JEYPORE: The border dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh (AP) has once again come to a boil with the neighbouring state allegedly planning to rename villages in disputed Kotia panchayat on August 15. Sources said, AP has been trying to keep the controversy alive with a flurry of activities in Kotia. Five days back, a team of officials and political party members from AP’s Vizianagaram district camped in different villages of the panchayat. They reportedly attempted to motivate villagers to join the AP side by highlighting welfare schemes which they claimed are way more beneficial than those provided by Odisha.
Going a step further, the team apparently sought support from people to rename each village and put up signboards in Telugu on the eve of Independence Day. Soon after the visit, Pottangi MLA Pitam Padhi visited the areas to take stock of the situation and reacted sharply to AP’s overstepping of territorial authority. None from the neighbouring state’s administration or political party will be allowed in Kotia, the legislator said.
With tension simmering, political leaders and Koraput administration on Monday told mediapersons that no such activity will be allowed on Odisha side. Speaking to mediapersons, senior congress leader and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati announced that all political parities of Koraput district will protest AP’s move. “Let AP administration dare speak the date and time for such illegal activities in Kotia. We will give them a befitting reply,”Bahinipati said.
Koraput Collector Md Abdaal Akhtar said the administration is capable of protecting its border. “The administration and police will not allow any anti-Odisha activities in Kotia and will protect the border,” he said. The Collector, however, denied having ground reports on the renaming of Kotia villages in Telugu. “Our works are going on in Kotia. But there is no ground report of changing of any kind of status there or official communication in this regard,” he added. Akhtar said some political parties of AP are jealous over development works being carried out by Odisha government which could be prompting them to react in this manner.