Koraput: Just two days after state ministers visited the disputed Kotia region under Pottangi block in the district to reaffirm the state’s administrative presence and speed up development works, Andhra Pradesh on Thursday reportedly began its own Census process in the villages, claimed by both, once again reigniting the long-standing border dispute.The latest development comes shortly after the Koraput administration completed Census operations in 21 disputed villages of Kotia panchayat on April 27.Acknowledging the Census activities conducted by Andhra Pradesh in Kotia villages, Pottangi tehasildar and charge officer Debendra Dharua said Odisha had completed its enumeration and house-listing exercise smoothly with the deployment of 21 enumerators and four supervisors.At least 2,042 houses were numbered during the Census exercise in Kotia panchayat, Dharua said.The Kotia cluster, where both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh claim administrative control over 21 out of 28 villages, has remained at the center of a territorial dispute pending before the Supreme Court since 1968.According to reports, Andhra Pradesh officials on Thursday visited villages such as Talasembi, Uparasembi and Phatusineri, and carried out Census activities in the area, intensifying tensions in the border region.The Andhra Pradesh exercise came barely two days after Odisha revenue minister Suresh Pujari and law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan visited Kotia on May 5 to review ongoing development projects and lay foundation stones for new works. During the visit, a chariot wheel from Puri, associated with Goddess Subhadra, was also installed at the Jagannath Temple of Kotia.Pujari had said the Odisha govt was giving special attention to Kotia through accelerated infrastructure and welfare initiatives.Work on the widening of Kunduli-Kotia road to 7.5m had already begun, while several other roads and civic facilities were being developed in the region, the law minister had said.
