VIRUDHUNAGAR DISTRICT Virudhunagar district has no access to sea as it is covered by land on all the sides. It is surrounded by Madurai on the north, by Sivaganga on the north-east, by Ramanathapuram on the east and by the districts of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin on the south. Virudhunagar District occupies an area of 4288 km² and has a population of 1,751,548 (as of 2001). The Head-Quarters of the district Virudhunagar is located at the latitude of 9N36 and 77E58 longitude. Contrary to the popular saying that 'Virudhunagar produces nothing, but controls everything', Virudhunagar does produce a variety of things ranging from edible oil to plastic-wares. Sivakasi known as 'Little Japan' for its bustling activities in the cracker industry is located in this district. Virudhunagar was a part of Tirunelveli district before 1910, after which it became a part of Ramanathapuram district. After being grafted out as a separate district during 1985, today it has eight taluks under its wings namely Aruppukkottai, Kariapatti, Rajapalayam, Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur, Tiruchuli and Virudhunagar. The fertility of the land is low in Virudhunagar district, so crops like cotton, pulses, oilseeds and millets are mainly grown in the district. It is rich in minerals like limestone, sand, clay, gypsum and granite. Tourists from various places come to visit Bhuminathaswamy Temple, Ramana Maharishi Ashram, Kamaraj's House, Andal, Vadabadrasayi koi, Shenbagathope Grizelled Squirrel Sanctuary, Pallimadam, Arul Migu Thirumeni Nadha Swamy Temple, Aruppukkottai Town, Tiruthangal, Vembakottai, Pilavakkal Dam, Ayyanar falls, Mariamman Koil situated in the district of Virudhunagar. Minerals and Mining The District consists of red loam, red clay loam, red sand, black clay and black loam in large areas with extents of black and sand cotton soil found in Sattur and Aruppukottai taluks. Limestone of different grades and common use minerals like sand, clay and gypsum are the minerals of economic value found. Granite of export value occurs in small pockets in the southern regions of the District. Irrigation Practices The nine-fold lands use classification (2005-06) for the district is given below. Google Map of Virudhunagar District Virudhunagar District Map Administrative Details Revenue Virudhunagar District Municipalities Taluks Villages Municipalities 7 Aruppukkottai Aruppukkottai 83 Taluks 8 Rajapalayam Kariapatti 107 Revenue Divisions 2 Sattur Rajapalayam 39 Blocks 11 Sivakasi Sattur 65 Town Panchayats 9 Srivilliputhur Sivakasi 45 Revenue Villages 600 Tiruthangal Srivilliputhur 50 Panchayat Villages 450 Virudhunagar Tiruchuli 150 Virudhunagar 61 Town Panchayats Revenue Divisions Blocks Panchayat Villages Seithur Aruppukkottai Aruppukkottai 32 Kariapatti Sivakasi Narikudi 44 Mallankinaru Sattur 46 Watrap Srivilliputhur 29 Mamsapuram Vembakottai 48 S.Kodikulam Watrap 27 Chettiarpatti Kariapatti 36 Sundarapandiam Rajapalayam 36 V.Pudupatti Sivakasi 54 Tiruchuli 40 Virudhunagar 58 Basin and sub-basin The district is part of the composite east flowing river basin, “Between Gundar and Vaippar” as per the Irrigation Atlas of India. Vaippar, Arjuna River, Gundar, and Deviar, Nichibanadhi, Kovilur and Periyar are the important Sub-basins/Watersheds. Drainage The major part of Virudhunagar district falls in Vaippar - Gundar river basin.Vaippar, Arjuna River, Gundar and Deviar are the important rivers. The drainage pattern, in general, is dendritic. All the rivers are seasonal and carry substantial flows during monsoon period. Vaippar, which is one of the important rivers of the district,flow and drain in the Vembakkam and Sattur blocks. The Arjuna river, flowing in the central part of the district, has its origin from the Sattur Watrap Hills and is formed by Kovillar, periyar and Chittar rivers. The Gundar river originates at an altitude of 500 m. amsl near Kottaimalai of Saptur reserve forest in Varushanadu hills in Madurai District. Rainfall and Climate The district receives the rain under the influence of both southwest and northeast monsoons. The northeast monsoon chiefly contributes to the rainfall in the district.Most of the precipitation occurs in the form of cyclonic storms caused due to the depressions in Bay of Bengal. The southwest monsoon rainfall is highly erratic and summer rains are negligible. Rainfall data from seven stations over the period 