Pollution, a grave concern in the region

The constituency with 2.91 lakh electorates accounts for the largest number of voters in the district where agriculture, textile processing and power looms continue to be the major activities. Over one-third of the areas in corporation limits, town panchayats of Chithode and Nasiyanur and areas on the city outskirts come under the constituency that is facing pollution, traffic congestion, lack of basic amenities as a major issue.

It is indeed an herculean task for the DMK combine to prove that Erode West and Kongu region are no longer the fort for the AIADMK. Untreated effluents discharged by textile processing units into Pitchaikaran Canal that finally mix with River Cauvery continue to be a major concern for the residents who complain of contamination of ground water for many years. Despite inspections by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board officials, the perennial problem remains unresolved as establishing common effluent treatment plants is seen as the only solution and the promises remain only in papers. Though a large number of residential areas and houses have come up in rural areas, little steps were taken to ease traffic congestion and improve the basic amenities.