JEYPORE: The decades-old interstate boundary dispute over the Kotia cluster of villages in Odisha’s Koraput district resurfaced yet again after officials from Andhra Pradesh reportedly visited the panchayat to review the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) survey activities on Tuesday.
According to sources, officials from AP’s Parvathipuram Manyam district led by Salur tehsildar M Suresh Kumar entered Kotia panchayat and interacted with local residents. The team reportedly visited Fatusineri and Phagunsineri villages, where they assessed the status of the ongoing SIR survey and held discussion with locals on various government welfare schemes.
Incidentally, the Odisha government has already completed census-related activities in Kotia and is carrying out the SIR exercise in villages under the panchayat.
Pottangi block development officer (BDO) Ramkrishna Nayak said Odisha officials continue to carry out government programmes and welfare activities across all villages under Kotia panchayat.
“We are giving special attention to Kotia. The SIR exercise is currently underway in all nine polling booths of the panchayat. Villagers are responding tremendously and extending full cooperation to the survey teams,” Nayak said.
Officials maintained that development and welfare initiatives of the Odisha government are continuing without interruption in the region.
The latest visit by AP officials has renewed concerns among local residents and political observers over the repeated administrative interventions by the neighbouring state.
Kotia has remained at the centre of a prolonged territorial dispute between Odisha and AP for several decades. Both the states have been extending welfare benefits and undertaking development activities in the area, often leading to administrative friction and political debate.