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The Times of India
The Times of India
National
TimesOfIndia

Odisha govt urged to include Deomali Hills, Kotia villages in revenue map

BHUBANESWAR: Vishal Odisha Kranti Parishad, a social organisation, here on Saturday urged the state government to take necessary action to include the Deomali hills and Kotia group of villages in revenue map and in the records of forest and tourism department.

Tourism minister Ashwini Patra recently told the assembly that Deomali, the highest peak in the state, is not in the records of revenue, tourism and forest departments of Odisha. The organization said Odisha should not leave any loose end to the advantage of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh which also stakes claim on Kotia region.

Pravat Dash, president of the Parishad, said they met the tourism minister on Friday and discussed this issue. “He said that a meeting of ministers of revenue, forest and tourism has been proposed to sort out this issue with regard to their due mention in revenue and forest records,” said Dash.

The organisation demanded the government to convene the meeting immediately and correct the forest and revenue records with respect to Deomali and Kotia latest by the end of this month. “No mention of these two important places in forest and revenue records has offered a great pleasure and opportunity to the Andhra government who are preparing to show these places in the Manyam district map of Andhra Pradesh,” he added.

Dash said Odisha government should not adopt dilly dallying attitude in this matter and save these areas from Andhra occupation. “We must not lose these areas as we lost Boramutha to Andhra Pradesh in the past,” he added.

Odisha is already at loggerheads with Andhra Pradesh over the alleged land encroachment and claim over Kotia villages in Koraput district by the latter.

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