Nermayana Thethalukana Makkal Iyakkam of Coonoor Consumer Forum has released its set of election demands for the Assembly elections.
Most of the 23 demands of the forum are specific to the district, as it differs from the rest of the State in geography, climatic conditions and lifestyle among a host of other aspects.
Environment
According to the president of the forum S. Manogaran, prime among their demands are protecting the flora and fauna of the district and implementing the various Acts and master plan to protect the district from disaster.
They have also pressed for recovering several thousand acres of government land encroached by tea planters.
Fixing fair price for tea and vegetables, simplifying and bringing about transparency in the functioning of the Tea Board to benefit the small farmers, ensuring availability of vegetables for a lesser price by opening retail vegetables outlets and protecting the interest of farmers were also among the priorities.
Healthcare
They sought cardiac specialty department in all six taluk level government hospitals and neurology and nephrology departments at the district headquarters hospital.
The forum stressed on implementing total prohibition and establishing rehabilitation centres in all the government hospitals as the district ranked second in the State in liquor sale (through Tasmac outlets).
The consumer body has sought renovation of existing roads and new roads to rural hamlets, improving quality and increase in the number of government buses, regulating bus fares and taking over mini bus routes by the state transport corporation and also expanding Coonoor Bus Stand.
Seeking arts and science colleges at Kotagiri, Kundha and Coonoor taluks, they have sought government ITIs at Gudalur and Kundha.
Committees
They also wanted committees to be formed to identify and provide job opportunities for the people of the district.
Their other demands included converting PDS shops into grocery shops, integrating all government departments at the block level by brining them under one roof and to protect the reservation and benefits for persons from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.
They also sought fair conduct of elections by not attracting votes by assuring freebies or cash for votes, to protect the dignity of the voters.
Iyakkam has sought arts and science colleges at Kotagiri, Kundha and Coonoor taluks
