As the border dispute between Maharashtra and Telangana reaches the Centre, a family living in Maharajaguda village in Simavarti Jivati tehsil of Chandrapur district in Maharashtra is caught in a unique situation. The Pawar family has been paying property tax to both the states for years.
According to news agency ANI, the family lives in a 10-room house of which four rooms fall in Telangana and four are in Maharashtra. The kitchen is located in Telangana, while the bedroom and hall are located in Maharashtra. A total of 13 members of the families of two brothers Uttam Pawar and Chandu Pawar live in the house.
The family has been living in this house for years and have no complaints about it, and have been enjoying beneficiary schemes of both states. They also own vehicles with registration numbers of Maharashtra and Telangana, reported the news agency.
"Our house is divided between Maharashtra and Telangana, but till today we have not had any problem with it, we pay property tax in both the states and take advantage of the schemes of both the states," said Uttam Pawar, according to news agency ANI.
The land on which the house is built was divided into two states when the border dispute was settled in 1969.
Both the states are at loggerheads with each other over 14 villages. Even though the Supreme Court has ruled that the villages belong to Maharashtra, Telangana continues to claim the villages as its part, reported ANI.