Pottangi: Andhra Pradesh government has not given up its efforts to intrude into Kotia panchayat in Koraput despite a Supreme Court order to maintain status quo in the area.
In the latest development, the administration of the Vijaynagram district has started constructing the building of an Anganwadi centre (AWC) at Talaganjeipadar village.
As soon as the news reached the district administration, the latter halted the work.
Following a directive from Collector Abdaal M Akhtar, a team of officials comprising sub-collector Lalit Kumar Kahnr, tehsildar Haripad Mandal and IIC Kaibalya Seth along with police force rushed to the village.
The officials asked the villagers about the AWC work and directed officials of the Salur block who were monitoring the construction work to leave the place.
The Andhra officials had to return after the work was halted. However, villagers were unhappy over Odisha officials’ opposition to the Anganwadi building made by the Andhra government.
Following this development, Dibakar Gemel, a sarpanch from one of the bordering panchayats of Andhra Pradesh along with some villagers lodged a written complaint with the project administrator of Parvatipuram ITDA.
It is apparent from the fact that people of Talaganjeipadar are lured by the work of the Andhra government.
Notably, the neighbouring government has long been trying to wean away the people in Kotia villages by offering them various sops and making encroachments.
The Andhra government had held panchayat elections in Kotia panchayat in February 2021 despite opposition from the state government.
Later, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Andhra government on a contempt petition filed by Odisha for notifying panchayat elections in disputed inter-state border villages despite a status quo from the top court.
PNN
