Bhubaneswar: Orissa And Andra Pradesh Establish a joint institutional mechanism to address various bilateral issues such as House, Polavaram And Neradi Barrage The Chief Ministers of both the states have decided to continue the legacy of mutual cooperation.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan ReddyThe one who visited the state on Tuesday met his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik at the state convention center to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Boundary dispute relating to villages of Kotiya group, construction of Neradi barrage on Vansadhara river, Jhanjavati project, Polavaram, release of water for Bahuda river and cooperation for Balimela and Upper Sileru hydroelectric projects, were the major issues raised during the meeting, approx. 45 minutes, an official statement said.
“It was decided that both the states will continue the legacy of mutual cooperation and will discuss the issues between the two states in the true spirit of federalism,” said a joint statement issued by the two chief ministers.
The Chief Secretaries of both the states will set up an institutional mechanism to deliberate on the outstanding issues and find solutions in the best interest of the people of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, the statement said.
The border dispute over the villages of the Kotia group has been a bone of contention between the two neighboring states since 1956. Kotia village cluster under Potangi block of Koraput district consists of 28 villages, out of which 21 villages are in disputed territory.
Although the boundary dispute on the issue first reached the Supreme Court in 1968, the apex court had ordered status quo in the matter in 2006. It came to the fore again after the Andhra Pradesh government held panchayat elections in three disputed villages earlier this year. In August this year, the Supreme Court had asked both the states to resolve the quota issue through bilateral discussions as both had approached the apex court.
Over the construction of the Polavaram project being built on the Godavari river, Odisha is opposing the design and height of the dam as the project in its current design is expected to submerge a large area, including 25 tribal settlements, under Motu tehsil in Malkangiri district. The matter is also sub-judice in the apex court since 2007, while the work is progressing at a brisk pace.
Since Andhra Pradesh needs about 103 acres of land for the construction of the Neradi barrage on the Vansadhara river, which will also provide irrigation facilities for over 5,000 acres of land in Odisha, Jagan sought Naveen’s cooperation. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister also sought cooperation of his Odisha counterpart for early completion of the Jhanjavati project as the project would submerge a part of the land in Odisha.
The two Chief Ministers also agreed to extend support to tackle the problem of Left Wing Extremism and cannabis cultivation and work towards setting up a chair for Oriya and Telugu languages at BR Ambedkar University, Srikakulam and Berhampur University respectively. Discussions were also held on the appointment of language teachers and supply of books in the schools in the border districts of both the states.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan ReddyThe one who visited the state on Tuesday met his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik at the state convention center to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Boundary dispute relating to villages of Kotiya group, construction of Neradi barrage on Vansadhara river, Jhanjavati project, Polavaram, release of water for Bahuda river and cooperation for Balimela and Upper Sileru hydroelectric projects, were the major issues raised during the meeting, approx. 45 minutes, an official statement said.
“It was decided that both the states will continue the legacy of mutual cooperation and will discuss the issues between the two states in the true spirit of federalism,” said a joint statement issued by the two chief ministers.
The Chief Secretaries of both the states will set up an institutional mechanism to deliberate on the outstanding issues and find solutions in the best interest of the people of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, the statement said.
The border dispute over the villages of the Kotia group has been a bone of contention between the two neighboring states since 1956. Kotia village cluster under Potangi block of Koraput district consists of 28 villages, out of which 21 villages are in disputed territory.
Although the boundary dispute on the issue first reached the Supreme Court in 1968, the apex court had ordered status quo in the matter in 2006. It came to the fore again after the Andhra Pradesh government held panchayat elections in three disputed villages earlier this year. In August this year, the Supreme Court had asked both the states to resolve the quota issue through bilateral discussions as both had approached the apex court.
Over the construction of the Polavaram project being built on the Godavari river, Odisha is opposing the design and height of the dam as the project in its current design is expected to submerge a large area, including 25 tribal settlements, under Motu tehsil in Malkangiri district. The matter is also sub-judice in the apex court since 2007, while the work is progressing at a brisk pace.
Since Andhra Pradesh needs about 103 acres of land for the construction of the Neradi barrage on the Vansadhara river, which will also provide irrigation facilities for over 5,000 acres of land in Odisha, Jagan sought Naveen’s cooperation. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister also sought cooperation of his Odisha counterpart for early completion of the Jhanjavati project as the project would submerge a part of the land in Odisha.
The two Chief Ministers also agreed to extend support to tackle the problem of Left Wing Extremism and cannabis cultivation and work towards setting up a chair for Oriya and Telugu languages at BR Ambedkar University, Srikakulam and Berhampur University respectively. Discussions were also held on the appointment of language teachers and supply of books in the schools in the border districts of both the states.
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