The Hindu : Karnataka News : Karnataka now embroiled in border dispute with A.P.

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Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka now embroiled in border dispute with A.P.

S. Rajendran

BANGALORE: After the inter-State river water row, Karnataka has run into another problem with Andhra Pradesh — a border dispute adjoining the iron ore rich reserve forest area along the border in Bellary district.

The Karnataka Government’s contention is that some influential iron ore mine owners with the “connivance” of the personnel of the Forest and Police Departments of the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh have marginally shifted the State border, obviously to cash in on the rich iron ore deposits available on the Karnataka side of the border. Despite repeated requests at various levels, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has refused to cooperate in demarcating the border between the two States, and hence the need for the Union Government’s intervention.

Sources in the State Government told The Hindu that akin to rivers and rivulets which help in demarcating the borders between two States, the peaks of mountains and hill tops also serve to demarcate boundaries.

What has happened in parts of Bellary district is that the hill tops have been demolished resulting in the confusion. “The tri-junction points [from which the border is demarcated] have been demolished,” the sources said.

The State Government, about a week ago, constituted a task force, headed by Divisional Forest Officer of Bellary P. Rajashekaran, to conduct a joint survey with his counterpart from Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The joint survey was to be conducted on Friday and when the Karnataka team approached the border, the Forest and Police personnel were heckled and jostled and forced to beat a retreat.

FIR

The officials concerned have since filed an FIR at Tornagal police station (Bellary district) against two officials of a well-known mining company.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy told this correspondent that he would take up the matter with the Union Ministers concerned and seek an early solution to the border dispute.

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