JEYPORE: Giving Andhra Pradesh a taste of its own medicine, Odisha raised signboards in Odia language at some villages of Kotia panchayat in Koraput’s Pottangi block on Thursday, September 30, 2021. The move comes close on the heels of some AP-backed miscreants clandestinely putting up Telugu signboards in Kotia villages earlier this week. The miscreants had even vandalised Odia signboards at some places of the panchayat.
Sources said a team of officials from Pottangi block reached the disputed villages of Upper Sembi, Neradivalsa and Tadivalsa and put up new signboards of Odisha government. Unlike AP, the Odisha team carried out the job in broad daylight and with full support from locals.
Additional block development officer of Pottangi KC Biswasray, who visited Kotia villages along with the team, confirmed that Odia signages were raised in three villages. “We put up the new signboards in our Kotia villages with cooperation of the local people. The administration is in constant touch with the villagers,” he added.
Taking advantage of the situation post cyclone Gulab, a group of miscreants backed by AP government sneaked into Kotia and erected two signboards in Telugu for Phatusenari, Daliamba, Kotia and Salpaguda villages.The Koraput administration had put up new Odia signboards mentioning names of villages and list of development works on the eve of Utkal Diwas this year.
Till date, there is no direct road communication to some villages from Pottangi as the bridge near Medakar has been damaged in cyclone Gulab. Sources said the Pottangi block administration will put up signboards of Odisha government in all 21 villages of Kotia once communication to the panchayat is completely restored.