Koraput: In a strong critique of administrative negligence, Zilla Parishad Member Tikai Gemel Friday demanded the immediate establishment of a permanent Revenue Inspector (RI) office in Kotia panchayat, warning that the continued delay is enabling the Andhra Pradesh government to intensify its activities inside Odisha’s border territory. Gemel said the absence of a dedicated RI office has created a serious administrative vacuum in Kotia. “Because Odisha has not ensured a full-fledged RI office in Kotia, the Andhra administration is taking advantage of the situation and strengthening its influence in multiple villages. This is not just negligence, it is weakening our border,” she said. She further expressed deep concern over the condition of the Pottangi tehsil office, which still functions out of a building constructed during the British era. “The building is so dilapidated that important land records, documents, and files have been damaged due to water seepage. This is unacceptable for a border-region office that handles sensitive and crucial land matters,” Gemel noted.
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The ZP member urged the district administration and state government to take immediate, concrete steps not only to establish a permanent RI office in Kotia but also to demolish and reconstruct the existing tehsil office to protect vital records and ensure efficient governance. She warned that unless Odisha strengthens its administrative presence in Kotia, the state will continue to lose ground in the long-standing interstate border dispute. “The government must act now. Delay is costing us territory, authority, and people’s trust,” she said.
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