Residents of Maha-Telangana border say they enjoy benefits from both states

The ongoing Maharashtra-Karnataka row may have brought the boundary dispute between states under focus

The ongoing Maharashtra-Karnataka row may have brought the border dispute between states under focus, but people living in 14 disputed villages along the Maharashtra-Telangana border appear to be unmoved by this debate as they are enjoying the benefits of schemes implemented by both neighbouring states.

The residents of these villages say that they have no problem in going with any of the two states if the local government awards ownership of their farmlands to them.

All these 14 villages - located in Jiwati taluka of Chandrapur district (according to Maharashtra map) - figure in the voters list of both the states and people there enjoy dual identity, entitling them to take benefits of all the basic facilities including political status from both Telangana and Maharashtra. Earlier Andhra Pradesh, and now Telangana (after division) claimed that these villages fall under their territory. However, the issue has remained unresolved so far.

Waman Pawar, former sarpanch of Paramdoli gram panchayat said, "The dispute between the two states (Maharashtra and Telangana) has remained unsettled since my childhood."

"But we are utilising the schemes of both states. There are 300-400 farmers in the 14 disputed villages who are ready to go with any government that provides permanent pattas to farmlands," he said.

Patta is a legal document that includes the details of the legal owner of the land property.

But unlike the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute, where tempers of local residents are seen running high, people from these 14 villages appear unconcerned.

The families of Uttam Pawar and Chandu Pawar have been living in Maharajguda village since a decade with seven rooms of their 11-room house falling in the territory of Maharashtra, while the remaining four in Telangana.

Uttam Pawar said they were paying taxes in both the states.

Chandrapur Guardian Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said the villagers have been enjoying benefits offered by governments from both sides since the last many years.

"Nobody is interested in settling the issue and no correspondence (for merger into any state) has been made by the villagers. The issue of these 14 disputed villages is still unsettled," he said.

Congress MLA Subhash Dhote from Rajura constituency in Chandrapur said, "Eighty per cent of residents from these villages are Marathi-speaking, mostly hailing from Nanded, Latur and Parbhani districts (in Maharashtra). But once their Aadhaar is linked to their mobile phones, these people cannot cast their votes in both states and can exercise their franchise in any one of them only."

Dhote said the local population does not exceed 3,000 and people have been availing benefits from both states since 1970.