Bhubaneswar, June 17: The Maoists in Orissa are trying to make inroads into new areas.

While the rebels’ entry into Nuapada district bordering Chhattisgarh has already become a cause of concern for the authorities, they are also reported to be looking for a toehold in Kalahandi and Bolangir which are among the most backward regions of Orissa.

Sources said Maoist activity in Balangir has been noted during the past few months with police and intelligence agencies raising vigil in the district which has a regular truck with Raipur, the capital of Chhatisgarh, which happens to be the biggest commercial centre for people on both sides of the border.

“Residents of towns such as, Kantabanjhi, Kalahandi and Nuapada, regularly shop in Raipur. Now, even the Maoists from Chhattisgarh have begun paying secret visits to these areas and appear to be trying to set up a base with the support of cadres from Orissa,” said a government officer.

It has now become a common knowledge that the Maoists in Orissa, Chhatisgarh and Andhra Pradesh are acting under a unified command undertaking cross-border operations when necessary. Even the cadres from Jharkhand have been involved in some important missions.

While new bases close to the border are important for the rebels from the logistical point of view, there is also a growing desperation among them to push into virgin areas after being flushed out of their old hideouts by the security forces.

The districts of Nuapada, Kalahandi and Balangir suit the Maoist plan not only because they constitute a thickly forested contiguous belt, but also because of the fact that they have sizeable chunks of tribal population which the rebels could tap for making fresh recruitments.

“For the rebels, it is easy to hoodwink the tribals who continue to be an aggrieved lot given the long history of their exploitation by politicians and contractors. All these districts are stalked by poverty and starvation which suit the Maoist cause,” said an officer, admitting that the government has failed to do its bit for the underdeveloped region.

If the rebels do manage to get a foothold in this region they would pose a threat not only to the wildlife habitats such as, the Sunabeda sanctuary, where nine police jawans were recently killed, but also to the industries.

It is the region accounts for at least one major alumina refinery which could become a soft target for the rebels. The government, thus, can ill afford to be complacent.