The Odisha Government is struggling hard to resolve the border disputes with neighbouring States.
Over 28,000 acre of land of 95 villages in 10 districts in Odisha comes under border disputes with four other States. The locals of these villages are fed up of dual governance and want their issues resolved at the earliest.
Without considering the argument of Odisha, both the Centre and Andhra Pradesh approved the Polavaram project. Despite Odisha’s protest and opposition, the Centre gave its nod for construction of the controversial project, which would affect over 10,000 residents as well as the forest, farming land and homestead land in Malkangiri district.
Recently, the Chhattisgarh Government’s move to construct barrages and dams on the Mahanadi and its tributaries have emerged as a headache for Odisha. If the proposed dams are constructed on the Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh, it would adversely impact the flow of water to the Hirakud Dam reservoir.
As a majority of population in Odosha depends on the Mahanadi system, the State Government has opposed the proposed dams and barrages on the river in Chhattisgarh. However, the Chhattisgarh Government has remained silent on the issue.
Beside these two major issues, 95 villages with 13,002 acre of land and 15,331 acre of reserved forestland of the State have border disputes with Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
As many as 21 villages in Koraput district, 21 villages in Ganjam, 16 in Gajapati, five in Rayadaga, five in Baleswar, eight in Mayurbhanj, five in Keonjhar and sox in Sundargarh have border disputes with Andhra, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Similarly, Chhattisgarh is imposing its authority on four villages in Nabarangpur district and one in Jharsuguda.
The locals of the villages are suffering due to simultaneous interference of the Governments of Odisha and neighbouring States.