Andhra Pradesh Officials’ Visit to Kotia Villages Rekindles Odisha–Andhra Border Dispute

Koraput, July 8 (UDN): The decades-old border dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh has resurfaced after a team of Andhra Pradesh government officials reportedly carried out census-related verification in several villages under the disputed Kotia Gram Panchayat in Koraput district.

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According to local sources, the Andhra Pradesh team, led by Salur Tehsildar Suresh Babu from Parvathipuram Manyam district, visited Upper Sembi, Lower Sembi and Nedibalasa villages. The delegation reportedly included Booth Level Officers (BLOs), Anganwadi workers, education officials and other government functionaries.

During the visit, officials are said to have undertaken door-to-door verification, collecting previously issued census forms and reviewing the status of digitisation of demographic data. Local representatives from the Andhra Pradesh side also reportedly accompanied the team during the exercise.

The reported administrative activity has once again drawn attention to the long-pending territorial dispute over the Kotia cluster of villages, claimed by both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. While Odisha has already completed its census-related work in the region, the latest exercise by Andhra Pradesh has triggered fresh concerns over competing administrative claims.

The development comes barely a month after a visit by an Andhra Pradesh minister to Nedibalasa village for the inauguration of a road project, an event that had also sparked political and administrative debate in both states.

Although the situation remained peaceful, the latest visit has reignited discussions over the recurring administrative interventions by both states in the disputed villages. Residents of the Kotia region have frequently witnessed welfare programmes and official visits from both governments as the boundary issue remains unresolved.

The border dispute over the Kotia villages is currently pending before the Supreme Court, where both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have staked their claims over the territory. Officials said any long-term resolution will depend on the outcome of the legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Odisha district administration is monitoring the situation closely. An official statement on the reported visit was awaited at the time of filing this report.