The political battle is hotting up in Vedaranyam, Nagapattinam district, as Handlooms and Textiles Minister O.S. Manian is taking on S.K. Vetharathinam, a former MLA, who is now back in the DMK.
Unemployment and underemployment, problems faced by small-scale salt producers and workers, the debilitating impact of Cyclones Gaja and Nivar, the problems faced by fishermen from the Sri Lankan Navy, and absence of rail connectivity are the major issues.
The work undertaken for opening the Veda Textile Park at Ayakkaranpulam in the Vedaranyam block, envisaging employment for thousands of people, is expected to stem the exodus of workers from this backward area to Tiruppur and other western districts in search of livelihood.
But the problems being faced by small-scale salt producers and workers are far from over.
As many as 700 small-scale producers making salt on 3,400 acres faced successive blows from the cyclones. They find it tough to get the support of the Central and State governments. Many producers, each with holdings between five and 10 acres of salterns, are yet to clear the large layer of clay that Cyclone Gaja deposited from the sea in 2018.
“The District Industries Centre that undertook an elaborate study to implement a major relief and rehabilitation exercise is yet to reach out to the hundreds of small- scale producers,” says V. Senthil, secretary of the Vedaranyam Small Scale Salt Producers’ Association.
Farmers who have also been affected a lot by the cyclones hope for an improvement in their lot from the establishment of a mega food park. Nearly 250 acres of land has been identified at Vanduvanchery in the Vedaranyam taluk for the project by the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation Limited.
Fishermen, a major chunk of the electorate, are looking for a solution to the periodic conflicts they get into with the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly trespassing the International Maritime Boundary Line.
Mr. Manian has stayed in connect with the people through distribution of welfare assistance under government schemes. Mr. Vetharathinam, who returned to the DMK from the BJP last year and who represented the constituency thrice in the past, sees anti-incumbency working in his favour.
In 2016, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigning for him, Mr. Vetharathinam finished third, behind Mr. Manian and the Congress heavyweight, P.V. Rajendran. However, he is back with renewed vigour.
The other contestants who can cut into their vote shares are from the Makkal Needhi Maiam, the Naam Tamilar Katchi and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.
