BERHAMPUR: Days after the Andhra Pradesh government announced elections to panchayats in the disputed Kotia cluster of villages in Koraput, the neighbouring State has repeated its act, this time in Gajapati and Rayagada districts.
Laxmi Sabar of Rayagada block recently filed her nomination to Sobakota panchayat in Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, Sabitri Sabar of Patrapur in Gajapati filed her papers for panchayat elections in Ichhapur mandal.
Laxmi hails from Manikpatana village in Rayagada while Sabitri is from Gudikhala in Gajapati. Amid the emerging crisis, Laxmi and Sabitri are being asked by district officials to withdraw their nominations and not participate in panchayat polls of Andhra Pradesh scheduled on February 13.
Their actions have drawn flak of BJP and Congress leaders who slammed the State government for failing to check the influence of Andhra Pradesh in the two districts.
On Saturday, Paralakhemundi Sub-Collector Sangram Panda visited villages of Gangabada panchayat in Rayagada. Similarly, Berhampur Sub-Collector V Kirti Vasan visited Buratal panchayat.
Sources said the villagers are divided in their opinion.
While some want the Odisha government to develop the areas, a few others said the influence of Andhra Pradesh in the border villages has been growing over the years.
The border dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in districts like Gajapati and Rayagada is a long standing one and there seems no end in sight. Despite inspection of the border by the officials of the two states, the dispute lingers on.
The villagers residing in the border areas have been availing benefits from both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and spare no opportunity to show their benevolence either.
They even participate in the elections, be it panchayat or assembly of both the states. The governments of the two states have constructed roads and provided water and electricity to the villages.
But in the race for ownership of the villages, Andhra Pradesh has upper edge and this has been the case for the last more than two decades.
The fact that a few locals have been elected as ward members of panchayats in Andhra Pradesh shows that Odisha needs to up its game.
Odisha not to cede an inch of land in Kotia: Revenue Minister
BHUBANESWAR: A day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched developmental projects worth `18 crore in Kotia panchayat of Koraput district, the State government on Saturday announced that Odisha will not cede an inch of land to Andhra Pradesh.
“We are committed to do our best to resolve the matter and there is no question of ceding an inch of land to Andhra Pradesh,” said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi at press conference.
When his attention was drawn to the process started by Andhra Pradesh to hold panchayat elections in disputed villages of Kotia panchayat, Marndi said the government is aware of such activities and steps have been taken to resolve the issue.
“The Chief Minister announced a series of packages and inaugurated a number of development projects for the panchayat on Friday with a promise to transform it into a model panchayat,” he said.
Sources said the neighbouring state has started the process for holding panchayat elections in some disputed villages of the Kotia panchayat on February 13 and 17.