Vijayawada, November 10, 2021: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and Odisha Chief Minister agreed to work closely on resolving inter-state issues during an in-person meeting held on Tuesday.
Several issues were discussed in the meeting, particularly in the field of water resources, common boundary, energy, left-wing extremism.
Andhra CM Jagan Reddy met his Odisha counterpart to settle the issues between the two states, especially the dispute over a cluster of 21 villages under Kotia panchayat.
During the in-person discussion at the Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, the chief ministers allowed the chief secretaries of both states to be present and formulate an institutional mechanism to address the disputes according to the reports published in indiatoday.in.
In a joint statement, the offices of both the chief ministers stated, “A high-level committee comprising the Chief Secretaries of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh will set up an institutional mechanism to deliberate on the outstanding issues, including the contentious border dispute at Kotia in Koraput district, between the two neighbouring states and find a solution.
“Both the states not only share borders but also a long and glorious history and heritage. At times of need, both states have extended full cooperation and assistance, a fact borne out during natural disasters in the past,” the CMO further stated in a press note released after the meeting.
The states decided to work on resolving the issues of the Kotia group of villages, Neradi Barrage, Janjavathi Reservoir, Polavaram, release of water for Bahuda river, and Mutual NOCs for the Balimela and Upper Sileru in the energy sector.
The states also agreed to work on tackling the problem of left-wing extremism and ganja cultivation.
It was also decided that a chair for Odia and Telugu languages will be set up at BR Ambedkar University, Srikakulam and Berhampur University.
The statement mentioned that the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh had a very cordial and fruitful meeting.
Even the Supreme Court had earlier, on August 31, observed that the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border dispute should be solved through mutual discussions.
