Delta District Politics

Muslim Murasu, April 2013

River Cauvery drains its water in the sea through three districts in its delta: Tanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam.
In Tanjavur district, Pattukottai, Tanjavur, Kumbakonam and their surroundings enjoy urban growth. Rice from Karnataka is being sold in shops in this region for the past ten years. Luxury car showrooms, surging two-wheelers, new engineering colleges and educational institutions bear witness for urbanization. Soil is mostly sandy. Rainfall is thousand millimeter. Forty five kilometer of seashore adds to wealth. Five hundred lakes store water. Four universities do the serious job of grooming youngsters and sending them to bigger cities and foreign nations. Riverbed has been occupied by real estate plunderers and no way is left for unhindered flow of Cauvery water.
In Tiruvarur district, Koothanallur, Mannargudi, Tiruvarur, Tiruturaipoondi are urbanized. People who have moved out of agriculture have prospered in other sectors. Annual rainfall is 1100mm. Seashore spans forty seven km. Forest area sprawls around ten thousand hectare.
In Nagapattinam district, Seerkazhi, Mayiladuturai, Nagai are urbanized areas. Seashore is spread across 187 km. Petroleum, fuel and allied sectors are rapidly growing. Fish production is large.
New approach should be evolved to sustain growth in the three districts in the absence of Cauvery water. People of these districts have good contacts in foreign nations. Government should candidly publish foreign income over the past thirty years. Many I.A.S officers are from this soil. They work in PMO and offices of cabinet ministers in high ranks. They should be impressed upon to contribute to their hometowns.
Heavyweight politicians from here have occupied good berths in central government as a benefit of coalition politics. White paper shall be demanded about their service.
Politicians who are obsessed with south Indian states and hell bent on clashing with central government betray the interests of the region. Good relation with neighboring states is imperative for Tamilnadu. Encroachments on riverbed, cleaning of lakes and ponds without corruption should receive attention.
Saving thousand mm of annual rainfall is more than enough. There is no need for pleas or begging for mercy.