Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border row: Officials show bonhomie to clear uprooted tree

BERHAMPUR: Amidst a tussle between two states, officials of Gajapati and Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh displayed a rare bonhomie and worked together to clear an uprooted tree from the main road near Basandhra village on Wednesday.

People of both the states use the road and due to the uprooted tree, vehicular movement had come to a standstill on the route. On being informed about the situation, fire services and public works personnel of Gajapati reached the spot. They were soon joined by teams from Tekkali in Andhra Pradesh. 

They jointly chopped off the branches of the uprooted tree and cleared the road. They also exchanged pleasantries after the road clearing work. Earlier in the month, Gajapati administration had sealed an anganwadi centre of Andhra Pradesh government in Manikpatana village as it was illegally constructed over the land owned by an Odia. 

Following the move, Andhra Pradesh Minister S Apala Raju along with police force reached Manikpatana and forcibly opened the anganwadi centre. He also threatened Odisha officials of legal action. Since then, officials of both the states are in a confrontation mood. However, the bonhomie among Odisha and AP teams on Wednesday has surprised the locals.

Sources said that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to visit Paralakhemundi on October 4. People residing in the bordering areas hope the 9-km stretch of the road from Koinpur to Gangabada in Odisha side will be constructed for the CM's visit.

A similar display of friendship was also witnessed among residents of several bordering villages of Ganjam and and Manjusha mandal in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. Sources said that due to heavy rains in the last four days, the water level in Mahendratanaya river has increased considerably.

Residents of Purunagada, Budarsing, Tulasigaon and Kurudalu of Andhra Pradesh and Gudikhala, Dabuthali and Gudipadar in Odisha jointly caught fish in the river. They distributed over two quintal of fish equally among villagers of both the sides.

Ganjam has dispute with Andhra Pradesh over the bordering Gudikhala village under Buratal panchayat in Patrapur block. The village regularly witnesses unpleasant situation as AP officials continue their efforts to include it in their limits.