Bhubaneswar, March 13: The state government has issued a travel advisory to protect politicians and officials in Orissa’s 19 Maoist-affected districts. The move, however, has left those whom the government wants to protect scared.

The travel guidelines for MPs, MLAs and government officials working in state’s Red zone comes after the government drew flak for its alleged inept handling of the Malkangiri hostage crisis.

The guidelines state that all MLAs and MPs in the Red zone will be provided with two personal security officers to ensure that if one goes on leave, then the other would always stay with the public representatives.

During their tour of the affected districts, the MLAs and government officials have to let the district superintendent of police concerned know about their tour plan.

The district police would make necessary security arrangements near the public meeting site. All the rules in the Blue Book (the government’s book of rules and regulations) will be followed to the letter. Similarly, it will be mandatory for the collector to take a PSO while going on a tour to the affected areas.

They have to inform the police if there is a sudden change in tour programme.

“If the Malkangiri collector (R Vineel Krishna) had informed about his sudden change of tour plan at Jantabai in the cut-off areas of Malkangiri district, the kidnapping could have been avoided,” a police officer said.

The government has also advised MLAs/MPs not to visit the affected areas between sunset and sunrise. If they are aware of road cut off in any place, they have to report it to the police immediately.

However, MLAs of the Maoists-affected areas do not want to accept any security. Malkangiri’s Chitrakonda MLA Mamata Madhi said: “It would be wiser not to take any police security. Taking police along is a risk, the chance of threat to life will increase.”

Other MLAs also reportedly expressed their unwillingness to take the security cover.

“With so much restrictions, we will not be able to go the interior areas where tribals live,” said Shyama Charan Hansda.