Pottangi: Odisha officials Tuesday stopped Andhra Pradesh government employees from conducting a farmer survey in the disputed border villages under Kotia panchayat of Koraput district, seizing documents and ordering them to leave.
A cluster of villages under Kotia panchayat along the Odisha-Andhra border has long been a flashpoint for administrative disputes between the states.
According to officials, two employees from Andhra Pradesh’s agriculture department entered Harmandangi, Phatusineri and Dholiamba villages, going door to door to collect Aadhaar cards and bank account details from farmers. The survey was reportedly part of Andhra’s “Rytanna – Mee Kosam” scheme, aimed at enrolling farmers under its programmes.
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The Pottangi block administration intervened after receiving information about the intrusion. Block Development Officer Ramakrishna Nayak, Tehsildar Debendra Bahadur Singh Dharua, Kotia panchayat Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Ajay Ram Tarai, Panchayat Extension Officer (PEO) Kanda Golari, Assistant Project Officer Soumendra Nayak, Tehsil Supervisor Gupta Prasad Tripathy and other officials confronted the Andhra employees near Phatusineri road.
The officials questioned the two men about the survey, seized the papers containing collected data, and instructed them to stop their activity. They were warned not to create disputes by entering Odisha territory and were asked to return. The Andhra employees halted the survey and left the area, officials said.
Odisha authorities later informed the district administration about the incident.
Residents and local leaders said Andhra Pradesh has repeatedly attempted to assert administrative control in Kotia panchayat by holding health camps, farmer meetings and other government programmes. In the past 20 days, Andhra officials have reportedly visited villages including Neredibalsa, Phagunsineri, Phatusineri, Tala Ganjeipadar and Tadibalsa to organise such events.
Odisha officials said they have consistently blocked these attempts, but the interventions have had little impact on Andhra’s government employees and officers, who continue to intrude.
PNN
