Koraput: A day after OTV telecast a report on the alleged encroachment of Andhra Pradesh into Odisha in the bordering areas of Narayanpatra block, the district Collector along with other senior officials have conducted a joint survey and held discussions with people of the area.
It is being claimed that Andhra Pradesh has issued land rights of forest areas, which actually belongs to Odisha, to the locals in Langalabeda Panchayat of Narayanpatna block.
Today Koraput Collector Madhusudan Mishra, along with Sub-Collector, Joint Collector, Narayanpatna Tehsildar, BDO, Revenue and forest department officials conducted an inspection in the area to review the prevailing situation.
Speaking to OTV, the Collector stated, "This is not a disputed land. This land comes under the jurisdiction of Narayanpatna and there is no encroachment by Andhra Pradesh administration. We have initiated a probe based on the allegations and also apprised Vizianagram Collector in this regard. Accordingly, he will depute revenue and forest department staff who along with our officials and field functionaries would conduct a detailed survey. Regarding the claims that the land rights of the same land were given to people belonging to Andhra, we have asked AP administration to verify the same."
We are sure the issue will be resolved very soon as this is not a disputed land, the Collector has assured.
Earlier, Abhisek Das, Tehsildar of Narayanpatna had said, “Our farmers have been tilling those lands from ages. The dispute arose after the land rights of the same land were given to people belonging to Andhra. After survey, we came to know that Andhra Pradesh has put its survey stones almost 500 mts inside Odisha’s territory."
The alleged encroachment is not limited to only Langalabeda Panchayat. In fact the plot number-35 and 33/1 under Chinakemidibhadra Mouza have also been usurped by Andhra. The land rights of some of the said plots have been given to the locals of Dakisila Panchayat under Parbatipuram Tehsil of Andhra Pradesh, effectively benefiting the people of Andhra and leaving our people without any land to farm, locals had alleged.
READ MORE | Koraput: Locals Live Under Uncertainty As AP Encroaches Into Odisha