Odisha officials visit Kotia for SIR survey

Koraput: A day after officials from Andhra Pradesh visited villages in the disputed Kotia panchayat under Pottangi block to review census-related activities, a team of officials from the Koraput district administration on Wednesday visited the area to assess the situation and monitor the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) survey.The visit comes amid renewed focus on the long-standing Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border dispute, with both states claiming administrative control over 21 of the 28 villages under Kotia gram panchayat in Pottangi block. Officials said Odisha had completed its census operations in the disputed villages on April 27, while Andhra Pradesh reportedly carried out its census-related exercise between May 1 and May 30.Led by local revenue officials, the Odisha team visited Phatusenari and Phagunsineri villages to verify reports of the Andhra Pradesh officials’ visit and review the progress of the ongoing SIR survey.“Our SIR survey is currently underway across Kotia panchayat. We visited Phatusenari and Phagunsineri villages to ascertain the activities carried out by Andhra Pradesh officials. However, no Andhra Pradesh officials were present in the area today and the SIR survey is progressing smoothly,” said Pottangi tehsilder DBS Dharua. He said the SIR exercise is scheduled to continue till June 28 but efforts are being made to complete the process in Kotia at the earliest.The development follows a visit by officials from Andhra Pradesh’s Parvathipuram Manyam district on Tuesday. The team, which included district official Keshav Rao and Salur tehsilder M. Suresh Kumar, reportedly visited Phatusenari and Phagunsineri villages, reviewed survey-related activities and interacted with villagers regarding various welfare programmes.Residents said visits by Andhra Pradesh officials to the disputed region have become a recurring feature, with the neighbouring state continuing administrative outreach activities in the area. The repeated visits have once again underscored the sensitivity of the Kotia border dispute, which has remained unresolved for decades. The territorial issue, involving 21 villages claimed by both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, has been pending before the Supreme Court since 1968.