Lakhanpur: A discrepancy in the ongoing house-listing exercise for the 2027 Census has raised concerns in Jharsuguda district, where parts of a village are reportedly being shown under neighbouring Chhattisgarh in geo-tagging records.
The Centre has initiated the first phase of house-listing and self-enumeration from April 1 to April 15. The exercise is underway in Kanaktora gram panchayat under Lakhnapur block. However, during geo-tagging for house-listing, several areas, including half of Ward 1, the entirety of Ward 2 and parts of Ward 3, are being reflected as falling within Chhattisgarh borders.
The anomaly has left local residents surprised and concerned. As per guidelines, people are required to register online for house listing after submitting necessary details at nearby Aadhaar centres. Villagers expressed resentment after noticing online that their village is being mapped under another state.
Residents pointed out that a 2.5-km road from Kanaktora Kali Temple Square to Ektaal in the neighbouring state was constructed by the Chhattisgarh government. The issue had earlier sparked outrage after a “zero kilometre” signboard installed by Chhattisgarh authorities within Odisha territory went viral on social media and in local media reports.
The incident has triggered debate among the locals, with many questioning whether the issue is merely a technical glitch or a repeat of disputes like the Kotia boundary issue. Villagers have demanded immediate corrective measures. Additional Tehsildar Kulamani Dalei, who is overseeing the enumeration work in the area, said the discrepancy could be due to a technical error and assured that necessary corrections would be made soon.