing operation started in the state April 7 and will conclude May 22.
Enumerators are facing difficulties in villages under Narayanpatna block in Koraput district because road communication between Laxmipur and Narayanpatna town continued to be disrupted, a district administrative official told IANS.
Communication was disrupted after Maoist guerrillas felled trees in several places on the road last week.
According to the last census in 2001, the population of Orissa was nearly 37 million. The current census is the 15th since the process began in 1872. It is conducted every 10 years.
The authorities have engaged 73,702 enumerators and 12,284 supervisors in the operation.
