Centre directs Orissa Govt to restore normalcy

NI Wire

Bhubaneswar

Thu, 28 Aug 2008: 

After meeting a delegation of Catholic Bishops Conference of India along with Archbishop of Delhi, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday evening speaks to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take immediate steps to stop violence and restore normalcy.

In a statement, Prime Minister mentioned tt the Centre was in touch with the State Government and every effort would be made to restore normalcy in the State.

He also asked the Chief Minister to provide immediate relief to the affected people, particularly children.

Meanwhile, as the state continued to remain under a state of high alert, the High Court has also directed the state administration to take appropriate measures and deploy more forces in order to restore normalcy in the violence-affected districts.

A bench comprising Chief Justice B S Chauhan expressing concern over the grim situation of the state directed the authority to protect the rights and property of people.

In the meantime, the curfew imposed in eight most communal-sensitive places is still in force, and the authority is keeping a tight vigil at affected places including Kandhamal, Kendrapara , Sundergarh, Rayagada, Gajapati and Bolangir districts.

Additional forces have also been sent to the worst-hit Kandhamal area where shot at sight order was in place on Wednesday.