Tiruvadanai, considered the fertile part of arid Ramanathapuram, has come a long way to become the rice bowl of the district.
This coastal constituency topped paddy production in the district, thanks to RS Mangalam kanmai, the second biggest tank in the State, having more than 1,200 mcft storage and a large number of interlinked tanks with well-connected supply channels.
No more prospective
Farmers, however, rue that agriculture is no more prospective as these waterbodies have not been renovated for many years and rainwater flows into the sea. “Agriculture is no longer prospective and people have migrated to places such as Coimbatore, Tirupur and Chennai in search of employment,” says S. Arumugam, a farmer.
The RS Mangalam tank is so big that even a ‘naarai’ (stork) would struggle to fly past the waterbody but it presents a picture of neglect, he says.
Thanks to a long coastline from SP Pattinam to Devipattinam, a large number of people are engaged in traditional fishing in the coastal hamlets but they are under the clutches of money lenders. A sizeable section of fishermen regularly visits Saudi Arabia to take up contract fishing.
Uppur power plant
The rural constituency is all set to emerge as a major power producing centre and attract industrial investments as Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) is establishing a 1,600 MW thermal power plant at Uppur and the Centre has come forward to set up National Investment and Manufacturing Zone.
A Congress citadel, the constituency was represented by Congress leader KR. Ramasamy for five successive terms since 1989 before former DMK Minister Suba. Thangavelan wrested it in the last Assembly election. Now, the DMK has replaced him with his son Suba. Tha. Diwakaran, while Mr. Ramasamy has moved to Karaikudi.
The AIADMK, which has won only once from the Mukkulathor-dominated constituency in 1980, has allotted the seat to actor S. Karunas of Mukkulathor Pulipadai. Both hail from the dominant community which constitutes 32 per cent of the total electorate. The electors are set to be polarised in the multi-cornered contest as Dalit leader and Tamizhaga Munnetra Kazhagam leader John Pandian has entered into the fray and the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded T. Devanathan Yadav. Mr. John Pandian’s entry is seen as a tactical move to cut into the Dalit votes (17 per cent). The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam has fielded Manimaran. Naam Tamilar Katchi has fielded advocate R. Rajiv Gandhi.
