Narayanpur's district collector Namrata Jain embarked on a journey through Abujhmad's dense forest, navigating narrow tracks and uncharted territories to reach villages not on the map. The 5,000 sq km forest, known as the hills of the unknown, has been a Maoist stronghold since Independence.
The government's unprecedented exercise involves surveying and mapping the region, which was inaccessible due to geography and a five-decade-long insurgency. The teams, supported by IIT Roorkee, are encountering villages that existed only in oral accounts.
Administrative records were sparse, and access was limited in Abujhmad, where Maoists established a parallel system of governance. The forest was their liberated zone, where government teams dared not tread.
However, security forces' penetration of the forest in late 2024 marked a turning point in the fight against Maoists. The entry of forces and the establishment of camps dealt a psychological blow to the Maoists, eroding their control.
The mapping exercise is underway across three districts, with Narayanpur accounting for the largest expanse of the forest. The administration has mapped 412 villages, of which 377 are inhabited. Local people are helping the teams, sharing information about the villagers further inside.
The work has finally begun, with survey teams spread across the forest. The villages and residents of Abujhmad must be found, identified, and entered into official records, filling the blanks that existed for decades.
