The Alangudi Assembly constituency in Pudukottai district, where farming is the predominant activity, is yet to fully recover from cyclone Gaja in late 2018.
Destruction of several plantations and many dwellings is fresh in the minds of people who had to labour hard since then to eke out their livelihood.
The constituency drew nation-wide attention after residents of Neduvasal and nearby villages resorted to a protest for over 100 days a few years ago opposing exploration of hydrocarbon from this region forcing the authorities to make a retreat.
Alangudi Assembly segment is hotting up again. There is hardly any industrial growth in the last 10 years, says A.S. Thirugnanam, a farmer hailing from Neduvasal. Being a rain-fed region, farmers are heavily dependent on borewells which have been sunk to take up cultivation of crops such as paddy, groundnut, maize, banana, chilly and cashewnut.
Groundwater table has depleted in many areas. Borewells had to be sunk up to 1,000 to 1,200 feet to draw water, says Chinnaiyan, a farmer of Seriyalur Jamin. Many interior pockets in this constituency are yet to see good black topped roads even now, he says.
“The overnight destruction caused by cyclone Gaja in November 2018 to coconut and other fruit-bearing trees will take us at least another two to three years to recover,” say Mr. Thirugnanam and Mr. Chinnaiyan.
The relief that was given after the natural disaster could only be used for clearing the uprooted trees and making the area fit for plantation again, says Mr. Thirugnanam. Farmers have been battling hard to revive their livelihood even though the coconut plantations and other fruit bearing trees would take another few years to give yield, he says.
Farmers also cultivate various types of flowers such as ‘malli,’ ‘sambhangi’ and ‘kanakambaram’ which are sent to various places across the State. However, the long felt need for a cold storage facility for fruits and flowers is yet to be established. Such facility should come up at least at three places within the constituency, suggests Mr. Thirugnanam. Farmers have been seeking three-phase power supply uninterruptedly as there was no other activity other than agriculture. The constituency doesn’t have a government college too forcing students to travel to Pudukottai or Thanjavur to pursue their higher education.
The DMK has fielded its sitting MLA Siva V. Meyyanathan, a known face, for the second time in a row. The AIADMK high command has given the ticket to an ex-Congress man Dharma. Thangavel, who joined the AIADMK only in January. The choice of the AIADMK high command met with some resistance from sections of party men who took to the streets in Alangudi expressing their resentment over fielding a candidate who had joined the party only a few months ago.
The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam too has fielded a familiar face, D. Vidangar as its candidate, making the battle tougher for the ruling party.
