PALAMANERU: Tamil Nadu's Vellore district authorities are said to have built makeshift walls across the borders to prevent people from the state of Andhra Pradesh entering the state through the highway due to coronovirus pandemic. This had sparked a row as they had done this without informing the Chittoor district authorities, which is close to Vellore. Chittoor district joint collector D. Markandeyulu confirmed erection of the two walls.

The walls, measuring three feet in width and five feet in height, were constructed at Gudiyattam village in Vellore district, which is close to Palamaner in Chittoor district .

'' Vellore is an important town in neighbouring Tamil Nadu and borders Chittoor. Many Telugu-speaking people live there. No inter-state transport or movement of people is being allowed due to the ongoing lockdown restrictions. Besides, there is an inter-state check-post between Vellore and Chittoor ,” Markandeyulu said. He also said that vehicles carrying essential commodities are being allowed to ply between the two states, despite the ongoing lockdown restrictions. In this context, the abrupt construction of these concrete structures between the two states is strange, unusual, and also unwarranted, he said.

Chittoor district collector N. Bharat Gupta was informed about the erection of the walls by Palamaneru revenue officials on Sunday evening.

Apart from the normal trade between AP and Tamil Nadu, the cancer hospital at Vellore caters to patients from AP, who go there for treatment regularly. The Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is another favourite educational institution for Telugu-speaking students.

Asked the reason behind the construction of walls, Vellore District Collector A. Shanmuga Sundaram said it was mainly to check unauthorised entry of people like migrant labourers, who use vehicles to enter Tamil Nadu without any valid permission.

Sundaram further said the walls are makeshift and not permanent. "They would be demolished after the lockdown restrictions are lifted," he said. (Source Hindustan Times)

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