Andhra Officials’ Visit Rekindles Kotia Border Dispute
Fresh tensions have erupted between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh after officials from Salur in Andhra Pradesh visited villages under the disputed Kotia Gram Panchayat in Koraput district.
On Tuesday, Salur Tehsildar Suresh Babu, accompanied by Booth Level Officers, Anganwadi workers, BEO officials, and other staff, conducted door‑to‑door verification in Upper Sembi, Lower Sembi, and Nedibalasa villages.
They collected old Census forms and checked digitisation records, despite Odisha having already completed Census‑related work in the area.
The move is being viewed as provocative, especially since Andhra Pradesh’s Tribal Welfare and Women & Child Development Minister had recently inaugurated a road in Nedibalasa on June 6, sparking controversy.
Odisha’s district administration has yet to issue an official response, but the latest activity is expected to intensify the long‑standing border dispute between the two states.
