PATHANAMTHITTA
Situated
near the Western Ghats and boarded by the hills,
Pathanamthitta district is a treat to eyes with
its vast unending stretches of forests, rivers and
rural landscapes. Blessed by nature, the district
is famous for its scenic beauty, fairs and festivals.
Pathanamthitta
is a true tropical diversity adorned with fertile
agricultural land, plantations and forest. Paddy,
tapioca, varieties of vegetables and spices like
cardamom, pepper etc. are extensively cultivated.
The district also abounds in extensive rubber plantations.
It
is presumed that the regions presently under the
district were formerly under the Pandalam reign
which had connections with the Pandya Kingdom. Pathanamthitta
now includes portions of the erstwhile Kollam, Alappuzha
and Idukki Districts. Pathanamthitta, Adoor, Ranny,
Konni and Kozhencherry are some of the important
places taken from Kollam District, where as Thiruvalla
and Mallappally are the major places taken from
Alappuzha District.
Pathanamthitta
is a combination of two words Pathanam and Thitta
which mean an array of houses on the river side.
This district was formed on Ist November 1982 in
the interest of the hastening process of development.
The total area of the district is 2642 sq. km.,
of this 1390.73 sq.km., come under forest.
|
District |
Pathanamthitta |
Area
(in Sq.km) |
2,637 |
Population |
12,34,016 |
Males
|
5,89,398 |
Females
|
6,44,618 |
Sex
ratio : Females/1000 |
1,094 |
Density
of Population |
468 |
Per
Capita Income (in Rs) |
17,980 |
Literacy
rate |
94.84%;
Male 96.41%; Female 93.43% |
Coastal
line in km. |
Nil |
Water
bodied area in ha. |
4,100 |
Forest
area in ha. |
1,55,214 |
Assembly
Constituencies |
1.
Thiruvalla
2. Kallooppara
3. Adoor
4. Aranmula
5. Ranni
6. Pathanamthitta
7. Konni |
Taluks |
Head
Quarters |
No.
of Villages |
Kozhancheri |
Pathanamthitta |
21 |
Thiruvalla |
Thiruvalla |
11 |
Mallappally |
Mallappally |
9 |
Ranni |
Ranni |
11 |
Adoor |
Adoor |
15 |
Weather |
Monthly
rainfall (m.m) |
Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Rainfall |
27.8 |
40.5 |
79.8 |
182.3 |
277.6 |
542.9 |
516.3 |
337.0 |
261.1 |
320.9 |
202.5 |
57.0 |
Source:
Economic Review, 2003 |
Livestock
Population (2000 Census) |
Cattle |
Buffaloes |
Goats |
Sheep |
Pigs |
137773 |
4086 |
72386 |
Nil |
2039 |
Major
Agricultural Products |
Products |
Area
under cultivation (ha.) |
Production
in tonne |
Rice |
5431 |
13521 |
Sugar
Cane |
95 |
464 |
Pepper |
5214 |
1231 |
Ginger |
619 |
1536(curved) |
Cardamom |
664 |
78 |
Cashewnut |
1107 |
527(raw) |
Coconut |
21764 |
122
million nuts |
Tapioca |
7614 |
186265 |
Rubber |
47905 |
62833 |
Local
Self Government |
District
Panchayats |
1 |
Block
Panchayats |
9 |
Grama
Panchayats |
54 |
Educational
Institutions |
Schools
|
Schools |
Govt. |
Private
Aided |
Private
Unaided |
Total |
L
P School |
168
|
238
|
13 |
419 |
U
P School |
43
|
84 |
13 |
140 |
High
School |
47
|
111 |
7 |
165 |
Higher
Secondary Schools |
14 |
35 |
26 |
75 |
Vocational
H.S.S. |
10 |
17 |
- |
27 |
Arts
and Science Colleges |
Government |
Private |
Unaided |
Nil |
9 |
Nil |
Professional
Colleges |
Type
of Institutions |
Number |
Engineering
College |
5 |
Medical
College |
1 |
Poly
Technics |
4 |
I.T.I. |
1 |
I.T.C. |
24 |
T.T.I. |
11 |
Training
College |
3
|
Health
(Hospitals) |
|
Allopathy |
Ayurveda |
Homeopathy |
Hospitals |
68
|
43
|
26 |
Beds |
1939
|
100 |
25 |
Industries
and Infrastructure |
No.
of registered working factories |
532 |
No.
of SSI Units |
13112 |
Roads
(Distribution of P W D Roads (in kms) as on
31.03.2003 |
State
Highways |
Major
Districts Roads |
Other
Districts Roads |
Village
Roads |
Total |
207.268
|
553.677
|
598.755
|
48.555
|
1408.255 |
Vehicles
having valid registration(2003) |
Goods
Vehicles |
Buses |
Cars |
Taxis |
Jeeps |
Auto
Rickshaw |
Two
Wheelers |
Others
|
Total |
10801 |
2640 |
19270 |
7604 |
3465 |
12511 |
60414 |
686 |
117391 |
Communication
|
No.
