By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, November 9, 2021: Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will set up a joint institutional mechanism to resolve various bilateral issues. Chief ministers of both the states have decided to continue the legacy of mutual cooperation.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who visited here on Tuesday, met his Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Convention Centre to discuss issues of mutual interests.

For quite some time, there has been the border dispute pertaining to Kotia group of villages, construction of Neradi Barrage on Vansadhara river, Jhanjavathi project, Polavaram, release of water for Bahuda river and cooperation for Balimela and Upper Sileru hydroelectric projects were the key issues taken up during the meeting, lasted for around 45 minutes, said an official statement.

The boundary dispute over Kotia group of villages is a bone of contention between the two neighbouring states since 1956. The Kotia village cluster under Pottangi block in Koraput district has 28 villages of which 21 villages are on disputed zone.

Both the states agreed to cooperate mutually in the true spirit of federalism discuss issues between the two states, said a joint statement issued by both the chief ministers.

The chief secretaries of both the states will set up an institutional mechanism to deliberate on outstanding issues and find a solution that is in the best interest of the people of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

Though the border dispute had first reached the Supreme Court in 1968 over the issue, the apex court had ordered status quo in the case in 2006. It resurfaced again after the Andhra Pradesh government conducted panchayat polls in three of the disputed villages earlier this year. In August this year, the Supreme Court had asked both the states to resolve the Kotia issue through bilateral discussions as both approached the apex court.

On construction of Polavaram project being constructed on Godavari river, Odisha has been opposing the design and height of the dam as the project in its current design is apprehended to submerge a large area including 25 tribal habitations under Motu tehsil in Malkangiri district. The issue also sub-judice in the apex court since 2007 even as work is going on expeditiously.

As Andhra Pradesh requires around 103 acres of land for construction of Neradi barrage on Vansadhara river that would also create irrigation facilities for over 5,000 acres of land in Odisha, Jagan sought cooperation Naveen. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister also sought cooperation from his Odisha counterpart on early completion of Jhanjavathi project as the project would inundate a portion of land in Odisha.

The two chief ministers also agreed to extend support towards tackling the problem of left-wing extremism and ganja cultivation and to work towards setting up a chair for Odia and Telugu languages in B R Ambedkar University, Srikakulam and Berhampur University, respectively. Appointment of language teachers in schools in border districts of the two states and supply of books were also discussed.