Two former Border Security Force (BSF) camps in Chhattisgarh’s Naxalite-affected Kanker district have been repurposed into educational facilities, drawing widespread praise from officials and local communities alike.
The BSF, which has been a significant presence in the district to combat Left Wing Extremism, recently vacated two of its company operating bases (COBs) in Bondanar and Kadhai Khodra villages, located in the Antagarh area.
These camps have now been relocated to more secure locations deeper into the core Maoist areas.
The Bondanar COB, established in 2010, was moved to Padar village in the Rowghat area of Kanker last February.
Similarly, the Kadhai Khodra COB, set up in 2015, was shifted to the neighbouring Narayanpur district earlier this year.
The strategic relocation aims to bolster the security forces' presence in key Maoist strongholds while facilitating local development.
The vacated camp in Kadhai Khodra has been converted into a government high school, serving students from the ongoing academic session. The school now hosts 33 students, including 16 girls, who are studying in classes IX and X.
Meanwhile, the former Bondanar camp has been transformed into a pre-matric hostel for boys. This facility accommodates 75 boys from classes VI to XII.
Additional Collector of Antagarh, B.S. Uike, highlighted the benefits of the repurposing.
“Of the two vacated camps, one in Kadhai Khodra village is being used as a government high school from the ongoing academic session, while another has been made into a pre-matric hostel for boys since last year. Kadhai Khodra school has 33 students, including 16 girls, studying in class IX and X. A total of 75 boys from class 6th to 12th are residing in Bondanar hostel,” Uike said.
The move is part of a broader strategy by the government to utilise pre-fabricated structures in educational institutions across the Bastar region. These camps, originally built to serve the needs of security forces, now contribute to the local education infrastructure.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Antagarh) Jaiprakash Barhai noted that the relocation of these COBs is part of a larger plan to consolidate security in areas surrounding existing installations and facilitate development by pushing Maoist elements further into the forested interiors.
“Gradually, more camps will be relocated to interior pockets to win the war against Left Wing Extremism. It is good the civic administration is using vacated camps for different purposes, particularly education. One more vacated camp is being planned for use as a power substation,” Barhai said.
Professor Girishkant Pandey, Head of the Department of Defence Studies at Government NPG College of Science in Raipur, praised the initiative.
“It is a good move as earlier when BSF was deployed for anti-Naxal operations in 2009-10 in Kanker, government schools were used as their temporary camps. This attracted criticism since the building became Maoist targets. Using vacated camps as educational facilities will help in winning confidence of local tribals as it would connect children to security personnel,” Pandey said, adding that more such infrastructures could be used for schools, public distribution shops, power supply, and mobile tower stations.
Follow us
