1 month ago
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Industrial maturation has brought economical enactment to Perundurai constituency, but it has besides deepened the situation of contamination and h2o scarcity, with residents continuing to conflict for harmless drinking h2o and reliable irrigation.
The constituency sustains implicit 1 lakh migrant labourers engaged successful the SIPCOT Industrial Estate, the Special Economic Zone complex, textile mills, construction, powerloom units, and the hospitality sector, which signifier the backbone of the section economy. However, residents successful surrounding villages accidental the benefits of industrialisation person travel astatine a cost, arsenic they proceed to look biology degradation.
Groundwater contamination remains a large concern. As galore arsenic 254 industries, including dyeing, bleaching, and tannery units, run successful the 2,663-acre SIPCOT estate. Effluents discharged by industries into Nalla Odai person mixed with adjacent waterbodies and entered Odaikattur Lake and Punjai Palatholuvu Lake, each located wrong a 12-km radius of SIPCOT. Water samples from these sources amusement full dissolved solids (TDS) levels exceeding 5,000 mg/l, indicating terrible deterioration successful h2o prime implicit the years. This has led to superior wellness issues, including cancer, said S. Chinnasamy, coordinator of the Perundurai SIPCOT Affected People’s Welfare Association.
Tests conducted by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board successful 2025 crossed 37 groundwater sources nether the Chennimalai Panchayat Union revealed precocious levels of TDS, nitrate, calcium, and magnesium. Authorities person installed red-marked boards successful these locations declaring the h2o unfit for consumption. Residents accidental waterbodies person been affected for 3 decades, impacting some drinking h2o proviso and agriculture. “Except for placing boards, groundwater remains contaminated,” said P. Kamatchi, a resident.
Following prolonged protests by residents and farmers, a CETP task estimated astatine ₹136.76 crore was sanctioned for SIPCOT. Though the instauration chromatic was laid past year, enactment began lone precocious and is expected to beryllium completed wrong 18 months. However, concerns implicit aerial contamination persist, with ember continuing to beryllium wide utilized successful concern boilers. Residents person besides been demanding an accrued proviso of protected Cauvery h2o to conscionable drinking and home needs, Mr. Chinnasamy added.
The Athikadavu–Avinashi Irrigation, Groundwater Recharge and Drinking Water Supply Scheme has helped amended groundwater levels by refilling astir 200 waterbodies. Farmers admit the alleviation provided, peculiarly for irrigation. However, residents person sought the inclusion of astatine slightest 25 much waterbodies nether the strategy to code persistent shortages. With the Lower Bhavani Project canal benefiting lone a constricted fig of villages, agriculture remains babelike connected rainfall.
The Government Erode Medical College and Hospital astatine Perundurai caters to patients from surrounding areas, but deficiency of specialised attraction facilities forces galore to question to authorities hospitals successful Salem and Coimbatore. There person been demands to upgrade the instauration into a multi-speciality hospital. Workers person besides pointed to the lack of an Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) infirmary successful the district, contempt the beingness of a sizeable concern workforce. In addition, determination are calls to summation the furniture spot astatine the infirmary successful Perundurai from 54 and upgrade superior wellness centres astatine Chennimalai and Thingalur.
Farmers successful parts of the constituency, including Ingur, person reported harvest losses owed to the expanding peacock population. At the aforesaid time, accepted sectors specified arsenic weaving are facing economical challenges owed to rising costs and fluctuating demand.
Uthukuli, known for its ghee and butter, is witnessing a diminution successful marketplace stock owed to factors, including competition. Palm jaggery accumulation successful Kunnathur is besides facing setbacks, with adulteration affecting its marketplace value.
The Salem–Coimbatore National Highway (NH 544), on with acquisition institutions and regulated markets, contributes to sustained economical enactment successful the region. However, the adust quality of the country continues to favour concern enlargement implicit agriculture, shaping the constituency’s improvement pattern.
The issues successful Perundurai are expected to fig prominently successful the electoral sermon successful a constituency that has agelong remained a stronghold of the AIADMK, which has won present 9 times, portion the DMK is yet to unafraid a victory. Thoppu N.D. Venkatachalam secured triumph successful 2011 and 2016, portion S. Jayakumar won successful 2021.
