Andhra move to construct pond in Gajapati sparks row

BERHAMPUR: The border dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh surfaced once again after the neighbouring state allegedly started construction of a pond at Champapur under Gajapati district’s Rayagada block.
Even though the Gajapati district administration stopped the work and posted a flag claiming the area belongs to Odisha, it was alleged that Andhra Pradesh was trying to re-start work at the same place three days back, prompting Rayagada tehsildar Leelabati Acharya to visit the place and launch an investigation after she was alerted by locals about the fresh development.
“We have visited the spot and again posted the red flag demarcating the border area between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh,” Acharya said. She said they have also warned the sarpanch of the neighbouring panchayat in Andhra Pradesh of legal action if they try to resume construction work in Odisha.
“The work now has been stopped in the village after the tehsildar visited the site,” Gajapati district collector Anupam Saha said.
In the first week of June, the border villagers of Andhra Pradesh had strongly opposed construction of a pond at New Baraghara in the same Gangabad panchayat of Rayagada block, claiming that the particular patch of land belongs to the neighbouring state.
The dispute, however, was resolved when the project director, district rural development agency, Gajapati, visited the place and convinced the locals from Andhra Pradesh that the land belongs to Odisha.
“Now, we have decided to demarcate the border areas on our own and post pillars on the borderline to avoid further dispute between villages of the two states. The border demarcation work will be started soon,” said district collector Saha.