In yet another brazen display of territorial assertion by Andhra Pradesh in Kotia, a team of health officials intruded into the disputed territory in Pottangi block of Koraput district and administered polio vaccination in the bordering villages even before an Odisha team could arrive.   As per reports, a team of health and Aganwadi workers from AP led by Parvathipuram SP Vikrant Patil  and District Medical Officer D Shiv Kumar visited Kotia panchayat and Bangarugudi in Pottangi tehsil and carried out the polio vaccination drive in these areas along with bordering villages of Neradivalsa, Upper Sembi, Madkar, Ganjeipadar and Dhulipadar. They even intruded up to 13 km in Bangurugudi under Talagoluru panchayat for a similar exercise.   This time, the Parvathipuram health team on behalf of Pachipenta Community Health Centre arrived in the disputed region and administered polio vaccine to nearly 35 children. The drive was over by the Odisha team arrived for the vaccination drive at around 11 am.   The incident has been seen as a bold attempt by the neighbouring State to outdo the Odisha teams effort and assert their claim on the territory once again.   Notably, this is the third such intrusion in a week. Earlier, a health camp had been organised by Andhra Pradesh in Neradivalsa in the presence of its Deputy SP.

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