Close enough to be CM's neighbour but too far to benefit

Udhagamandalam: In Coonoor constituency in the Nilgiris, sitting DMK MLA K Ramachandran, hailing from a Badaga community, was denied a ticket this time which has left his community upset. There were several protests and this is probably working in favour of AIADMK. Despite protests, the nominated DMK candidate B K Mubarak was not changed.
The constituency, considered prestigious as it comprises Kodanadu panchayat, has fielded an AIADMK candidate this time, while in 2011 the constituency was allotted to its ally.Kodanadu, which is the hill retreat of chief minister J Jayalalithaa, doesn't have any of the civic woes that plague Coonoor.
While DMK nominated B K Mubarak as its candidate, AIADMK has given a party ticket to Shanthi A Ramu, hailing from Kettikeri, a Badaga village near Kotagiri, to contest the election.
The decision to field Ramu in Coonoor has surprised many as he joined the party only in 2014. A decade ago, he had joined the DMDK and held a state-level post in the planters' wing of the party and went on to become the Nilgiris district secretary of DMDK in 2013. However, in 2014 during the Lok Sabha election he shifted loyalty to the AIADMK.
From fluctuating tea prices to scarcity of drinking water and bad roads, Coonoor has its share of civic problems. The little town with moderate climate is losing its charm due to unplanned development, and mushrooming of illegal structures, besides unmaintained municipal roads within the town area.
"Water scarcity and bad roads in Coonoor town are the major problems that the locals face. The present government announced Emerald water scheme for the town but it is still on paper," said advocate Velusamy.
For the small tea growers, the fluctuating tea price is affecting their livelihood. "We have been demanding a minimum floor price for the green leaf tea. But the government did not pay any heed to our demand," said A Ravi, a small tea grower. The prices are fluctuating between 10 to 15 per kilo, which the farmers say, does not match with the cost of production.
Coonoor residents feel the sitting MLA could have been more effective in curbing the indiscriminate mushrooming of illegal buildings in the hill town. "The MLA could have stopped the illegal construction. But as a DMK MLA, may be, he could not curb it," said K Mohan, a resident of Coonoor. However, Kodanadu panchayat and Kotagiri have sufficient drinking water, good roads and a new hospital.
The Coonoor constituency comprises around 147 Badaga villages besides Coonoor, Kotagiri towns and many colonies.
As the Coonoor-Mettupayam Road with 14 hairpin bends has been witnessing increase in vehicular movements in recent years, an alternative third road is also in the list of demands by the locals.
The continuing conversion of forest and agriculture land into real estate is posing an ecological threat to the hills, which the incumbent government needs to address immediately in a constructive way, say environmentalists.