Andhra Pradesh provokes Odisha over Kotia panchayat again

JEYPORE: Needling Odisha over Kotia once again, the administration of Vizianagaram district in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh entered the disputed panchayat and organised veterinary camps in several villages on Wednesday. 

Sources said a team of veterinary officials of Vizianagaram visited Dhulipadar, Talganjaipadar, Uppar Sembi and Tala Sembi villages and conducted health camps for the cattle. The vet staff also vaccinated over 300 cattle before leaving Kotia on the day. 

This is for the first time Andhra Pradesh administration has sent its veterinary officials to the disputed territory. The move is being seen as a ploy to woo Kotia villagers to the Andhra Pradesh side.

In the last two years, the Andhra Pradesh administration has engaged its machinery for development of roads, health services and public distribution system (PDS) in the disputed panchayat. The activities of the neighbouring State in Kotia have increased significantly this month.

In the first week of August, a few political leaders of Andhra Pradesh's Salur visited Kotia and announced to rename villages in Telugu on the eve of Independence Day. They reportedly even pressurised the Vizianagram administration to do the needful in this regard. However, resistance from Koraput administration and political parties of the region thwarted their efforts.  

Again on August 19, a team from Andhra Pradesh led by project administrator of Parvatipuram ITDA P Kurmanath and officials from Salur arrived at Phatu Senari and Phaguna Senari villages where they conducted 'bhumi puja' for several projects and carried out a plantation drive.

The next day, revenue and block officials of Pottangi visited these villages to take stock of the situation.