MANDASA (SRIKAKULAM): One more border village issue has created tension on the Andhra-Odisha Borders.
This time, it is in the Srikakulam district and the site of a small room constructed for an Anganwadi center in Manikyapuram village in Sabakota Panchayat of Mandasa Mandal has become a burning issue for both the states.
It is recalled that both states have already locked horns for Kotia villages on the borders in the Vizianagaram district of AP. Still, tension is prevailing at the Kotia border villages as the Odisha cops closed the road to two villages to restrict the visits of the AP officials and also paving the roads in the disputed villages.
Though the land of the Anganwadi center at Manikyapatnam in Mandasa mandal was within the limits of AP borders as per the 1959-60 records of the Survey of India, Odisha authorities are claiming the site belongs to Odisha.
Now, Tension prevails on the borders as Odisha officials along with their cops arrested the husband of an Anganwadi volunteer, Gurunatham, a couple of days ago. Tribal associations and others have already given representation to the district administration.
Kasibugga DSP Sivarami Reddy, Mandasa Tahsildar Bade Papa Rao, and others visited the Manikyapuram village on Tuesday. With difficulty, they crossed the Mahendra Tanaya stream as the bridge over the stream was washed away during the Titli cyclone.
According to Tahsildar Papa Rao, Manikyapatnam village comes under AP limits as per the records. But Odisha officials claiming the area by showing 1994 records. There was no issue between the two states till the Manikyapatnam issue. “ The authorities of Rayagada of Odisha should maintain patience. But their attitude and behavior are creating tension in the area,” he said.
Revenue authorities say that they would bring it to the notice of the higher-ups in the state because it is an interstate dispute.
