Ahead of Tamil Nadu polls, Madurai voters are frustrated by long-pending civic issues like poor drainage, roads, and waste management. The Vaigai River's severe pollution is a key concern, with residents demanding time-bound action from parties.
With the election season gaining momentum, residents across six Assembly constituencies, Madurai East, West, North, South, Central, and Thiruparankundram, covering the city areas, have renewed their demand for action on long-pending civic issues, stating that little has changed since the previous Assembly election. Main concerns, such as inadequate underground drainage (UGD) networks, poor road conditions, and ineffective solid waste management, continue to dominate public discourse in the temple city. Voters are increasingly linking these unresolved issues to their electoral choices, insisting that political parties present concrete assurances along with time-bound action plans.
Vaigai River Pollution Crisis
In Madurai, the Corporation maintains a 12-kilometre stretch of the Vaigai River. However, this stretch has increasingly turned into a dumping ground for garbage and sewage. Within city limits, untreated sewage from stormwater drains flows directly into the river at several locations, including Azhwarpuram and Anna Nagar, without undergoing any form of treatment.
Ineffective Smart City Projects
Despite initiatives under the Smart City project, such as the construction of concrete retaining walls and roads along both riverbanks to prevent dumping, various forms of waste continue to pollute the river. These include dye effluents, medical waste, meat waste, and ash. In areas like Nelpettai, meat waste is reportedly dumped into the river on a routine basis, locals said.
Severe Downstream Consequences
Consequently, the Vaigai has effectively become an unregulated waste repository. The pollution has had a severe downstream impact on districts such as Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram, where the river serves as a crucial source for agriculture and drinking water. Contamination levels have rendered the water unfit even for farming in some areas, they added.
Although the Corporation periodically announces measures to curb dumping, residents allege that these efforts remain largely ineffective, often limited to announcements without consistent enforcement.
Electoral Contest in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The main electoral contest is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay-led TVK is attempting to turn the state elections into a three-way contest. (ANI)
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