FM's constituency cries for water

NEGLECTED TOWN: One of the poorest districts of Tamil Nadu, Sivaganga is also the constituency of Finance minister.

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Tamil Nadu: Union Finance Minister may be a financial genius but the people who elected him think he has let them down. One of the poorest districts of Tamil Nadu, Sivaganga is also the constituency of Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

The drains are open and flow into the main water supply to the town in this place. While there are only three schools for a population of 45,000, hospitals lack basic medical supplies.

"The bus stand's is in terrible shape here. It's been the same way since I was born," tells shop owner Shanmuganathan.

Residents of this small constituency say, Chidambaram had promised to bring an underground drainage system, a railway bridge with broad gauge tracks besides other developments in the state. “None of that has happened till date,” says Congress Councillor Muthupandy.

Angry residents say that their elected representative P Chidambaram has not delivered on what he promised. “He says he wants to see India through Sivaganga's eyes, but he doesn't even look at Sivaganga,” said one local.

While people of Sivaganga lack even basic amenities such as clean drinking water, all the money and progress heads to Karaikudi, the Finance Minister's birthplace.

Chidambaram facilitated opening of 30 banks in his home-town of Karaikudi. These banks have in turn, helped women stand on their own feet. He has donated his own land to set up a khadi business.

Just 20 kms from Karaikudi is a small village known as Thiruppathur. While Karaikudi wants modern industry, Thirupatthur's needs water. The main canal that supplies water to Thiruppathur is now filled with wild weeds and rocks. There is not a drop of water here for people to drink.

"We travel four kms to get drinking water. Sometimes tankers to come here, but they charge Rs 2 per bucket," said one farmer in Thirupatthur.

Farmer in Sivaganga District say there is no profit in agriculture and it is not possible to farm without taking loans. "We've sold our property to repay loans. There's no rain and so no crops. We don't know how we'll survive," said one farmer.

There seems to be growing dissent against the elected leader who the residents say has ignored their plight despite holding the purse strings of the country.