KORAPUT: Bhubaneswar MP and BJP national spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi on Sunday urged the State government to form a Kotia Development Agency (KDA) for all-round progress of the bordering panchayat.
Attending a woman empowerment programme at Koraput, Aparajita said the State government has failed to handle the Kotia issue due to which Andhra Pradesh government made inroads into 21 villages of the panchayat and even conducted elections there recently. “The AP officials have also issued pattas under Forest Right Act to Kotia residents. Our government is not aggressive enough to counter the act of the neighbouring State,” she alleged.
Odisha government needs to adopt a focused approach for development of Kotia. Like Dongria Kondh Development Agency operating in Rayagada, the government should form KDA and make budgetary provision for it. There is a need to recruit teachers for teaching Odia and local languages in all 21 villages of Kotia. Immediate steps should be initiated for social and economic development of the people there, Aparajita said.
“Kotia has become a national issue and Odisha government should seriously consider border disputes with neighbouring states. Any lack of concern would lead to Jharkand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and AP grabbing border areas of Odisha. The way in which the government machinery is working in the State is not at all satisfactory,” said the MP who served as Collector of Koraput around 20 years back.
“The State government has made considerable delay in associating tribals with coffee cultivation despite the suitable weather condition in Koraput. Over 8,000 acre of land has been developed for coffee cultivation near Araku and Paderu in AP but Odisha government has taken no such steps,” Aparajita alleged.
Blaming the State government for failing to identify the lands given to tribals, she said the administration became silent after distributing Record of Rights (RoR) under Forest Right Act, 2006. The BJP leader also expressed displeasure over implementation of the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act in Koraput region. “The voice of tribals and their grievances must be taken into consideration by the government and PRSA Act should be respected,” she said.
Aparajita also demanded immediate steps from the government to address drainage problem in cities and prevent silting in Kolab and other reservoirs. She assured to hold talks with the Centre over the vacancies plaguing the Central University of Odisha (CUO) in Koraput.
Action sought against Andhra Pradesh Minister
Berhampur: Members of various social organisations under the banner of Odisha Nagarik Mahamanch have demanded action against Andhra Pradesh Minister S Appalaraju for his recent territorial overtures in Manikpatana village under Gangabada panchayat of Gajapati district. In a written complaint to SP Jayaram Satpathy, chairman of the Mahamanch Pradyumna Satpathy sought action Appalaraju for trespassing on Odisha land and forcibly reopening an anganwadi centre last month. A delegation of the outfit, which is on a two-day visit to Gajapati, also held discussion with the villagers of the bordering panchayat over the issue.