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Row in Odisha over addition of Kotia villages in new Andhra district
As per a new map released by the Andhra government, 28 villages of Kotia region have found place in Parvatipuram Manyam district.
A fresh controversy erupted on Monday after Andhra Pradesh created a new district, adding 28 villages of the Kotia region on which both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have staked claim.
As per a new map released by the Andhra government, 28 villages of Kotia region have found place in Parvatipuram Manyam district. The formation of Parvatipuram Manyam district means Parbatipuram town will now act as the new headquarters of the Kotia region.
Andhra and Odisha have been locked in a bitter battle over territorial control of 21 of the 28 revenue villages in Kotia gram panchayat. While Odisha “mistakenly” did not survey 21 villages during its formation in 1936, Andhra Pradesh that was formed in 1955, those also did not survey those villages resulting in perpetual dispute.
In 1968, Odisha moved the Supreme Court alleging that Andhra Pradesh was wrongfully trespassing into certain villages in its boundary. The apex court, in December 1968, passed an order directing that status quo to be maintained between the parties on the 21 villages of Kotia gram panchayat.
The dispute, however, became intense in February last year when the Andhra Pradesh government conducted panchayat polls in Phatusineri village under Kotia gram panchayat. The same month, Odisha moved a contempt of court petition, seeking action against Andhra Pradesh over its violation of the apex court order.
Reacting to inclusion of Kotia region in the Andhra Pradesh district, former Koraput MP Jayram Pangi said it was a conspiracy by Andhra Pradesh. “As the new district will be a tribal dominated one it is aimed to woo the tribal people of the region. We have proposed the Odisha government several times to form a development council in Kotia and launch special schemes for the region so that we can check the neighbouring state’s attempt to lure the locals,” said Pangi.
Tikai Gemel, a zilla parishad member of Kotia, said she would oppose Andhra Pradesh’s move of inclusion of Kotia in the new district. “Kotia belongs to Odisha. We will oppose Andhra if they attempt to include us in their state,” she said.
