Home secretary Amir Subhani (in white shirt) visits Chenari camp on Monday. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary

Patna, Aug. 22: The visit of a team of government officials led by home department principal secretary Amir Subhani today brought smiles to the faces of inmates of the Chenari camp in Rohtas, who have been living in hellish conditions for the past three weeks.

Subhani, accompanied by Patna division commissioner K.P. Ramaiah and inspector-general of police (operation) K.S. Dwivedi, visited the camp on the premises of the government guesthouse and spoke with the inmates to learn about the problems they faced.

Sources said prior to the visit of the officials, the district administrative officials worked overtime to set up toilets, sink water pumps, sprinkled lime powder, carried out earth-filling work and deputed doctors and paramedic staff at the camp. “We have been provided beds and mosquito nets only a day before the visit of the officers,” said an inmate.

The home commissioner also assured the inhabitants that the government was trying to create a conducive atmosphere in the villages located in the Kaimur hills to pave the way for their safe return to their homes. “We are making all-out efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the region,” he told the inhabitants.

About 300 people belonging to Kharwar community have taken shelter at the camp for the past two weeks apprehending Maoist attack.

Subhani said the government would augment development works in the Naxalite-affected villages. “The motive of our visit is to enthuse a sense of security among the people staying at the camp. While some have returned to their homes, the remaining will reassume their agricultural work soon,” he added.

He also turned down the demand of the people to provide more arms licences to the residents. “The government is not in favour of issuing more arms licences to the residents of Maoist-hit villages, as it will aggravate the situation and also pose a threat to the life of the people,” he pointed out.

Subhani, however, hastened to add that some arms licences would be issued to the people. “The decisions to provide arms licences should be taken keeping in view the safety and security of the life and property of the people. The government intends to create a congenial atmosphere in the region,” he said.

“You have strength and the police have been equipped with better firearms. We will fight together to bring the situation under control. Naxalite activities can be curbed only through development,” the home commissioner said, adding that development schemes would be accelerated for the purpose.

Schoolchildren are the worst suffers at the camp. Though the district officials recently deployed six teachers to impart education to the wards of the camp inmates, the children are finding it difficult to pursue their education at the camp.

“There are 86 children at the camp, who are enrolled in different government schools. We are trying to teach them as long as they are here,” said a teacher, Jai Kumar Singh. He added that students of classes I to V were taught at the camp.

However, the children complained of lack of facilities at the camp. “I am a student of Class V at the government school at Kusumba. It is not possible to study in such a chaotic situation,” said Basanti Kumari.

Deputy-inspector general of Magadh Nayyar Hasnain Khan, who also holds the additional charge of Shahabad, was also present during the visit.