Karnataka enters into border row with Telangana

​Tandur (Vikarabad Dist): Tension continued to prevail for the third day on Thursday after the Karnataka officials peg-marked about 75 per cent of the Kagna riverbed near Basheerabad in Vikarabad district declaring that their state owns the stretch. But the Vikarabad district officials took serious objection to it and maintain that a major portion of the land which Karnataka is claiming as its, belongs to Telangana.

Though talks took place between the two states at various levels, the issue remains unresolved. Tandur RDO Venumadhav along with DSP Ramachachandrudu visited the spot on Thursday evening. The RDO said collectors of the border districts from both states will hold discussion on the issue again on Friday. The trouble started three days ago when sand mining was taking place in the riverbed by those who possessed licences issued by Karnataka government. The people in Kyadigira in Telangana state took objection and entered into an argument with them.

When the situation appeared getting out of control, Karnataka officials arrived on the scene and declared that their licencees could mine sand as the territory belongs to Karnataka and began peg-marking a large portion of sand bed and notifying that the area belongs to Karnataka.

This led to a wrangle between Karnataka officials and Telangana farmers, forcing intervention of Basheerabad police in Telangana state who for the time being, asked mining to be stopped until the demarcation of the river bed is done to the satisfaction of both the states. JEE of Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation Asan Patil held talks with Basheerabad Tehasildar Umamaheswari but they remained inconclusive.

According to her, the map shown by Karnataka officers indicated that area falls unde Telangana state. She suggested to them to resume mining after the issue of border is settled. Chincholi DSP Baswaraj (Karnataka) suggested that a police picket be arranged until the issue is cleared. Officials of Telangana allege that contractors from Karnataka are crossing the border and quarrying sand from their territory.

In 2016, Karnataka state sanctioned permission for mining 1.5 lakh tonnes of sand to their rural development corporation in Kagna river. From then on, contractors have been mining sand in the region. When the mining activity crossed the border, the farmers of Kyadgira in Basheerabad mandal stopped them. They raised objection which led to the present controversy.