The Centre would extend all help to the Orissa government for undertaking rehabilitation measures in Kandhamal district, according to the Central ministerial team, headed by agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar, which visited the riot-affected district, on Tuesday.
The three-member team along with several Central government officers visited Raikia, Baliguda and Jalespeta ashram and interacted with the inmates of relief camps set up for riot victims.
The other ministers in the team included Union minister for social justice and empowerment, Meira Kumar and minister for tribal affairs, PK Kyndiah.
"We took stock of the situation and discussed with the inmates in the relief camp. We will inform the Center about the situation and the plight of the riot affected people", said Meira Kumar at Raikia.
The Central team visited the violence affected district on the basis of a decision in the last cabinet meeting.
Most of the inmates at Saint Katharin Convent relief camp expressed their unwillingness to return to their villages when the Central ministerial team visited them.
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"The houses are destroyed and the government assistant is too meager to repair them", said Sumant Nayak, one of the inmates. "We don't have the courage to return to our home without police help", said another inmate, while narrating their plight.
The Saint Katharin Convent relief camp is one of the biggest relief camps presently functioning in the district. Over 9,400 people are taking shelter in 9 relief camps.
The people have taken shelter in the relief camps following destruction of their houses and threat to their life in the wake of communal violence that erupted in the district in the aftermath of the killing of the senior VHP leader Swami Laxmanand Saraswati and four of his disciples at Jalespeta ashram on August 23 last.
The district administration claims that the people are returning to their villages due to confidence building measures initiated at various levels and the number of inmates in different relief camps has drastically reduced.
The ministers asked the inmates about the assistance they are getting from the state government and their health problem. "The miscreants are still at large and they will target us" said Alfas Digal another inmate. The fear for life is still writ large on their face and they are sacred to return to their villages even after three months of the communal carnage.