Untreated industrial effluents released from dyeing units are flowing in the River Thirumanimutharu near Uthamacholapuram in the Veerapandi Assembly constituency in the Salem district
| Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan
Veerapandi has seen serious election battle between the DMK and the AIADMK since 1977. The AIADMK has won the constituency eight times (1977, 1980, 1984, 1991, 2001, 2011, 2016, and 2021) and the DMK six times (1962, 1967, 1971, 1989, 1996, and 2006). The Congress won in 1957. The constituency covers a portion of the Salem South taluk, Veerapandi, Panamarathupatti blocks, and the Elampillai, Attaiyampatti, and Mallur town panchayats.
The constituency primarily houses farmers cultivating millets, sugarcane, flowers, and vegetables. The main support for farming is the Thirumanimutharu, a river in which effluents are discharged from illegal dyeing units, forcing farmers to use groundwater and other water sources.
Published – April 04, 2026 11:36 pm IST