1901-2000 were utilized for analysis and a perusal of the data shows that the normal annual rainfall over the district varies from about 724 to 913 mm. It is minimum around Sathur in the southeastern part of the district. It gradually increases towards west,north and northwest and attains a maximum around Watrap.The district enjoys a subtropical climate. The period from April to June is generally hot and dry. The weather is pleasant during the period from November to January.Usually mornings are more humid than afternoons. The relative humidity is on an average between 65 and 85% in the mornings. Humidity in the afternoon is generally between 40 and 70%. The annual mean minimum and maximum temperatures are 23.78 and 33.95°C respectively. The daytime heat is oppressive and the temperature is as high as 40.2° C. The lowest temperature recorded is of the order of 19.3° C. Regional Geology Soft Rocks: Clay, Sandstone & Shale Hard Rocks: Granites & Gneisses Geomorphology Virudhunagar district is bordered by Western Ghats (Ridge and valley complex) in theWest. Vally fill area is observed in Watrap block. A major part of the district constitutes a plain terrain with a gentle slope toward East and Southeast, except forthe hilly terrain in the west.The prominent geomorphic units identified in the district through interpretation of Satellite imagery are; 1. Flood Plain, 2. Bazada, 3. Pediment, 4. Shallow & deep buried Pediments and 6. Structural Hills. Soils Soils in the area have been classified into i) Deep red Loam ii) Black soil iii) Red sandy soil. The majority of the study area is covered by Black soil. Ferruginous red soils are also seen at places. Black soils are deep to very deep and generally occurs in the depressions adjacent to hilly areas, in the western and central part of district.Alluvial soils occur along the river courses. Red sandy soil is seen all around the Sattur, Kariyapatti, Aruppukotai and Thiruchuli blocks. Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary The Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary is located between 9° 21' to 9° 48' N and 77°21' to 77°46' E. The sanctuary lies mostly in Virudhunagar district especially in Srivilliputtur and partly in Madurai district. The sanctuary is bounded to the north by the Andipatti hills, south by Tirunelveli District, east by Srivilliputhur and Rajapalayam towns and west by Theni town and Theni District. It is the eastern boundary for the Periyar river watershed. This sanctuary is contiguous to Periyar Tiger Reserve on the South western side and the Megamalai Reserve Forest on the north western side and Its southern limit is contiguous with the Sivagiri Reserved Forst of Tirunelveli Forest Division. The elevation ranges from 100 metres (330 ft) in the plains and rises to the highest Peak, Kottaimalai, at 2,010 metres (6,590 ft). Average annual rainfall 849.1 millimetres (33.43 in) varies between 800 millimetres (31 in) - 2,300 millimetres (91 in) in different areas of the sanctuary. Water sources for the sanctuary are the Kallar and Mullaperiyar Dams and the Periyar, Naragaiar, Pachaiar, Mangar, Kovilar and Pairakudraiar rivers. The underlying rock throughout the area is granitoid gneiss formation. The lowest altitudes have a mixture of quartz and quartzite. fauna There is a wide range of herbivores, carnivores and omnivores in the Grizzled Squirrel Sanctuary. Resident and migrating elephants are common. The other important animals are Tiger, Leopard, Gaur, Nilgiri tahr, Spotted deer, Barking deer, Sambar, Wild-boar, Porcupine, Nilgiri langur, Lion-tailed macaque, Common langur, Slender lorris, Bonnet macaque, Sloth bear, Indian Giant Squirrel and Flying Squirrel. Flora The forest of the sanctuary is a geographical combination of tropical evergreen forest, dry deciduous forests, semi evergreen forests, moist mixed deciduous forests, cultivated land and grasslands. In the Thaniparai region, the sanctuary occupies a Medicinal Plant Conservation Area. The Paliyar tribe residing in the sanctuary makes use of 69 herbal plants in the area which belongs to 58 different taxa and 42 different families, in order to treat 15 ailments. The forest sub-types found in the Sanctuary are; West coast tropical evergreen forest, West coast semi-evergreen forest, dry teak forest, Southern mixed deciduous forest and dry grass land. These forests are found on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. .