VILLUPURAM: To reach his daily part-time shift at a private hotel located at the heart of the town, 55-year-old G Anand spends more than Rs 100 to simply get out of the Kallakurichi main bus stand.
“My total expense for the bus itself is Rs 30. But I am spending almost triple that amount because the new bus stand is kept far away from the town, with no connectivity,” Anand said.
Several small vendors, daily wage labourers, people who want to go to the market or the court, like Anand, are heavily disturbed by the new bus stand in Emapper, which lies not less than four kilometres from the old bus stand in the main area of the town. “A little more effort to allow buses every 20 minutes or so to the town will ease the problem because now, the connecting buses take hours of waiting,” said N Preetha (21), a college student.
Any expectation from the assembly representative relies on their promise to resolve connectivity issues across the 10-km radius where important institutions in Kallakurichi – between the new bus stand in Emapper, the court complex in the town area, the government medical college, the hospital in Mamandur, and the collectorate in Veeracholapuram-are accessible.
The town is also struggling to cope with the tragic memory of the June 2024 hooch deaths that claimed 69 lives and orphaned 38 children overnight. Nearly two years after the tragedy shook Karunapuram in Kallakurichi town, families that lost loved ones are still struggling to rebuild their lives.
G Preetha (26), raising two young sons of her late brother G Praveen (31), who died in the hooch tragedy, carries grief and anger. “Whoever comes to power should seriously stop encouraging alcohol culture through state-run outlets while turning a blind eye to hooch and drugs,” she said. “When will this issue truly matter to those in power?” Her frustration is shared by the residents of Karunapuram who allege successive governments failed to curb the sale of illicit liquor. Adding to these concerns is a growing fear of drug abuse. Residents claim that ganja is being sold openly in some parts of the area, with little visible enforcement action.
“The son of one of the accused in the hooch case (K Govindaraj alias Kannukutty) is now selling drugs here,” alleged a 40-year-old widow of a man who also died in the 2024 tragedy. “We have complained to the police, but nothing has changed.”
While drug abuse is not unique to Kallakurichi, the memory of deaths caused by intoxicants has made the issue more sensitive here. For many, the lack of decisive action raises questions about governance and accountability, becoming the key issue likely to influence voter sentiment in the upcoming assembly elections.
Teachers and residents also point out the lack of opportunities for higher education for students from Scheduled Communities and marginalised economic backgrounds. K Poornima, a teacher in Kuthiraichandal, has been observing the rise in dropout rates among the marginalised people. “The focus is only on exam results. But without addressing dropouts, we can’t promise a good future to the youth from slums forced to get into the workforce early.”
The district currently has a government medical college, an arts college, and a veterinary college. However, residents do not find this sufficient to meet the aspirations of a growing population. The lack of diverse higher education options, coupled with limited local employment, pushes many young men into informal or unstable work at the cost of their education.
Residents say both DMK and AIADMK legislators have not addressed these issues in all these years. Amidst the disappointment, VCK candidate G Malathi has gained some popularity among the people as a family member of the party chief and Chidambaram MP Thol Thirumavalavan. “If she wins, the face of Kallakurichi as a backward district would change,” said M Veerapandi (30), a private shop owner.
However, the opposition is taking advantage of Malathi being an outsider and is banking on the already established local support for their victory. As the constituency is heading toward elections, voters are not just looking for promises but stricter enforcement against illicit liquor and drugs, better educational infrastructure, and meaningful employment opportunities.