The scent of rain

60sNanniservaiValparaiPWDNanniservai6am7amNadu’sCherrapunjiCherrapunji Situated about 16km from Valparai in the Western Ghats, Cinchona records more than 150mm of rain on most days during the southwest monsoon , according to data received at the Coimbatore collectorate. During the northeast monsoon, it records 300mm. “The area gets rain for at least eight months. The only break is between January and April,’’ says A Sudhakar, a ward councillor. “We have had non-stop rain since June 1 and the highest this season was 156mm on June 25,’’ says Nanniservai. The annual rainfall here is about 7,000mm. On days when the rest of the district receives 6mm to 8mm of rain, Cinchona gets 130mm.Cinchona derived its name from being home to a plantation of the medicinal plant cinchona, a source of quinine, an anti-malarial drug. “In the 1930s and 40s, British planters created a labour force of prisoners and developed cinchona plantations,’’ says Arockiaraj, a grocer.Now, the cinchonas have made way for tea. Life in cinchona revolves around the plantation maintained by Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation (Tantea). Most of the residents are employees of Tantea and live in the fear of elephants which move in from the forests that surround the plantation. “At least 16 people were killed by wild elephants in the last four years,’’ says R Kanakam, an estate worker.In 1950, a factory was set up in the village to make quinine tablets. It was profitable till the 1970s. After it started making losses, the area was handed over to Tantea in 1986 to raise a tea plantation. Now, however, Tantea is making losses despite the price of tea dust rising. “Employees are leaving for better jobs. Schools face closure due to lack of students,’’ says Arockiaraj . Residents suggest Cinchona can be saved if promoted as a tourist destination . “Rain lovers throng Meghalaya’s Cherrapunji and Karnataka’s Agumbe, but nobody knows Cinchona ,’’ says Sudhakar, a councillor.