Koraput: Several border villages of this district have become parts of Andhra Pradesh, though unofficially, due to a lackadaisical attitude of the administration, a report said.
People of more than 20 villages of Pottangi panchayat and most villages of Ralegada, Sunki, Amphabali, Poteru, Talagolur panchayats enjoy dual benefits, it was learnt.
A case in point is Bangarugudi village of Talagolur panchayat under Pottangi block. Very few people of this village, having a population of 500 and 120 km from the district headquarters, understand Oriya but can’t speak it. They depend on Salur and Pachifeta towns of Vizianagaram district in all respects since these are the nearest towns for the village.
According to villager Singana Saunta, the villagers have registered their names in the BPL list of AP as they get more facilities from the neighbouring state than that of Orissa. Besides, people here prefer to admit their children to Telugu schools since the AP government has been taking a lot of measures for the growth of education, he clarified.
Another villager Ram Babu said none of the government officials ever visit the region while residents report to Pachipheta police station of Andhra Pradesh in case of occurrence of any crime in the village. Even as the village features in the map of Orissa, people get all sorts of assistance from the administration of Andhra Pradesh, locals alleged.
It was learnt that the AP government has provided houses under IAY, tube wells, piped water and even electricity connections to the villagers while most of them managed to get voter identity cards issued by the neighbouring state.
Though the village comes under Pottangi police limits, people never register complaints with police here, a report said.
When contacted, Pottangi tehsildar as well as BDO in-charge Saroj Kumar Biswal claimed tehsil officials frequently collect revenue from the village arranging camp courts. Besides, lakhs of rupees are spent on behalf of the block and Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan authorities on the construction of roads and schools in the village, Biswal added.
However, he admitted that it is tough to implement development projects in the village as the region comes under the Red corridor. Efforts are on to relocate the village to a better location, Biswal further informed. PNN
