Were They On A Picnic? Over 50 AP Officials Visit Deomali Peak In Kotia; Know Why It Has Raised Eyebrows

Bhubaneswar: A large number of administrative officials from Andhra Pradesh visited Deomali hills in Koraput district on Sunday, raising eyebrows.

Sources said Vizianagaram Collector Surya Kumari, accompanied by over 50 officials, reached Deomali in 15 government vehicles around 11 am on Sunday. The team enjoyed the Deomali peak, then had a feast before returning to AP, the sources said.

They left after Odisha police reached the spot.

The incident comes amid simmering tension between the two neighbours as AP continues to meddle in the Kotia region in Koraput district.

Sources said the convoy of vehicles seemed to be headed towards the Kotia region from Kunduli initially on Sunday. But it changed course and headed towards Deomali hills.

Koraput district administration officials and villagers kept a close watch on the movement of the AP officials.

According to sources, the Vizianagaram Collector and other officials headed towards Galigabdar waterfall in Potangi block from Deomali.

Deomali, the highest peak in Odisha, is located in the Chandragiri-Pottangi sub-range of the Eastern Ghats. Situated near Koraput town in Koraput district, Deomali sits at an elevation of 1,672 metres above sea level.

Surrounded by lush green forests, the peak is rich in flora and fauna. The view is breathtaking, alternating between hilly ranges and green plains.

The incident comes days after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met his Andhra Pradesh counterpart YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to discuss several contentious issues, including the dispute over border villages.

Recently, posters of AP government’s various welfare schemes were found at Manikapatna village in Gajapati district’s Rayagada block.

Both states are locked in a dispute over villages in the Kotia region. AP too stakes claim to these villages, which has led to tension between the neighbours.

Last month, the district administration had foiled attempts by AP to win over villagers in Kotia with welfare programmes.

AP officials were scheduled to visit Madkar, Uparasembi, Ganjeipadar and other villages in Kotia to launch their programmes but their attempt was foiled.

There have been a series of incidents where AP officials have tried to meddle in the bordering villages of Odisha.