Bhavanisagar (R) constituency awaits answers to long-standing challenges

Explore the Bhavanisagar Assembly constituency's diverse challenges, from healthcare and water scarcity to infrastructure and agricultural needs.

The only reserved constituency in the district presents a striking contrast, a landscape where forested hills meet fertile plains. From the temple town of Bannari to the forested stretches of Thalavadi and Kadambur, the region is home to landmarks such as the Arulmigu Bannari Mariamman Temple, the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, and the Dhimbam Ghat Road connecting Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Falling under the Nilgiris Parliamentary Constituency, the area also hosts the Bhavanisagar Dam, or Lower Bhavani Dam, which feeds the Lower Bhavani Project canal, Kalingarayan Canal, Thadapalli Canal and Arakkankottai Canal. These irrigation networks remain the lifeline for thousands of farmers.

In Sathyamangalam, one of the long-pending issues is the upgradation of the Government Hospital into a district hospital. “Though the hospital handles critical cases, including road accident victims and those injured in human-animal conflicts daily, it still functions only as a referral hospital,” said S. Mohan Kumar, a voter, stressing the need for better-equipped facilities. In Thalavadi too, there is a growing call to upgrade the Government Upgraded Primary Health Centre into a full-fledged hospital, as patients are often referred to hospitals in Chamarajanagar in Karnataka.

Beyond healthcare, water scarcity continues to dominate public discourse. In the plains, people displaced during the construction of the dam, now settled in areas such as Pudhubeerkadavu and Rajan Nagar, face acute shortages. They have long been seeking a scheme to utilise surplus water from the dam to replenish local waterbodies, said K. Rajendran, a farmer.

In Thalavadi, the problem is severe due to the depletion of the groundwater level. Residents are pressing for a lift irrigation scheme to draw water from River Moyar, along with the construction of check dams in the hills to prevent runoff into neighbouring Karnataka. In Punjai Puliyampatti, where agriculture is largely rain-fed, the implementation of the second phase of the Athikadavu–Avinashi project is seen crucial to recharge groundwater.

Farmers, meanwhile, have been demanding the diversion of water from the Pandiyaru to the Moyar to ensure year-round availability in the dam. “With rising dependence on the dam, interlinking water sources is seen as a sustainable solution,” said A.N. Asaithambi, coordinator of the Pandiyar–Moyar Inaippu Iyakkam.