Andhra Pradesh has a considerable number of Odia speaking people staying in the Srikakulam district. But the administration has been showing step-motherly attitude towards them. The nonchalant response of the Odisha Government to the plight of the Odias has made the matter worse.
Sources said around two lakh Odia speaking people are living in the Srikakulam district of AP since long. Many of them live in Ichhapur, Purunapatna, Kharaswada, Sompeta, Tekali, Manchusa, Palasa and Hiramandala areas. The Odias constitute around 20 per cent of the district’s population. The Odias have a right to get education in mother tongue but the Andhra Government is not providing any facilities to them for which they are forced to choose the Telugu medium of education. There are no Odia speaking teachers in any school. The Andhra Government has stopped their appointment. Even, Odia books are not available.
Earlier, the situation was different. The AP Government was providing all facilities to the Odia speaking students but with the passage of time, the Government has changed its stance on the Odias and their well-being. The Government has stopped all the facilities from the primary level to the college level so far as the education of the Odia population is concerned.
The apathy has further led to the extinction of the Odia language, education, culture and tradition. The Odia speaking people are now conducting marriages and thread ceremonies in Telugu customs and rituals. The situation is such that today most of the Odia speaking people have forgotten to interact in Odia even at their home. Fathers and mothers are being called in Telugu ways. The Odia language is on the verge of extinction in these areas. It’s high time, the Odisha Government intervened and took necessary steps to save and propagate Odia in the interest of the Odia people staying in the neighbouring State.