Inter-Departmental Panel Arrives In Kotia Panchayat

Koraput: A four-member team of the high-level inter-departmental committee formed by the Odisha government arrived at Kotia panchayat under Pottangi tehsil in Koraput district on Friday.

The team, during the visit, will take stock of the activities of the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh government like illegal construction of road in the panchayat and distribution of Aadhar Card and other articles to the people.

The team, comprising of IG Sanjib Panda, Director, Revenue (Rehabilitation and Resettlement) Ashok Kumar Nayak, Additional Secretary, Revenue Sashadhar Nayak and Chief Engineer, Rural Development Ashutosh Mallick, will also review various developmental works and social welfare schemes under by the Odisha government in the panchayat.

The team is scheduled to visit several villages of the panchayat and hold discussion with the villagers. Later, it will submit a report to the state government after a discussion with the district administration.

The dispute between the two State came to fore in January after a team of officials from Vizianagaram district of AP had visited the area and distributed freebies like blankets, solar lights. Later, the neighbouring State has also allegedly started road construction and process for providing Aadhar cards to the local residents.

Out of 28 villages in Kotia gram panchayat 21 villages are on disputed zone between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh since 1956. However, the Supreme Court had ordered status quo in 2006.

The Odisha government came to know about the intrusion of Andhra Pradesh government in Kotia Panchayat in January this year after the visit of a team of officials from Vizianagaram district who had distributed articles like blankets, solar lights and old age pensions in Talaganjeipadar area. Later, the Andhra Pradesh government distributed Aadhar cards to Kotia villagers by setting up an enrollment centre at the panchayat.