Patrapur: A day after Orissa Post published a report on the plight of the border villages in Ganjam district that were on the radar of the Andhra Pradesh government, the administration swung into action Wednesday.
A team of officials including Berhampur sub-collector Sidharth Shankar Swain, tehsildar Pranati Priyadarshini Rout, BDO Lalit Kumar Kunwar along with Jarada IIC Bhawani Shankar Khuntia, Block education officer (BEO) Abhiram Behera, CDPO Padmini Sahu and other senior officials visited the villages and launched an awareness campaign.
The officials, who had never set their feet in the hilltops, trekked through forests to reach the village and held interaction with the tribals. The officials gathered residents of all nearby villages under the AP-claimed Buratal and Tumbha panchayats and held an awareness campaign.
The officials also held a health camp. The swift action was taken after Orissa POST published a report of the Andhra government making all-out efforts to lay claim on these areas due to neglect by the state government.
The AP government is trying to woo the villagers by showering largess on them. It has taken up developmental works to woo villagers. Some of the villages bordering Andhra Pradesh are in Buratal, Tumba, Ambapur, Gundra, Khambaringa, Barang, Kesharipada, B Nuagaon, Gudipadar panchayats of Patrapur block.
The AP government has also included the families under the National Food Security Act and supplied power to the villages. The villagers also receive rations and pension of Rs 1000 from AP. The AP government has even laid a good road to the village till Kalinga Dala reservoir and offer free healthcare at Siripur health centre. The ASHA worker from AP also regularly visits the village and gives free vaccinations to kids.
The AP government has provided them with voter identity cards showing them as residents of Kurudalur village under Mushamandal Budasing panchayat in Srikakulam district. The AP government has provided them with ration cards, pensions, health insurance cards. At least 24 of 27 tribal families are provided houses under the Indira Awas Yojana.
“Immediate steps are needed to be taken before it’s too late as the AP government has almost encroached upon the villages. Since people are getting all the benefits from AP, they might favour them so it is important to take quick action,” the officials said. PNN
