Tiruchuli will easily get the tag of the most backward constituency of Virudhunagar district. A typical, sub-tropical climate here has begotten dry and arid land. Not a single polling station out of 267 in the constituency is located in an urban area speaks volumes of the fact that there is no semblance of urbanisation whatsoever.
Left in the eastern most corner of the district, Tiruchuli paints a pathetic picture of poor livelihood of the masses.
With juliflora omnipresent in the constituency, the aged and the young make a living by cutting the thorny trees under the scorching sun for making charcoal that is sent to several States. The organised job opportunity is given by a few spinning mills.
“Cutting the trees and shovelling their roots throughout the day fetches around Rs. 250 a day,” says K. Muthu (65) of Perunchali. However, women involved in the same job get a lesser wage of Rs. 180.
“This is the only occupation available here for us to make a living. Our work starts at 8 a.m. and goes on till 5 p.m.,” says Ammaponnu of Chokkampatti. The workers are brought in tractors from their houses to the work spot in jungle-like areas. They not only carry their lunch but also make their tea at periodical intervals as no shop is available at a walkable distance and buses come here occasionally.
The rain-fed region has a tradition of cultivating groundnut and paddy, though the chance of getting a good yield is always 50:50. But this adventure too is facing a handicap as the Gundar river that replenishes the dry waterbodies during monsoon has been ruined beyond redemption.
Villagers around M. Pudupatti waged a battle against the proposal to set up a sand quarry on the river. They lost not only the sand, but also the river.
“The riverbed has been dug up for nearly 20 feet in many stretches and water does not flow downstream anymore. The bed level has gone much below the channel level,” complains A. Muthukaruppan.
Affected villages
Among the affected villages are Perunchali, Kudumankulam, Panikurippu, Chokkampati and Kallamperumbu.
On the other side, a medical incinerator at A. Mukkulam has been life-threatening for the residents. Villagers of A. Thottiyankulam, N. Nedungulam, Mudukkankulam, Chokkanenthal and Uvarkulam have been complaining that they have lost scores of people to kidney problems in the last few years. Infertility and death of animals are also caused by, what they claimed, polluted air and water.
The villagers threatened to boycott elections following lack of follow up action from the district administration despite the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board admitting that the unit caused pollution.
Roads are in an awful condition and bus services are rare, even for school goers.
However, supporters of the first MLA of the new constituency, Thangam Thennarasu, complain that he could do very little other than spending all the Constituency Development Fund being in the opposition.
He had upgraded several schools when he was School Education Minister in the previous tenure (under Aruppukottai Assembly constituency). He also brought in the Kariapatti taluk.
A major part of the constituency has been chiselled out of erstwhile Aruppukottai constituency from where AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran successfully contested to become Chief Minister in 1977.
Though there is a solid AIADMK base, it would be a Herculean task to unseat Mr. Thennarasu with a new face, K. Dinesh Babu. Division among Mukkulathor votes will be a factor to set the outcome, locals say.
Others in fray are T. Raju of DMDK and K. B. Ravirajan of BJP.
