The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Bifurcation has accentuated backwardness

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 05, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Bifurcation has accentuated backwardness

By V.S. Palaniappan

Large area of fallow land and barren hills comprise Dharmapuri, the most backward district of Tamil Nadu.

Spread over 4,49,777 hectares the district has 1,63,817 hectares of forest area and 19,648 hectares of barren land. About 29,821 hectares is under other use and 2,13,911 hectares under irrigation. It has a population of 6,66,418 men and 6,20,134 women. The population in rural areas is 10,93,635, while in urban areas it is 1,92,917. About 71 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women are literates.

Carved out of a composite Salem district this district has been relentlessly fighting industrial, educational, economical and social backwardness. Besides, infant mortality, female infanticide, maternal mortality and a low-level of literacy plague the place.

The district was formed on October 2, 1965. Its bifurcation only led an increase in bureaucracy. The groundwater has a fluoride content of 8-9.5 mgm per litre (1.5 mgm is toxic enough to cause skeletal and dental fluorosis). The district has been waiting for the implementation of a Rs. 110-crore Hogenakkal Drinking Water supply scheme.

In response to a public interest litigation petition filed by the PMK MLA, G.K. Mani, last year, the State Government in its counter assured the Madras High Court that the scheme would be executed in eight years.

The project was envisaged on an outlay of Rs. 20 crores. But owing to cost escalation, it cannot be implemented without overseas funding. The project originally planned with assistance from a Japanese Overseas Funding Agency could not take off following sanctions imposed after the Pokhran nuclear tests.

Predominantly an agriculture economy, the district has a large number of landless farm labourers, who have been experiencing the effects of drought in the last three or four years. They have been seeking employment in quarries, granite units and farms in Kuppam and Chittoor areas in Andhra Pradesh and joined construction work in Karnataka.

As the three major rivers in the district do not contribute to agriculture, farmers largely depend on rains. Failure of crops such as arecanut, ragi, sago, tamarind, mango, neem and sugarcane has resulted in large-scale unemployment. The bifurcation of Dharmapuri on February 9, 2004 has resulted in Krishnagiri taking away sizable industrial units in Hosur and service industries in Krishnagiri belt.

The resurfacing of naxal movement in November 2002 bore testimony to the district still being under the grip of backwardness and a feudal mindset.

The district has been a bastion of the Pattali Makkal Katchi for close to 42 per cent of the population belonging to the Vanniya Padayatchi community. Dalits, Naidus, Chettiars, Christians and Muslims are the other major communities. Of the six assembly constituencies that come under the Dharmapuri parliamentary constituency three have returned PMK legislators, while two have returned AIADMK nominees and one has returned a CPI (M) candidate. The constituency is all set to witness a contest between the sitting MP, P.T. Elangovan (BJP) (who was elected to the Lok Sabha on a PMK ticket last time) and R. Senthil of the PMK.

Assembly segments: Harur (SC), Morappur, Dharmapuri, Pennagaram and Palacode (comes under the Krishnagiri Parliamentary Constituency). The two assembly segments for the Dharmapuri parliamentary constituency, Mettur and Taramangalam fall under the Salem revenue district.

Total electorate: 10,83,269 (men 5,34,373, women 5,48,609, service voters 226 men and 61 women.)

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