BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Saturday came down heavily on the State Government for its failure to resolve the border dispute with Andhra Pradesh and protecting the Kotia cluster of villages from intrusion of officials of the neighbouring State.
Even as the border dispute with Andhra Pradesh is pending in the Supreme Court, the neighbouring State is implementing all welfare schemes. This exposes the callousness and apathy of Odisha Government to the Kotia gram panchayat issue, senior BJP leader and former Law Minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan told reporters here.
Targeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Harichandan said though the border dispute is pending since a long time, the former has never shown interest to take up the issue with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart.
Harichandan said the Odisha Government had filed a case in the Supreme Court in 1968 demanding the right, title and possession of 21 villages of Kotia panchayat and further seeking a direction to Andhra Pradesh Government not to interfere in these villages. The apex court had issued a temporary stay order till disposal of the case.
The Supreme Court in its March 30, 2006 order said adjudication of border dispute is not within its jurisdiction. The court said the matter can only be resolved by the Parliament. However, the apex court passed a permanent injunction on the disputed areas on the same date, he said.
Meanwhile, more than a decade has passed but the Chief Minister has neither taken up the issue with the Centre nor with the Andhra Pradesh Government. This proved the inefficiency of the ruling BJD, Harichandan remarked.
The senior BJP leader urged the Chief Minister to immediately visit Kotia clusters of villages and take stock of the situation. Such a visit by the Chief Minister will have a good impact on the people living in the disputed villages, he added.
Meanwhile, Koraput district administration submitted a detailed report to the State Government on the alleged intrusion of officials from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to the disputed Kotia panchayat under Pottangi block.