districtTiancrBook DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS DlS'l'KlCT IIAINDISOOKS OF KEKALA' PATHAISAMTHITTA Dt:i'\!iT]ML;iN'r o f ininuc liELVJioNs N IEPA DO D04226III 32/3892/B District Handbooks of Kerala % \ ^ ^ Pathanamthitta 9 *" Department of Pul)lic Relations 1986, June Printed at Govenmient Press, Trivandrum {Not for sale) N«ii( ttjtw -n# Aiwiin)- 17JI,StiAv hSmkNtmBSd^U0fli^ ____ Compiled by :— District Information Officer, Pathanamthitta. PREFAGl^, ^ Tlsliis book is a pari ot tUe programme oi Public Rolaiious Department to l)rinig out the handbooks of all the districts of Kerala. An attempt is mailc here to collect and present as nmch information as possible, all up­ dated. It has been designed to satisfy the needs of the average reader, as well the tourist, win may look^^ a |iandy vohuric contaimng essential informiatioa about the di^^rict, VVe hope that tiic book Wiil-wijirve thi^ purpuStj. J:iq(ggestions tor improvements are most j<^;littme. Trivaiadrum, I'. N . J a y a d e v a n , June 1 986. Director, Public Relations Department. CONTENTS Page SalicHt Fcatmcs 1 Topography and Glimat# 1 Rivers 2 Populiition 2 J)evclopjuen(al activities 3 lu<iiistrics 4 EdiiCivtiou 6 facilities 7 Places of interest 10 Other details about the District 14 District at a glajice 19 MST OF fLLUSTRAlIONS I’ages Sret; Vallabha Temple, 'I'hiruvalla .. 20 Sugar Factory, Thiruvalla . 20 Pan I mala Church .. 21 iNiranam Church .. 21 Religious C(inv<;iition at Marauiou . 22 Situated ji(;ar the western ghats and h«;dge<i in by the hills, Pathanam- thi tta is a treat to the eye with its vast, uiicndiiig stretches of forests, rivers and rural laudsCtipes. Ble ssed and enriched by nature, the district is famous for its sco;nic beauty, fairs and festivals. The district was formed recently ilk the interests of hastenmg the proms of devclopmwU. The po»>plc D>m- prising mostly of Christians, followed by MusIIitls and Hindus are a pious and religious lo(. SALIENT FEATURES Tlv district now includes portions of the erst while Quilon, A.Heppey and Idukki dieti icts. Pathanamthitta, Adoor, Ranny and Kozhencherry art; some of the important places taken from Quilon district, whereas Ttiiruvalla and Mallappally are the major places taken from Alleppey district. A few villages in the surrotmding regions of Sahavimala u» Ptermedu taluk are taken from Iflukki di&trict. rtu; district came into existence on Novcinber 1, 19B2. The Wosteru Ghats in the east provides a natural boundary for the district on the west is Alleppey district, in the north portions of Idukki and Kottayara districts, and on the south Quilon district. The district consists of 5 taluks, viz Rajmy, Kozhencherry, Adoor, Thiruvalkj and Mallappally. The district has a total geographical area of 2694.62 sq.ms. out of vvliich 1466.85 sq.ms is covcred with thick forests. Thu? forests accounl for more than half the total area of dje district. TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE Like most other districts in Kerala, Pathanamthitla also consist.s of three natural divisions viz. the lowland, middle land, and the highland. The higiiland stretches through the Western Ghats, descends to the middle land in the centre, do.sn to the lowland of coconut gardens in the western botarders of Alleppey district. The topography of the district is highly undulating. It starts from the tall hill slopes covered with thick forests on the east along the mountains, down to the vaHeyjs and small lulls to the flat land of coconut trees in the west. 32/«92/B. The district has inor»*. or less the climatic conditions as prevalent elsewln*re in the state, viz. dry season from Deceral;er to Fcbniary and hot Season from March to May. The southwest monsoon from June to Septem­ ber and the north west monsoon Irom October to November provide fairly good rain. The southwest monsoon is usually very heavy and about 75% of the annual rain is received during this season. The climate is generally moderate, temperature ranging 20°c. to 39°c. RIVERS Three important rivers flow through this district. They are the Achan Kovil, Manimala and the Pamba risrers. The Pamba river is formed by the confluence of Pi mbayar, Arudaiyar, Kakkaday^r, Kakkiar and Kallar. It descends from Sabarimala, flows mainly through various parts of Ranny taluk, enters Alleppey district after joining with river Manimala and river Achankovil and empties itself into the V mbanad lake. The river Achankovil is formed by the confluence of several small streams originating from Rishimala, Pasukida mettu, and Ramakkal Teri and joins the Pamba at Veeyapuram, in Alleppey district. One third of the electricity produced by the st ite comes from this district. The powerd is generated from the Sabarigiri hydro-electric project situated at the Pamba basin in the district. Sabarigiri, next to Idukki, is the biggest hydroelectric project in the State. Since the project is located south of the fainots Sabarimala, it is named Sabarigiri project. The abundant water resources in the district is also utilized for irriga­ tion purposes through the Kallada irrigation project and the Pamba irriga­ tion project. POPULATION Popiilation.