BERHAMPUR: After a hiatus of two years, officials of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh (AP) are once again trying to grab land in bordering areas of Odisha’s Gajapati district.
On Tuesday, a group of AP officials reportedly led by the revenue officer of Mandasa Mandal visited Manikpatana village in Gangabada panchayat under Rayagada block and started measuring land. On being informed, panchayat samiti member Sumitra Sabar rushed to the spot and raised an objection.
A heated exchange of words between the AP team and Sabar ensued. As a large number of locals gathered at the spot, the AP officials stopped measuring land fearing trouble. However, they reportedly threatened the locals. Sources said the Andhra team spent over one hour in Manikpatana before leaving the village.
In 2021, AP officials reportedly abused the then ADM of Gajapati at Manikpatana in full public view. Besides, a minister of the AP government had also visited the village along with Andhra police and reportedly misbehaved with some senior administration officials. The minister even forcibly opened an Anganwadi centre established by the AP government in the village which was locked by the Gajapati administration.
Following the incident, the Gajapati administration deployed a section of police force in the area. It also announced to set up a police outpost at Manikpatana. However, the police outpost plan is yet to materialise.
Sabar said people residing in bordering areas of Odisha mostly depend on AP roads. Despite repeated appeals, the Odisha government is yet to lay proper roads in the area. Villagers are forced to travel through AP’s Mandasa and Garabandh in Gajapati to avail of healthcare services and for other works in the block headquarters of Rayagada.
For the last 15 years, villagers have been repeatedly demanding a road from Gangabada panchayat to the block headquarters, but the state government is yet to pay heed to their pleas, she claimed. At least 44 tribal families reside in Manikpatana village. Despite repeated attempts, no revenue official of Gajapati was available for comment on the issue.