Koraput: Tension is once again mounting in the disputed Kotia gram panchayat (GP) on the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border following three instances of intrusion by Andhra Pradesh authorities in the past one week.On Thursday, several officials from Andhra Pradesh entered Upper Sembi, one of the 21 disputed villages, and began survey for distributing Andhra-issued ration cards and Aadhaar-linked benefits in an apparent attempt to attract local residents. After receiving information, police from Kotia panchayat headquarters rushed to Upper Sembi village and asked the Andhra officials to stop their activities and leave the area.Earlier on Jan 24, a day before the visit of deputy CM Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, supporters of the Andhra Pradesh government allegedly damaged a ‘shamiyana’ erected for Singh Deo’s programme at Upper Sembi, where he had gone to lay the foundation stone for a power substation.Again on Jan 27, leaders and workers of Jana Sena Party from Andhra Pradesh reportedly entered Upper Sembi and held a public meeting. Their move was widely viewed as an open challenge to the Odisha govt and block administration, adding to tensions in the sensitive border region.According to local sources, officials from Andhra Pradesh have been entering the Kotia region on different occasions to attend programmes and interact with villagers, creating unease among residents and the district administration.Reacting sharply, former Koraput MP Jayaram Pangi accused the Odisha govt of failing to resolve the long-pending border issue. “Kotia is an integral part of Odisha. But the state government has completely failed to address the problem. The increasing interference by Andhra Pradesh is a direct result of this inaction,” Pangi said.He warned that if firm steps are not taken immediately, the situation could further deteriorate and embolden Andhra’s presence in the disputed villages. “Even though the BJP is in power in Odisha and at the Centre, and is also a coalition partner in the TDP-led govt in Andhra Pradesh, there has been no serious effort to settle the Kotia dispute,” he added.However, law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan rejected the allegations and said the govt was alert and proactive. “Kotia is an inseparable part of Odisha. The government is strengthening administrative presence and development activities in the area. Any kind of external intrusion will not be tolerated,” Harichandan asserted.He added that the state is closely monitoring the situation and will take all necessary measures to protect Odisha’s interests in Kotia. Both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh lay claim to 21 of Kotia’s 28 villages, with the boundary dispute pending before the Supreme Court since 1968.
