For uninformed tourists who reach Coonoor town from Mettupalayam, the sight of the free-flowing river at the entrance of the town is an amazing sight. “Especially during rain or winter, the Coonoor river looks spectacular from a distance,” said N. Radha, a resident living near Gandhipuram in Coonoor.
However, the beauty of the river is just a mirage as almost the entire course of the river is polluted with sewage and wastes that are dumped directly into the river without being treated, said S. Manogaran, president of the Coonoor Consumer Protection Association, adding that the river is a symbol of the city’s failure to develop sustainably in recent decades despite experiencing massive growth.
“Residents have been demanding for years that a sewage treatment plant be set up to treat the city’s sewage that flows downstream and empties into the Bhavani river,” Mr. Manogaran said, adding that the government has not taken any steps to address this massive hazard that threatens the health and safety of millions of residents both in Coonoor and in the districts further downstream.
TA Jabarathnam, former president of the Coonoor Civic Forum, said that like most parts of The Nilgiris, there were very few job prospects for young people, leading to an exodus to other districts and states.
He said that while there is a need to create a sustainable development model that protects the environment while ensuring livelihoods, there is a need to make construction and project permits more transparent. “Every construction needs a series of permits from government departments and they always get stuck in different departments. There must be a more transparent system where the rules are clear and every stage of the approval process can be followed by applicants,” he said, adding that there is a need to have a clear nodal official who can be approached for clarification on the approval and approval process. Mr. Jabarathnam also called for the implementation of more libraries and skill development initiatives for the youth.
Coonoor Consumer Protection also called for the removal of encroachments on the city, arguing that illegal buildings and structures lead to major traffic jams that affect the daily lives of local residents. They highlighted how such encroachments and illegal constructions lead to an increase in the likelihood of floods and disasters every year during the rains.
Coonoor also has a high population of people from marginalized backgrounds, many of whom lack basic amenities, said R. Hariharan, a resident of Adhigaratta panchayat. “This lack of facilities is even more evident in villages inhabited by Dalit and Sri Lankan repatriated communities,” he said, pointing out that Selvip Nagar village still lacks footpaths and access to bus transport. “Residents have to walk at least three kilometers to catch a bus to Coonoor or Udhagamandalam,” he said, calling for attention to be given to villages of marginalized communities.
Development pressures on Coonoor have also severely affected its wildlife, said Azad Kamil of the Ongil Nature Trust. Mr Kamil said as Coonoor became a major settlement for retirees, especially businessmen and women, large tracts of land formerly used by wildlife were being bought up and either converted into gated bungalows, resorts and family homes, or converted into plots for sale.
“There needs to be a plan to protect whatever is left of the few green pockets in Coonoor,” Mr Kamil said.
The Coonoor constituency witnessed a tight race during the last elections, with the current state government chief whip K. Ramachandran defeating AIADMK’s D. Vinoth by a little over 4,100 votes. Mr. Ramachandran has had successful stints as both forest and tourism minister since his victory, but is not expected to contest the election due to his advancing age. If previous elections are anything to go by, then the constituency is set for another tight race, this time with DMK and AIADMK battling it out again. It is rumored that former Coonoor MLA, A. Shanthi Ramu may contest this year and bring his experience to the race.
Published – 26 March 2026 23:16 IST
