Bhubaneswar: The launch of various projects by the Andhra Pradesh government in Kotiya panchayat in Koraput district of Odisha has created a fresh row between the two states entangled in a legal battle for the past five decades over the ownership of 21 out of the 28 villages under the panchayat in Pottangi block.

The Andhra government is constructing a road at Ganjeipadar. Local people also allege that Andhra is undertaking Aadhaar registration in the area.

On January 10, some officials from Andhra Pradesh, accompanied by the Vizianagaram collector, had distributed blankets and solar lights at Kotiya and nearby villages.

Odisha's revenue minister Maheswar Mohanty said the state government would depute a team of officials and engineers to take stock of the ongoing activities being undertaken by Andhra Pradesh at disputed Kotiya panchayat.

Besides, the Odisha government has sought opinion from the law department, based on which legal recourse would be taken, he said.

On March 30, 2006, the Supreme Court had ordered to maintain status quo at the disputed villages.

Official sources said the state government had also asked Koraput district collector K. Sudarshan to submit a detailed report in the matter.

A delegation, led by former Koraput collector Gadadhar Parida, would also visit the area on Wednesday to interact with the local people.

The Koraput district administration has claimed that Odisha government was taking care of development of the disputed villages.