Bhubaneswar, March 8: The state government today sought to accelerate the process of honouring the commitments it had made to the interlocutors chosen by the Maoists in the wake of the Malkangiri hostage crisis.

While district officials were asked to collect information about the tribals languishing in jails across the state as demanded by the Maoists, the home department sent a communication to the revenue department asking the latter to appoint an officer to settle land disputes in the tribal-dominated Koraput and Malkangiri districts.

The latter was among the 14 demands the state government had conceded to secure the release of Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi.The move to expedite the process of meeting the demands comes in the wake of last week’s sabre rattling by the rebel-backed Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha (CMAS) which held an armed rally in Koraput.

Pointing out that steps for collecting information about tribals in jails had been initiated, home secretary U.N.Behera, who led the government team that had negotiated the release of Malkangiri collector, said: “We have already sent communications in this regard to the districts. Another review meeting on the issue will be held soon.”

Sources said the government was likely to free the tribals who were in jails on minor charges. According to information, 190 tribals were lodged in jails in Koraput district alone. While 40 of them were said to be hardcore Maoists, another 140 were the activists of the CMAS.

Sources said that the officer to be appointed for the settlement of land disputes in Koraput and Malkangiri districts would be in the rank of additional secretary or joint secretary armed with the statutory powers to deal with land cases expeditiously. A file in this regard had already been sent to the chief minister’s office, official sources said.

Significantly, five top Maoist leaders, who had recently been granted bail by Orissa High Court, refused to leave jail till the government honoured all the promises made to the interlocutors.

Pointing out that Ghanti Prasad, Andaluri Eswari, Roja Madingi, Padma and Gokul Kuldipia remained in the Koraput jail despite the high court bail, lawyer Nihar Patnaik said they had refused to leave the prison until all tribals in jails were released and the CMAS activists got justice. “Apart from Ghanti Prasad, the other four are also unhappy with the conditions imposed by the court while granting bail. They are likely to move an application in Supreme Court in this regard,” said Patnaik.