Ottapidaram: Land of freedom fighters lacks even basic infra

Ottapidaram, the birth place of legendary freedom fighter VO Chidambaram Pillai, who played a phenomenal role in the freedom struggle against the British rule and launched ‘Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company’ has a pride place in the history of the state.

Primarily an agrarian society, farmers here are not happy with government’s efforts to improve water management for agriculture.

KP Perumal, a farmer from Ottapidaram, said the agrarian society relied mostly on rain-fed cultivation during monsoon. If the monsoon disappoints, farmers have no alternative for crop cultivation. The long awaited demands among farmers for channelising water from ‘Kombadi Odai’ and Tamirabarani to Periyakulam in Ottapidaram remain a distant dream.

A resident Ilasai Manian, said desiltation works had not been done properly in the biggest tanks, including ‘Eppodhum Vendran’ and in Korampallam. To overcome water scarcity, a check dam should be built in Seevalaperi and divert water from Seevalaperi to tanks in Ottapidaram. Water scarcity is looming large in Mappillaioorani, but effort has been taken to solve the crisis.

Though freedom fighter VOC, a famous barrister, hailed from Ottapidaram, absence of a court in Ottapidaram concerns many. This constituency was also plagued by lack of other development works as it was devoid of quality hospital, education and bus depot.

Industrialisation should play a key role in this constituency to generate employment for youths. Despite having blessed with tourism potential of Kattabomman Fort, a concrete structure built on the legacy of freedom fighter Veerapandia Kattabomman at Panchalankurichi, tourism has not been promoted, he said.

As for M Velraj, farmer from Puthiyamputhur, one of the key areas in this reserved constituency, many had been longing for channelising water from the Kombadi Odai to Malarkulam, the biggest tank in Puthiyamputhur, which is primarily known for readymade garment manufacturing units.

According to T Manohar, president, Clothes and readymade Garment Traders Association, Puthiyamputhur, politicians come and go every other term after making promises to establish an exclusive ‘garment park’ at Puthiyamputhur, but nothing has come up so far. 

The stakeholders and workers relying on this manufacturing sector were considered merely as a ‘vote bank’ by the politicians. Once the garment park was set up, Puthiyamputhur would witness economic growth, he added.

Vanchi Maniyachchi, the other under developed area in this constituency, has been left ignored. Except for railway station, Maniyachchi has nothing to boast of.

Rail commuters from Thoothukudi had been demanding better road connectivity to Vanchi Maniyachchi station so that they could reach the station on time to board express trains. Almost 36 trains cross the Maniyachchi station daily. 

When J Jayalalithaa was the chief minister the government announced a 27 km short distance route from Thoothukudi to Maniyachchi, but there’s no sign of development on the road work, JP Joe Villavarayar, a resident of Thoothukudi said.