Tenkasi Assembly segment get plenty potential for tourism and farming, but the place dey suffer. With Courtallam waterfalls and the Western Ghats for tourism, plus water resources for farming, the area suppose dey boom. But nothing dey happen. The people dey wait for representative wey fit bring government help make things better.
Since 1957, Tenkasi don elect MLAs from Congress, DMK, AIADMK, and even independent candidate. For 2011 election, actor R. Sarathkumar, founder of Samaththuva Makkal Katchi, win. That party don merge with BJP now. Congress candidate S. Palani Nadar lose to AIADMK’s S. Selvamohandas Pandian for 2016, but win am back for 2021 with just 370 votes margin. Small margin like that show say the ground dey hot.
Now for 2026 election, DMK don decide to field senior party officer ‘Anbagam’ Kalai him son, Kalai Kathiravan, to face AIADMK’s Mr. Selvamohandas Pandian. People dey expect another tight race.
Tenkasi economy dey depend on agriculture and Courtallam tourism. But both no dey thrive well. Farming revolve around paddy, plantain and coconut. Because farms dey close to Western Ghats, wild animals dey enter ranches destroy crops. Man-animal conflict dey happen sometimes, cause panic.
Farmer Balasubramanian of Kasimajorpuram near Courtallam talk say government suppose erect solar fence along forest boundary to protect farmers. “Farmers dey suffer huge loss every year,” him talk. Farmers also want government to desilt dams regularly, especially during dry season, to store more water. “Government failure to desilt dams make water waste during monsoon,” Mr. Balasubramanian add.
SIDCO Industrial Estate for Tenkasi segment get manufacturing units like clothing, handicraft, plastic products. But no step dey to revive this estate wey dey erode. For education, girl students after Plus Two fit join Sri Parasakthi College for Women for Courtallam. Boys dey depend on private arts and science colleges.
One doctor for Tenkasi Government Hospital talk say previous AIADMK government get 11 medical colleges for one year, but present DMK government fail to get even one for Tamil Nadu. “Tenkasi be among six districts wey dey wait for medical college,” the doctor talk. The hospital dey wait for hitech facilities and dey send patients to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for advanced care.
Courtallam dey get plenty tourists from June to August every year during ‘annual season’ when waterfalls dey full from southwest monsoon. But basic infrastructure no dey. Courtallam dey wait for decades for better roads, drinking water, affordable stay, and eateries with quality food.
Main roads dey okay, but interior roads dey bad. Encroachments along narrow roads make driving dangerous. “We blame Courtallam town panchayat administration for this condition,” people dey talk. Funds no dey sufficient, and corruption dey all levels.
Recent removal of century-old concrete arch at Main Falls don hurt public, especially Courtallam residents. Trader S. Senthur Pandian from Courtallam talk say the arch be protective structure wey save bathers from heavy flow. “It no dey dilapidated as officials claim. Quality of structure withstand millions of tonnes of water all these years. Make we see wetin modern rulers go build now,” him talk, referring to dressing rooms near Main Falls and Old Courtallam waterfalls wey flood wash away.
Pavoorchatram vegetable market dey do wonders by supplying fruits and vegetables in over hundred lorries to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. But State Government refuse to start such venture by creating farmers’ society to sell farm produce from ‘Vegetable Basket of Southern Tamil Nadu’.
Vegetable trader M. Kutralingam of Paavoorchathram talk say government no dey concentrate on value-addition of farm produce using fruits, vegetables and flowers wey dey grow for Tenkasi district. The potential dey, but action no dey.
As election dey come, eyes dey on Tenkasi. People dey ask wetin the next representative go do differently. With tourism and farming resources wey dey underutilized, the need for development dey urgent. The question remain: who go champion Tenkasi cause and bring the change wey people dey wait for?
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
