Tough battle in agrarian Pollachi as dwindling economy poses tough questions

COIMBATORE: The famed coconut hub of Tamil Nadu, having five lakh hectares of cultivation, is seeing a slide in the economy, making it one of the key poll issues. The majority of people dependent on the industry for their livelihood are expecting their Lok Sabha representative help it regain prosperity.

N Thangavel, member, Tamil Nadu Coconut Producers Association, laments over issues faced by the agri sector. “Pollachi now presents a sad picture with dried and drooping coconut trees due to the impact of white fly attack, root wild disease and drought. Coconut production has already dropped by 50 per cent this year. In addition to nature’s fury, the indifference shown by the governments, irrespective of political party in power, to redress our issues has driven us into despair,” he said.

A steady crash in the price of coconuts and copra has been a major issue of concern for farmers in this region. “It has been our long-time demand to sell coconut oil by replacing palmolein oil in PDS shops not only across Tamil Nadu, but all over India to overcome the existing crisis in the farm sector. Coconut prices dropped to a meagre Rs 8 per nut two months ago and copra came down to Rs 80, before increasing slightly now after the government started the procurement process,” Thangavel said.

Similarly, hundreds of people dependent on coir industries for their livelihood have been rendered jobless due to the closure of several units following the reclassification of coir units into polluting industries category.

In the nearby scenic Valparai, the demand to increase wages of estate labourers from Rs 400 per day to Rs 600 per day, build quarters to ensure their permanent stay, enhance compensation to fatal victims of man-animal conflicts and improve tourism development activities are yet to be addressed.

“The lake and Botanical Garden in Valparai lacks even basic maintenance. The dwindling population in Valparai is a tell-tale evidence of poor living conditions in the hills because of the government’s apathy,” said Valparai N Babuji, president of Valparai Cottage Owners Association.

Some of the other major demands of people in this constituency are to carve out Pollachi from Coimbatore to be formed as a separate district, implement the Annamalaiyar-Nallaru water project and improve better train connectivity to the Southern region by restoring trains that were stopped during broad gauge conversion works.

Pollachi is a key tourist destination too, with its famous Monkey Falls, Aliyar dam and Top Slip. But, these tourist spots are also crying for infrastructural attention.

Against the backdrop of such haunting issues, Pollachi constituency is set for a triangular contest between DMK’s K Eswarasamy, AIADMK’s A Karthikeyan and BJP’s K Vasantharajan in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Traditionally an AIADMK stronghold, the DMK wrested this rural constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as the sordid Pollachi sex scandal issue pinned down the party led by Edappadi K Palaniswami. DMK’s K Shanmugasundaram won by securing 5,55,230 votes against AIADMK’s 3,78,347 votes. But, the AIADMK proved its strength by bagging all six assembly constituencies-Thondamuthur, Kinathukadavu, Pollachi, Valparai, Udumalpet and Madathukulam-falling under the Pollachi Lok Sabha constituency in the 2021 Assembly polls.

With BJP entering the fray this time, the electoral battle in this agrarian seat becomes unpredictable and tougher for the parties. Notably, since 1951, the AIADMK has an enviable track record of winning seven Lok Sabha polls, while DMK has won four times in the Pollachi constituency.

Constituency Watch

Total voters: 15,81,795

Assembly constituency-wise details of voters:

Thondamuthur : 3,32,085

Kinathukadavu: 3,35,436

Pollachi: 2,24,946

Valparai: 1,96,503

Udumalpet: 2,60,684

Madathukulam: 2,32,141

2019 Elections:

Winner: K Shanmugasundaram

Party: DMK

Votes secured: 5,54,230

Victory margin: 1,75,883

Runner up: C Mahendran

Party: AIADMK

Votes secured: 3,78,347

2014 Elections:

Winner: C Mahendran

Party: AIADMK

Votes secured: 4,17,092

Victory margin: 1,40,974

Runner up: ER Eswaran

Party: KMDK

Votes secured: 2,76,118