JEYPORE: The joint survey to demarcate the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh (AP) disputed border in Koraput’s Pottangi block was suspended after revenue officials from both the sides failed to agree on the location of a tri-junction pillar as per the settlement map, on Wednesday. The pillar reportedly was found 27 chains inside Odisha, instead of 37. Earlier on the day, an official team led by Koraput Collector Madhusudan Mishra and officials from Paderu under Visakhapatanam district led by ITDA project director Vhenketeswarlu held a meeting in Sunabeda border point to begin the joint demarcation as per the old settlement map of Madras Presidency.
While ascertaining the boundary of both states in Sunabeda and Jamuguda areas in Odisha, the teams verified three old border signs and agreed on their location. However, a difference of opinion between the parties surfaced over a tri-junction pillar found during the survey. As per reports, the AP team tried to demarcate with the tri-junction point but Odisha officials did not agree with their view claiming that the tri-junction pillar has been dislocated and not found in the original place as per the settlement map.
Later, the area was surveyed once again using a chain which verified that the tri-junction pillar is 21 chains instead of 37 inside Odisha, from the original location. Subsequently, both the teams suspended the survey and agreed to resume it on a later date.Koraput Collector Madhusudan Mishra said the joint boundary survey will resume after Christmas holidays.
“AP officials agreed with the recent border survey conducted by revenue teams from Koraput. They agreed on all our genuine claims, where they were hitherto rigid. This disagreement over the pillar does not amount to a ‘dispute’ and will be sorted out amicably,” he said.
Paderu ITDA project director Vhenketeswarlu also said he would update the Visakhapatnam Collector on the day’s development for further action. “There is some disagreement with Odisha administration over positioning of the tri-junction pillar. We will conduct the survey again with our revenue and forest staff,” he said and appealed to villagers of both the bordering sides to maintain law and order till the survey is complete.The row over delineation of Odisha-AP border in bordering Sunabeda village in Pottangi here, has been going since a month after villagers from the latter’s side repositioned a boundary signpost 500 meters into Odisha side.