KORAPUT: The simmering dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh over the last several decades has left people of several villages on this side of the border in a no-man’s land.
While Kotia panchayat was in news a few months back for intrusion by Andhra Pradesh Government for providing welfare measures, like issuance of Aadhaar cards to the villagers, and things are yet to settle down, a new issue has put the Odisha Government officials in action mode.
On Wednesday, Koraput administration demolished the cemented information board at Jayantgiri village of Pantulung panchayat in Koraput district. Constructed by Andhra Pradesh Government through Infosys Foundation, the board informs about a water supply system for the villagers.
The decision to demolish the board was taken after the administration learnt about developmental works undertaken by Andhra Pradesh Government in Odisha villages of Nandapur block through Infosys Foundation.
A drinking water project has been launched by an NGO that has been taken up under Corporate Social Responsibility activity of Infosys Foundation in collaboration with AP Government.
Villagers have welcomed the welfare measure by the neighbouring government as they claimed that several pleas to the panchayat office and Nanadapur block administration to facilitate drinking water project in their village fell on deaf ears.
“When the administration did not heed to our requests and we were forced to live on polluted water, we were compelled to approach the officials of Andhra Pradesh. Just after one audience with the AP Government, the drinking water project came up in the village. Later a display board was constructed by the Andhra Pradesh-managed NGO,” a villager said.
Two days back Additional District Magistrate Sujata Mishra visited the village to take the stock of the situation. Later, on Wednesday Sub-Collector Lalit Kumar Kuanar visited and interacted with villagers and directed for demolition of the cemented board, said sources. Several attempts to contact the Sub-Collector failed.
In the last Assembly session, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty had said Odisha has border disputes with four neighbouring States for 96 villages. The villages are spread of 10 districts of the State.
Odisha has disputes with Andhra Pradesh over 21 villages in Ganjam district, 16 villages in Gajapati district and five villages in Rayagada. With West Bengal over six villages in Balasore and eight villages in Mayurbhanj district. Odisha and Jharkhand are at loggerheads over two villages in Mayurbhanj, five in Keonjhar and six in Sundargarh. Four villages in Nabarangpur district are struggling between Chhattisgarh and odisha while one in is Jharsuguda district.