BHUBANESWAR: For a peaceful resolution to border disputes with Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan has requested the personal intervention of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

In a letter to the chief minister, Pradhan noted that border dispute concerns had arisen in two villages in South Odisha: Manikapatna in Gangabada GP in Rayagada block in Gajapati district and the Kotia gramme group of villages in Pottangi block in Koraput district.

"As you are aware, there have been reports of administrative outreach by the Andhra Pradesh government in these communities during the past several days. The Andhra Pradesh government's regrettable and illegal outreach is currently not just limited to Kotia but is also slowly expanding to other areas in South Odisha "he said.

According to reports, 21 of these villages have been included to the newly created Parvatipuram Manyam district in Andhra Pradesh. The district's headquarters are only 40 kilometres from a number of Kotia villages.

In order to entice the population of these villages to become a part of Andhra Pradesh, the BJP representative claimed that Andhra Pradesh has been actively implementing various initiatives and developmental activities in these areas.
He advised that in order to better connect with the citizens of these border villages, the Odisha government must take initiative locally.

"Because of its distance from the district headquarters, the Andhra Pradesh government may seem more approachable to the public. The neighboring state might utilise this to drive these residents away from Odisha and remove their long-standing sociocultural ties to their country of origin "said the Union Minister.

Furthermore, he claimed that the neighboring state is deliberately attempting to sway these border peasants by providing them with amenities like ration cards, healthcare, and educational opportunities.

To combat this, Odisha should build trust with the local population and organisations and address a number of developmental issues by making sure residents of bordering villages are not drawn to Andhra Pradesh government facilities and by hastening the implementation of the government of Odisha's developmental initiatives, he said. Such administrative clashes and disagreements, he claimed, would not only create an unfriendly climate for the local populace but also impede the growth of these settlements. Also, it will sabotage the current development process, which runs counter to the sociopolitical goals of both States, and plant the seeds for the emergence of anti-establishment feeling in this area.

Regardless of party affiliation, all political parties concur that Odia interests in these border settlements ought to be developed and protected. He, therefore, encouraged the Chief Minister to call an all-party meeting to discuss these concerns, examine the inter-state committee's progress, and receive a briefing on the developmental initiatives undertaken in border communities.

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