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Paralakhemundi-For quite a long time,the Andhra Pradesh administration has been making several attempts to woo residents of Odisha villages of Gajapati district to take them to their side,as the boarder villages of Odisha sans assured benefits.The attempt to illegally encroach villages like Manikapatna, Gudikhudi, Madhikhol, Amaring, Akhada and Bursing of Gangabad panchayat in Rayagada block of Gajapati district,increased during the tenure of YSR govt.The AP officials issued Aadhar,Voter I card Later and financial benefits to the family of the Oriya students,who join in AP schools.Even the AP administration also provided power,water and health service at the Odisha villages.As a result of which a good number of residents of boarder villages availed double benefits.However,some elites of Gajapati district convinced the residents of boarder villages to be loyal to Odisha and also urged the Odisha govt to solve the problems of Odisha villages at boarder.Owing to persistant demands,the Odisha Govt has started some development activities in the areas,what has refrained the AP officials from their encroch attempt,but such attempts continued by Andhra people.The reason,still people of some villages of Gajapati district depend on AP roads for their daily work,as a shortcut communication.Gajapati administration has constructed roads for its villages,but callous attitude and lack of fore vision,the Odisha roads constructed in such a way that the people of Odisha villages has to cover more than 20 kms.To take a shortcut,they depend on AP roads.The burning instance is Gajapatinagar village under Saradapur panchayat in Gosani block of Gajapati district.The residents of Gajapatinagar,Sardapur used to commute through Chapara,Meliaputi of AP to reach Paralakhemundi,as they covers couple of kms.Similarly the AP roads also used by the people of several villages of Gosani block including thickly populated Gurandi,SNPentho,Jangalpadu etc who use the AP road via Gajapatinagar village.However,the AP road near Chapara was dug up reporteedly by the Andhra people and now the villagers of Gosani block covering over 20 kms to reach paralakhemundi,in the absence of shortcut road.Ch Prasad rao,Sarapanch of Saradapur told that on 16/12/2024 5th3 road was dug using earth mover(JCB),as a result of which its not possible to walk as heaps of soil dumped on the road at the end of a culvert.He said the matter in written has been given to the local BDO and Collector of Gajapati,besides to the administration and SP of Srikakulam district of AP.But no action were taken,even after tendays.Gosani block chairman N.V.Raju said,blocking the traffic at the spot by digging the road is not new,as similar incidents occured earlier.But we packed the area with boulders and soil and make the road usuable in the recent past.He said a joint effort by the administration of Gajapati and Srikakulam can only be solved the problem.Though,the reason of digging the road not yet ascertained,but the locals opined it a vindictive measure by the AP people in the area on the behest of some officials.Justifying their claim,they odisha villagers said,since past some months we denied to accept the AP benefits,what is the prime reason,what made AP people aggrieved.Add to it,recently the people of Gajapatinagar and Saradapur were allured by the boarder people of AP to admit their kids in AP schools at Chapara,what was rejected by the villagers.The villagers said road is for communication whether it is of Odisha or AP,but the attitude of blocking the road,is condmnable.They said AP is getting water,minor minerals and other benefits from Odisha,but its authorities are mum over a mere issue of using the road.
