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Geographically located at the tail-end of the delta basin, the Kattumannarkoil (Reserved) Assembly constituency is known for its large-scale cultivation of paddy and the Veeranam tank that is key to quenching the drinking water needs of Chennai.
The economy is agrarian and though surplus water flows from the Kollidam and Paravanar, poor management and lack of water for both irrigation and drinking supply are key issues facing the electorate.
The demand for setting up a perfume factory and agro-based units to manufacture products from farm produce have remained non-starters over the years.
After a multi-cornered battle in 2016, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the AIADMK are again facing each other, representing their respective coalitions, while the AMMK remains the third force. M. Sinthanai Selvan of the VCK is the candidate of the DMK-led alliance while the AIADMK has fielded sitting MLA N. Murugamaran, who won in the 2011 and 2016 elections. The AMMK has fielded Narayanamoorthy.
While the AIADMK is aiming at a hat-trick, the VCK is aiming to wrest the seat after a gap of 10 years. In the 2019 Parliamentary election, the VCK had an upper hand in the Assembly segment with party president and candidate Thol. Thirumavalavan polling 31,232 votes, defeating his nearest rival M. Chandrakasi of the AIADMK.
In the 2016 Assembly poll, Mr. Thirumavalavan lost the seat by a slender margin of 87 votes. While the AIADMK polled 29.33% of the votes, the VCK polled 29.28%.
AIADMK campaigners believe that the agrarian belt is happy with the government for declaring the delta region a Protected Agricultural Zone, and this will work in their favour.
Declining margin
However, the DMK-led front is banking on the declining victory margin of the AIADMK. The AIADMK’s victory margin, which stood at 31,725 in the 2011 election, was reduced to a meagre 87 votes in the 2016 election.
Despite serving as MLA for two consecutive terms, the constituency presents a picture of neglect and Mr. Murugamaran has failed to address the developmental needs of the region, locals charge. Mr. Murugamaran’s promise to set up a scent factory for jasmine farmers has not been fulfilled.
According to K.V. Elangeeran, president of the Cauvery Delta Farmers Federation, the Veeranam tank, one of the vital sources of water supply to Chennai, remains heavily silted. He pointed out that poor management had resulted in nearly 2 tmc of water wasted as run-off annually. The PWD should evolve a strategy and release the surplus water into irrigation channels.
“Farmers are up in arms against the tapping of water from Veeranam tank to meet the drinking water needs of Chennai. The water from Veeranam should be supplied to Chennai only after meeting the irrigation and drinking water requirements of the farmers and locals,” he said.
The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Drainage Board should provide royalty or suitable compensation for water tapped from the tank. The royalty could be fixed at the rate of one paise a litre, he added.
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