—^The Pathanamthitta district has a population of 11,09,682 persons. Of the total j opulation 5/39,557 are males and 5,70,125 are females, giving a sex ratio of 1056 females for 1000 males, as against 1019 females for 1000 males in the State. The density of population is 412 per- sons/sq. km. which is loW'er than the State average of 548 persons/sq. km. The scheduled caste population of the district is 1,38,010 persons, whereas 4993 persons belong to the scheduled tribes. DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES Agriculture Agriculture is the main occupation of tiie people. About 80% depend on it directly or indirectly. The main crops raised in the district are rice, tapioca, rubber, sugarcane, ^.recanut, pepper and banana. The district has a total area of 2694.62 sq.k.m. out oi which forest comes an area ot 1466.85 sq.k.m. The total cvUtivated arv;am the district is 'estimated as 1086,53 sq.k.m. 'Fhe total number of households in the [^strict is 213128. Pathanarnthitta district accounts for the maximum quantity of rubber produced in the State. Rubber cultivation is concentrated mainly in th»* hilly eastern zone though one caunat see a house in the district without a rubber tree in its compoiuid. Thus rubber occupies the main position among the commercial crops in the district. Tapioca is a major food crop next only to paddy in extent of acreaj^e. The cropping pattern of important agriridtural products in tertns of the area cultivated is given below ; Coconut 25636 hectares Paddy 21318 99 Arecanut 2074 Peppr'r 8215 p» Ginger 1482 >> Cocoa 2000 JJ Tapioca 2088 yt Banana 6061 ft (Jashew 1358 Rubber 46773 T urmeric 290 Sugarcane 1450 2> Vegetables 4683 St Pinrapple 113 While tapioca is cultivated in all parts of the district it is concentrated in Mezhuveli, Konni, Komdtbazhaom in Kozhenchtrry taluk and Thonnallor, Eoatli of Adoor taluks. Coconut also < njoys an important pcsilioii in the agricultural economy of the State. Paddy is cultivated in two s3a«ons viz. virippu (first crop Irom April-May to August-September) irrnncdiately followed by Mundakan (second crop from Soptembsr-October to Dccember-January) Both are rain fed and hence extensively cultivated. Banana and other plantains arc cultivated in dilVerent parts of the district, but Kozhencherry taluk covers the maximiiin area under banana cultivation. Sugarcane is concentrated in Tiruvaila taluk. Animal Husbandry Pathanamthitta district has been declared by Government as a disease-free zone for cattlc. In tUsease-free zones, preven­ tive measures to free the catile from diseases of various types are taki ri with eraphasi? on the preventive a'^pect vather on the cutative asp*,ct There are a number of veterinary dispensarj(;s and hospitals functioning in this district. At present more than 20 veterinary hospitals are functioi.ixig in the district. They are at Mezhuveli, Thumpainon, Pandalam, Kai- pattoor, Mannady, Ghathanthara, Gliethonkara, Vechoochira, Chittar, Vadasserikkara, Seethathode, Thannithode, Mallappally, Kallooppara, Kozhencherry, Pramadom, Thelliyoor, Ayroir, Konni, Elamanuor, Kodumon, Pulikeezhu, Kidangannoor, Thattoyil, Kottanad and Kalanjoor. There are veterinary dispensaries at Kurichimuttom, Vayala, Naranganam, Kottangal, Angadi, Mannarakulanji, Kunnamthanam Chennerkara and R.Perunad. There is an A. I. centre at Pullad and an A . I. sub centre each at Vallainkulam, Vennikkulam, Ezhumattoor, Elanthoor and Amalloor. Altogether there are four ’.eterinary Polyclinics, 27 veterinary hospitals, one mobile farm aid unit, one A. I . centre, five A. 1 subcentres and nine veterinary dispensaries. Water Supply Several places of the district, especially the hilJy areas, are stai've 1 of drinking water in summer. Yc t several areas arc supplied with protected water supply by means of a number of rural water supply schcmes intr duced iii various parts of the district. They are the Kozhencherry Rural Water Supply Scheme, Pathanamthitta Town Pviira! Water Supply Scheme, Iravau Village Water Supply Scheme, Attachakkal Village Water Supply Scheme, Mylapra Village Water Supply Scheme, Melukara Village Water Supply Scheme, Elanthoor Village Water Supply Scheme, Elanthoor Harijan Colony Water Supply Scheme, Malayaiapuzha Rural Water Supply Scheme, Ranni Thottamon Rural Water Supply Scheme, Ranni-Ithala Rural Wafer Supply Scheme, Ranni-Chellakkad Rural Wattr Supply Scheme, Pazbavangadi-Karikulam Rural Water Supply Scheme, Vadasserik­ kara Rural Water Supply Scheme, Konni Rural Water Supply Scheme, Aruvappulam Rural Water Supply Scheme, Pramadom Rural Water Supply Sheme, Omalloor Rural Water Supply Scheme, Vechoochira Rural Water Supply Scheme and Chittar Rural Water Supply Scheme Out of this Vechoochira, Vadasserikkara, Pramadom, Konni and Arui appulam Schemes are under Central Government’s accelerated scheme. A major water supply scheme for Pathanamthitta municipal area is being construcfed with an investment of one crore rupees.