JEYPORE: A team of health officials from Koraput’s Pottangi block faced stiff protest from some locals and anganwadi workers, apparently backed by Andhra Pradesh government, in Kotia while conducting a medical camp at Neradivalsa village of the disputed panchayat on Wednesday.
Though the health team contacted Odisha police deployed in Kotia for help, the latter could not reach the village. Undaunted by the protest, the team conducted the medical camp amid the resistance. Around 131 villagers of Neradivalsa, Tadivalsa and Arjuvalsa were screened during the camp.
Sources said a six-member team comprising two doctors from Pottangi community health centre (CHC) had gone to Neradivalsa for health check-up of locals. As soon as the team entered the village, anganwadi workers appointed by AP and locals backed by the neighbouring State resisted and asked the members to return from Neradivalsa.
In the evening, the team returned to Pottangi CHC and informed the chief district medical officer (CDMO) of Koraput about the incident. Sources said the doctors expressed their discontentment over absence of security in the disputed panchayat. Other members of the health team said they would not conduct camps in Kotia villages unless police protection is provided.
Contacted, Koraput CDMO MN Behura admitted that AP sponsored people opposed the health camp in Neradivalsa and said he would inform the Collector about the incident. “Medical staff can conduct health camps in Kotia villages only if police personnel are present there,” he added.
Notably, despite repeated attempts of AP officials to wean Kotia residents away from welfare schemes of Odisha, health staff of Pottangi have been organising medical camps in every village of the panchayat regularly. Sources said Wednesday’s incident has left the health workers demoralised.