The Hindu : National / Elections 2004 : In drought hit Gobi, water takes centre stage

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Wednesday, May 05, 2004

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National - Elections 2004

In drought hit Gobi, water takes centre stage

S. Dorairaj

CHENNAI

Water. That's the issue at the centre stage of the election battle in Gobichettipalayam, where the former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, is taking on the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)'s local functionary, N.R. Govindarajar. Apart from them, 10 others — K.K. Muthusamy (Bahujan Samaj Party), P.K. Aruljothi (New Justice Party), Malathi Shanmugam (Tamil Desiya Katchi) and seven Independents are also in the fray.

Under this constituency fall the Perundurai, Bhavani, Anthiyur (Reserved), Gobichettipalayam, Bhavanisagar and Sathyamangalam Assembly segments. Among the dominant communities here are the Vellala Gounders, Vettuva Gounders, Vanniyars and Scheduled Tribes.

Gobichettipalayam is known as an AIADMK's fortress, having elected the party nominees in 1980, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1998 and 1999. Barring Anthiyur (Reserved), all the five segments were won by it in the May 2001Assembly poll. Though the party had initially dismissed Mr. Elangovan's challenge as of no moment — the strategy being to dub him "an outsider, who will not bother to take care of the local interests" — the AIADMK appears to have redefined its strategy now, thanks to issues highlighted by the strident Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA).

The DPA leaders have been flaying the Government for "lack of an effective water management policy," particularly when the whole area is reeling under an unprecedented drought with the storage level in the Bhavanisagar dam dwindling to 1.5 tmc ft., against its capacity of 32.8 tmc ft. Unauthorised pumping has resulted in scanty inflow into the dam, they allege.

The release of around 6 tmc ft. water from the dam to the delta recently has added a new twist to the row between the ryots of the old and new ayacuts in the Lower Bhavani region.

Farmers are unable to raise paddy or cash crops in a total area of 2.47 lakh acres for the fourth consecutive year now. Jobless farmhands have been migrating to other areas. Drought has taken out more than a lakh coconut trees. Lack of fodder has forced them to sell their cattle to slaughter houses, farmers claim.

Another nagging issue contributing to the anti-incumbency mood is the introduction of the Central Value added Tax (CENVAT). The tax has added to the woes of the weavers, who are facing problems due to escalating yarn price, shrinking domestic and export markets and collapse of the Soviet Union, the biggest buyer. As thousands of handlooms and power looms in areas such as Bhavani, Anthiyur and Aappakudal producing carpets, saris and towels fall silent, hundreds of weavers have started migrating.

Issues such as tribal welfare and non-implementation of the decades-old Palani-Chamrajnagar rail project also figure in the campaign. Mr. Elangovan has assured the tribals of Bargur, Kadambur and Thalavadi hills that he would earmark 50 per cent of the Member of Parliament's Local Area Development fund for their welfare, if elected.

Challenging the AIADMK's `alien' theory, he recalls his election to the Assembly from Sathyamangalam in 1984. He had fought the polls unsuccessfully from the Bhavanisagar Assembly segment in 1989 and Gobichettipalayam Lok Sabha constituency in 1998. His consistency in criticising the "acts of commissions and omissions" of the AIADMK rule has enhanced his popularity, he claims.

In an attempt to turn the tables on the Opposition, Mr. Govindarajar charges the erstwhile allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party with failing to stall the CENVAT in Parliament. The Congress has no moral authority to raise its voice on the Lower Bhavani issue, as the Governments led by it in Karnataka and Kerala have gone against the State's irrigation interests, he says.

Though AIADMK circles claim their nominee has a better chance as he belongs to the majority Vellala Gounder community, the DPA hopes that the caste factor will not have much impact on the poll outcome.

However, water pollution caused by effluents discharged by the dyeing, bleaching and processing units into the Bhavani river have not been highlighted by the rival candidates. The Veerappan issue also does not figure in the campaign, though a major part of the operational areas of the forest brigand in the State falls here.

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