Kandhamal violence; Guidelines for damaged religious institutes

Bhubaneswar, Oct 29 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today directed the revenue department to prepare a guideline for assessing the damages done to the religious institutions during the recent communal riots in Kandhamal district.

The Chief Minister gave the direction at a high-level meeting here after reviewing the situation in the riot-hit district.

Home Secretary T K Mishra, Director General of Police M M Praharaj, Revenue Secretary G V G Sharma, Kandhamal Collector Krishna Kumar and Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar were present at the meeting.

Mr Mishra said the direction was given after the District Collector sought some clarifications in the wake of the Supreme Court judgement.

The apex court while adjudicating a case filed by Cuttack Bhubaneswar Archbishop Raefel Cheenath, had directed the state government to consider providing help to rebuild the religious institutions damaged during the riot.

Mr Krishna Krishna Kumar said Kandhamal was limping back to normalcy and no violence had been reported in the district during the last 25 days.

As the situation improved, the people sheltering in Baliguda, Tumudibandha, Kothagarha and Phiringia relief camps, have returned to their homes, he said.

The Collector said still 10,500 people were in relief camps in Raikia, G.Udaygiri, K.Nuagaon and Tikabali area.

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