of Post Offices |
312 |
No.
of Telephone Exchanges |
77 |
TOPOGRAPHY
AND CLIMATE
The
district consists of three natural divisions, viz.,
the lowland, the midland and the highland. The highland
stretches through the western ghats and descends
to the midland in the centre, down to the lowland
and coconut gardens on the western borders of Alappuzha
district. The topography of the district is highly
undulating. It starts from the tall hillslopes covered
with thick forests on the East along the mountains
down to the valleys and small hills to the flat
and of coconut trees in the West.
The
district has more or less the same climate conditions
as prevalent elsewhere in the State, viz., dry seasons
from December to February and hot seasons from March
to May. The south west monsoon from June to September
and the north west monsoon from October to November
provide fairly good rain. The south west monsoon
is usually very heavy and about 75% of the annual
rain is received during this season. The climate
is generally moderate, the temperature rising from
20 to 39 degree Celsius.
FOREST
Forest
covers an area of 1390.73 sq.kms. in the district.
This is more than 50% of the total area of the district,
while the optimum area fixed by experts is only
33%. The total cropped area in Pathanamthitta district
is 1086.53 sq.kms. The forests in the districts
can broadly be classified as evergreen, semi-evergreen
and moist deciduous forest.
Timber
is the most important forest produce in the district.
In fact, forest is the main source of raw materials
for wood based industrial units. Teak, rosewood,
jack tree, manjakadambu, anjili, pala etc. are some
of the important varieties of timber available.
Apart from providing raw materials for rayon, newsprint,
plywood etc., these forests are a source for a number
of useful minor product like bamboo, reeds, honey,
medicinal plants and herbs.
RIVERS
Three
important rivers flow through this district. They
are Pampa, Achankovil and Manimala Rivers. The Pampa
river is formed by the confluence of Pambayar, Aruthayar,
Kakkadayar, Kakkar and Kallar. It descends from
Sabarimala, flows through various parts of Ranny
taluk, enters Alappuzha district after joining with
river Manimala and river Achankovil and empties
itself into the Vembanad lake. The river Achankovil
is formed by the confluence of several small streams
originating from Rishimala, Pasukidamettu and Ramakkalteri
and joins the Pamba at Veeyapuram in Alappuzha district.
One
third of the electricity produced by the State comes
from this district. Power is generated from the
Sabarigiri Hydro-electric Project situated at the
Pamba basin in the district.
The
abundant water resource in the district is also
utilised for irrigation purposes through the Kallada
Irrigation Project and the Pamba Irrigation Project.
POPULATION
The
district has a total population of 1231577 as per
2001 census. The female population is 643542 and
male population is 588035.
ADMINISTRATION
The
district has two revenue divisions, viz., Thiruvalla
and Adoor. The district consists of five taluks,
viz., Ranni, Kozhencherry, Adoor, Thiruvalla and
Mallappally. There are sixty eight villages in the
district.
The
headquarters of the District Panchayat is at Pathanamthitta.
There are nine block panchayats. They are Parakode,
Pandalam, Kulanada, Elanthoor, Konni, Mallappally,
Ranni, Koipuram and Pulikkeezhu. The number of Grama
Panchayats in the district are 53. Adoor, Thiruvalla
and Pathanamthitta are the municipalities.
The
actual area of each taluk in Pathanamthitta
is tabulated as below |
Kozhencherry
taluk |
Area
of Pathanamthitta municipality
+ |
Konni block+
|
Kulanada
block+
|
(Elanthoor
block – Cherkole Panchayat)
|
Adoor
taluk |
Area
of Pandalam block + |
Parakode
block + |
Kadambanad
Panchayat + |
Peringanad
Village |
Thiruvalla
taluk |
Area
of Thiruvalla municipality + |
Pulikeezhu
block + |
(Koipuram
block – Puramattom, Ezhumattoor panchayats)
|
Ranni
taluk |
Area
of Ranny block + |
Ayroor
Panchayat from Koipuram block + |
Cherukole
panchayat from Elanthoor block |
Pathanamthitta
district does not have any full-fledged Parliament
constituency in its purview. Its eight Assembly
constituencies are segmented and made parts of different
Parliamentary constituencies. Adoor and Konni
are made part of Adoor Parliamentary constituency.
Thiruvalla, Kalloopara, Aranmula and parts of Pandalam
Assembly constituencies belong to Mavelikkara Parliamentary
constituency and Ranni and Pathanamthitta come under
Idukki Parliamentary constituency. Thus, Pathanamthitta
is not yet unified in terms of Parliamentary constituencies.