Andhra Team Administers Polio Vaccine Before Odisha Officials Arrive In Kotia

Koraput: After a recent mega camp organised at Neridivalsa and a visit by a senior police team, government officials from neighbouring Andhra Pardesh once again, on Sunday, entered Kotia, the disputed territory in Pottangi block of Odisha’s Koraput district.

This time it was a health team from neighbouring Parvathipuram district of Andhra Pradesh that administered the polio vaccine to children before the home state team arrived.

According to sources, a team of Health Department and Anganwadi workers from Andhra Pradesh led by Parvathipuram SP Vikrant Patil and District Medical Officer D Shiv Kumar carried out a polio vaccination drive in the area along with bordering villages of Neradivalsa, Upper Sembi, Madkar, Ganjeipadar and Dhulipadar. They also came to Bangurugudi village under Talagoluru panchayat to administer the polio vaccine.

The Parvathipuram health team told locals that they came on behalf of Pachipenta Community Health Centre. When the Odisha team reached there for the vaccination drive at 11 am, the children were already vaccinated.

Before this, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Manyam district in AP Vikrant Patil along with Circle Inspectors of Kotia and Salur had visited Neridivalsa, Madakar and Uparasembi and held discussions with the youth of the area. The Andhra Police had also organised a Jansampark Abhiyan at Neridivalsa under the supervision of Salur police where health checkups of more than 300 people were conducted.

A volleyball match was held and medicines, umbrellas, ration cards, and volleyball kits were also distributed among the people by the Andhra team.

It may be mentioned that Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have been locking horns over territorial control of 21 of the 28 revenue villages in Kotia Gram Panchayat in Odisha’s Koraput. The recent intrusions by Andhra Pradesh could be to entice the Kotia residents before the general elections.