Panel to seek permanent solution to Kotia border dispute: Pujari
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Bhubaneswar: Revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari, who was named chairman of a 16-member interdepartmental committee for Kotia's development and integration, on Friday said the committee will provide detailed recommendations for a permanent solution to the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh dispute.
The committee, scheduled to meet for the first time on June 3, marks the first instance of such a high-powered panel being formed to address the long-standing border dispute. Pujari emphasised that the committee will focus on developing the neglected region while promoting Odia Asmita and resolving the dispute.
"While I do understand this is a very old and complex problem, the committee will work to ensure the development of the neglected region and a lasting solution to the inter-state dispute," Pujari told the media.
The minister said previous govts did not take adequate steps and created a legacy problem. He announced that the committee would engage experts, seek public representatives' opinions, and initiate political dialogue for a permanent solution. The panel will also determine the structure of a proposed development agency for Kotia.
Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed the move, stating that Kotia is an inseparable part of Odisha.
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He highlighted that the local population would benefit from various welfare schemes under the double-engine govt.
However, BJD's deputy leader of opposition, Prasanna Acharya, criticised the govt approach, demanding clarity on how it plans to address Andhra Pradesh officials' continued visits to the disputed villages. "While development is a continuous process, I don't understand what another agency would do. The govt should spell out its plan to prevent infiltration of AP administration into Kotia villages, which are part of Odisha," Acharya said.
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