Andhra Pradesh accuses Odisha of blocking census work in Kotia

Andhra Pradesh Tribal Welfare Minister Gummadi Sandhya Rani has escalated a dispute with neighbouring Odisha, requesting Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to intervene after Odisha officials reportedly obstructed census data collection activities in the contested Kotia villages.

The Kotia region, located along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border, remains a flashpoint between the two states, with both claiming administrative authority over the tribal settlements. According to reports, Andhra Pradesh census staff were prevented from carrying out their duties by Odisha personnel deployed in the area.

The minister's appeal to the chief minister underscores growing friction over territorial control in the region, where tribal communities have long been caught between competing state administrative claims. The incident coincides with India's ongoing census operations, which involve comprehensive data collection across all union territories and states.

Odisha has maintained its position on the disputed villages, viewing them as part of its administrative jurisdiction. Such border disputes have periodically flared up, with both states seeking to assert their authority over the resource-rich and tribal-populated frontier areas. The latest development is likely to prompt further diplomatic engagement between the two state governments to resolve the matter.