Rao Bahadur Cruz Fernandez

Rao Bahadur Cruz Fernandez was born on 15 November 1869. He is longest serving chairman Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) Municipality and is called the Father and Architect of Modern Tuticorin.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] He was elected to the chairmanship of Tuticorin municipality not once but five times, between 1909 and 1927, he was awarded the title of RAO BAHADUR by the Government and was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly. The Municipality building is thus named after him.^[5]^[6]

Work

Cruz Fernandez made significant contibutions to Tuticorin and its people The following schemes can be considered . as the foundation of modern Tuticorin.

The Tuticorin Drinking Water Scheme.
The Saturday Market.
The Educational Trust for poor students.
Attention to Health and Hygiene.
Drinking Water Scheme
Municipal Building.
Attention to the sick at the Municipal Hospital.

Drinking Water Scheme

In 1873 an open channel of 6.4 Km length was excavated by the Public Works Department at cost of Rs. 4,000/- for diverting the water of the Korampallam irrigation tank to a reservoir in the outskirts of the town. From this reservoir water was distributed to several wells in the town by means of conduits and earthenware pipes laid by the Municipal council at a cost of Rs. 9380/- in 1896 a comprehensive water supply scheme was recommended by the Sanitary Board. It consisted of two portions and the execution of the first portion took place in 1906 at a cost of Rs. 1,17,780/- and the second in April 1908. Later, it was found that the improvement of the Korampallam tank interfered with the irrigation interests of the ryots. But due to contamination in the drinking water Cholera and other water borne diseases occurred frequently and affected hundreds of people. In order to control these epidemic diseases, Cruz Fernandez who was the Chairman of the Municipality during 1909, 1910, 1912, 1919 and 1925 introduced a novel scheme. it was a joint water supply scheme for the three towns namely Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai from the Thamirabarani River near Vallanadu which is 38 km from Tuticorin at a cost of Rs. 18,23,275/- in 1932. Both these Municipalities and the public works departments plunged in action during 1914 to 1915. but the break of World War I affected its further progress and the work was kept in abeyance. In 1925 and 1926 the expenses of the project was escalated to Rs. 27,83,765/-. Cruz Fernandez got this amount as grant and as loan and completed the scheme in 1938 and enabled the people of Tuticorin, to get good drinking water. Before the completion of this scheme when there was scarcity of water, Cruz Fernandez arranged bringing of water to this town by train from Kadambur and by Thonis(Country Boats) from Sri Lanka. Water tax was also levied on the people. Though initially it was criticized by the people, the success of the programme changed their mind to accept it without opposition.

LEGACY

On realising the significance of the drinking water scheme, Cruz Fernandez was affectionately called as “THE FATHER OF PEARL CITY” by the people of the Tuticorin.Cruz Fernandez was a noble man. He played a remarkable role as the Chairman of Thoothukudi Municipality. The contributions that Cruz Fernandez made to the development of Thoothukudi Municipality are unparalleled. In honour of the restless services rendered by this great man his statues are installed in front of the Municipal Building and also in the midst of the Town Tuticorin. Also a Memorial pillar of Mr. Cruz Fernandez was opened in front of Tuticorin Municipality. As a gratitude for the works done by Cruz Fernandez to the people and town, the new building as Rao Bahadur Cruz Fernandez Building. Today Tuticorin public are utilizing 24 Lakh gallons of water supplied through various street taps from the plan that Cruz Fernandez drafted almost a hundred years ago. The man who created the nucleus of the city was beyond caste and creed.

References

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