In a State where the regional parties rule the roost, Hosur in Krishnagiri district stands out as an anomaly. This gateway to the Dravidian heartland has been the will-o’-the-wisp seat for both the AIADMK and the DMK, with none of them winning from here in the past in five decades. On the slippery political ground of Tamil Nadu politics, where national parties lean on to regional powerhouses for toehold, Hosur presents a study in contrast. For Congress, a party seen as a nominal player in Tamil Nadu, this industrial town has been a happy hunting ground, with the Grand Old Party’s tasting success from here nine times since 1967. This is an anomaly the ruling party will seek to correct by fielding P Balakrishna Reddy to take on Congress’ incumbent K Gopinath this year.
Hosur houses some of the biggest auto majors, including TVS Motors and Ashok Leyland among others. Scores of industrial units thrive in the two SIPCOT industrial estates. The global slowdown has taken its toll on the town, with the industries looking on expectantly for a steady stream of investment to not only sustain the over 2,000 small-scale units, but also usher in more development.
The setting up of two SIPCOT industrial estates marked a watershed moment in the history of the town, bringing jobs to thousands, while helping hundreds to eke out a living in the tertiary sector. While the industrial bloom made the town an economic hotspot, the salubrious climate became a catalyst for a flourishing horticulture trade. Of the over 10,000 acres growing herbs and flowers, 3,000 have been dedicated for rose. Horticulturists in the Rose Valley believe that with right incentives, they can compete with the best. The farmers have long been demanding a horticultural export zone, as travelling to the nearest open market at Bengaluru is a major resource drain, with meter ticking `10 lakh a day.
Bala Siva Prasath, president of Flower Growers Association, says, “A quarter of the produce is exported, while the remainder meets the demand in domestic markets. Over six tonnes of rose is exported daily from the Hosur region. If an export zone is set up, transportation cost will come down.”
Prasath’s view is echoed by C Sreenivasa Reddy, a driver at a rose farm in Munivenkatappa, “The new government should take steps to increase subsidy for the poly-greenhouses for rose farms. It should make efforts to ensure uninterrupted power supply.”
Another thorn in the flesh of the horticulturists is erratic power supply and lack of cold storage. “Frequent power cuts wreak havoc and lack of a cold storage facility results in losses running into lakhs. Erratic power supply for a week would result in the farmers losing `3 lakh per acre,” says Bala Siva Prasath.
“A trade centre is needed for the optimum utilisation of benefits the region offers. Rail link between Hosur and Chennai via Krishnagiri should be established, as it would cut down transportation cost,” says V Gnanasekaran, president of Hosur Small and Tiny Industries Association (HOSTIA).
DID YOU KNOW?
Hosur is considered a Congress fort with the party winning nine out of the past 14 State
Assembly elections
The constituency was represented by Swatantra Party twice and Janata Dal once
C Rajagopalachari, the last Governor General of India, founder of Swatantra Party and a freedom fighter, was born at Thorapalli village in Hosur
Such has been the growth of industrial infrastructure in the town that even the airplanes used by the Prime Minister of India are serviced at Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited’s (TAAL) state-of-the-art facility near Belagondapalli
[[The new government should take steps to increase subsidy for the poly-greenhouses for rose farms, which at present is 50 per cent — C Sreenivasa Reddy, A driver at a rose farm
[[Rail link between Hosur and Chennai via Krishnagiri should be established, as it would cut down transportation cost — V Gnanasekaran, President, Hosur Small and Tiny Industries Association