MALAPPURAM

Malappuram District


With Nilgiris in the east and the Arabian Sea in the west, Malappuram district presents a treat to the eye. Rich and evergreen forests, ravines, hills and dales, rivers and brookes, sandy surfs and palm fringed coasts, festive mood of the gayful Oonapatt - the district preserves the cultural wealth of the good old days. It has in store, a hoary past with Zamorin's rule, Mamankam festival, Vellattiri’s revenge and the resultant Chaver Pada (suicidal squad), the British rule and indiscriminate oppression of the masses in connivance with exploiting landlords, the National and the Khilapthat movement, the Malabar rebellion and the such.

The land of great poets and writers, political and religious leaders, this district has carved a place of it’s own in the history of Kerala. The Kings of Valluvanad, the Zamorins, the Kings of Perumpadappu Swarupam and the Kings of Vettathunadu, were the early rulers. The Portuguese, Mysore sultans and the Britishers had their sway over this place, partly or wholly. But the unique social and cultural heritage is preserved.

BARE FACTS


District Malappuram
Area (in Sq.km) 3550


Population 3,629,640
Males 1,759,479
Females 1,870,161
Sex ratio : Females/1000 1063
Density of Population 1022

Per Capita Income (in Rs) 13782

Literacy rate 88.61%; Male 91.46%; Female 85..96%

Coastal line in km. 70

Water bodied area in ha. 4,994

Forest area in ha. 103417

Assembly Constituencies
1. Manjeri
2. Kondotti
3. Thiruoorangadi
4. Malappuram
5. Thanoor
6. Perinthalmanna
7. Ponnani
8. Manakada
9. Thirur
10. Vandoor
11. Nilamboor
12. Kuttippuram


RELIGION DATA 2001 CENSUS


Religion Persons Presentage
Hindus 1057418 29.1664
Muslims 2484576 68.5311

Christians 80650 2.2245

Buddhists 387 0.0107

Jains 68 0.0019

Sikhs 221 0.0061

Others 56 0.0015

Religion not stated 2095 0.0578

Taluks Head Quarters No. of Villages


Nilamboor Nilamboor 19
Eranad Manjeri 31
Perinthalmanna Perinthalmanna 24
Thirur Thirur 30
Ponnani Ponnani 11
Thiroorangadi Thiroorangadi 18


WEATHER
Monthly rainfall (m.m)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rainfall 13.2 4.1 0.7 76.0 81.3 591.9 319.3 442.6 247.9 275.3 58.8 80.4


Live stock Population (1996 Census)
Cattle Buffaloes Goats Sheeps Pigs
244225 23271 209968 630 716

Major Agricultural Products
Products Area under cultivation (ha.) Production in tonne
Rice 28936 48137
Pepper 7817 1016
Cashewnut 10596 4342
Tapioca 8790 231116
Coconut 102872 634 million
Arecanut 14292 14170
Rubber 28008 29907
(Source : Farm Guide 2000)


Local Self Government
District Panchayats 1
Block Panchayats 14
Grama Panchayats 94

Educational Institutions

Schools
Schools Govt. Private Aided Private Unaided Total
L P School 348 480 8 836
U P School 110 225 14 349
High School 82 76 30 188
Higher Secondary Schools 36 38 6 80
Vocational H.S.S. 24 2 - 26


Arts and Science Colleges
Government Private Unaided
3 9


Professional Colleges
Type of Institutions Number

Agri.Engg. & Technology 1

Engineering College 1
Ayurveda College 1
Poly Technics 4
Training College 1
IHRDE Centre 1
I.T.I. 1
I.T.C. 5
T.T.I. 5


Health (Hospitals)
Allopathy Ayurveda Homeopathy
Hospitals 123 11 2
Beds 2183 220 50


Industries and Infrastructure
No. of registered working factories 987 No. of SSI Units 1015


Roads (Distribution of P W D Roads (in kms) as on 01.04.2000
State Highways Major Districts Roads Other Districts Roads Village Roads Total
273.867 1209.630 198.143 144.940 1826.586


Vehicles registered and its classification
Goods Vehicles Buses Cars Taxis Jeeps Auto Rickshaw Two Wheelers Others Total
15830 6167 16431 11463 7737 29150 48904 2752 138434

Communication
No. of Post Offices No. of Telephone Exchanges
432 63


GENERAL FEATURES


Amalgamating the distant and backward areas of the erstwhile Kozhikode, Perintalmanna and Ponnani taluks of Palakkad, Malappuram district was formed on the 16th June 1969. The Nilgiris (blue hills) of Tamil Nadu in the east and the Arabian sea in the west, provide natural boundaries. In the north, it is bounded by Kozhikode and Wyanad and in the south, by Palakkad and Thrissur districts. The district has a geographical area of 3550 Sq. Kms.


TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

The location of Malappuram district is 75 to 77 east longitude and 10 to 12 north latitude, in the geographical map. Like most of the other districts of the state. Malappuram too consists of three natural divisions; lowland, midland and highland. The low land stretches along the sea coast, the midland in the centre and the highland region towards the east and north eastern parts. The topography of the district is highly undulating; starting from the hill tops covered with thick forests on the east along the Nilgiris, it gradually slopes down to the valleys and the small hills , before finally ending on the sandy flat of luxuriant coconut groves in the west.


The district has more or less the same climatic conditions prevalent elsewhere the state, viz. Dry season from December to February, hot season from March to May, the Southwest Monsoon from June to September and the North East Monsoon from October to November. The South West Monsoon is usually very heavy and nearly 75% of the annual rains is received during this season. The climate is generally hot and humid; the range of temperature varying between 30° C and 20° C. The average annual rainfall is 2900 mm.

RIVERS


Four important rivers of Kerala, flow through Malappuram district. They are, Chaliyar (Beypore river), Kadalundipuzha, Bharathapuzha and Tirurpuzha. Chaliyar has a length of 169 kms. and originates from Illambalieri hills in Tamilnadu. Important tributaries of this river are Chalipuzha, Punnapuzha, Pandiyar, Karimpuzha, Cherupuzha and Vadapurampuzha. Chaliyar traverses through Nilambur, Mampad, Edavanna, Areekade, Vazhakkad and flows into the sea at Beypore in Kozhikode district. Kadalundipuzha is formed by the confluence of two rivers, the Olipuzha and Veliyar. Olipuzha originates form Cherakomban hill and Veliyar from Erattakomban hill. They flow by the wild of Silent Valley and traverse through Ernad and Valluvanad regions, before flowing into the sea at Kadlundi Nagaram. It passes through places like Melattur, Pandikkad, Malappuram, Pankkad, Parappur, Kooriyad and Tirurangadi. Kadalundipuzha has a circuit course of 130 kms. Bharathapuzha the Second longest river in Kerala, flows by the southern border of the district and drains into the sea at Ponnani. Its main tributary, Thoothapuzha, originates form the Silent Valley, flow through Thootha, Elamkulam, Pulamanthole and joins the main river at Pallippuram. After a course in Palakkad and Thrissur districts, the Bharathapuzha again enters Malappuram district at Tiruvegapura and from Kuttippuram onwards, the river belongs entirely to Malappuram. Tirurpuzha, 48 km. long, originates from Athavanad hills in Tirur town and flows south west, parallel to the sea, until it joins the Bharathapuzha near Ponnani port.

Of these rivers, only Chaliyar is perennial; all others get dried up in summer and hence Malappuram district is prone to draught. In Tirur and Ponnani taluks, kayals (backwaters) like Biyyamp, Veliyancode, Manur, Kodinhi etc offer fishing and navigation facilities.


FLORA AND FAUNA


The district has a total forest area of 1,03,417 hectares, i.e.,28.47% of total geographical area. The major forest area is concentrated in Nilambur and Wandoor blocks and Melattur in the Western ghats. Of the forests, 80% is deciduous and the rest is evergreen. Teak ,rosewood, venteak, choropin, mahogoni, etc. are the important trees. Other varieties like kulamavu and villapine are used in the plywood industry. Bamboo is extensively grown in all parts of the forest. The district has also several man made plantations, mainly of teak. A mammoth effort under the Nilgiri Biosphere Project is underway to protect and regenerate the natural forests. Afforestation is also being done under the Wasteland Development Programme.

Elephants, deers, tigers, blue monkeys, dears, boars, rabbits etc. are found in the forests along with a variety of birds and reptiles. Forests are the main source of raw material for a number of wood-based industrial units. Besides timber, firewood and green manure, forest produces like honey, medicinal herbs, spices etc. are collected. Minor forest produces are collected by the tribals. A Girijan Society functions for ensuring fair prices for collected items and for arranging supply of essential commodities to the tribal families. Bamboo for pulp factories is mainly supplied form Nilambur forests. The forests are protected by two forest divisions-Nilambur North and Nilambur South. The social forestry division promotes planting of trees outside forest lands, for protecting the forests.

POPULATION


According to the 2001 Census, the district has a population of 3629640. Of the total population 1759479 are males and 11870161 are females, forming a ratio of 1063 females for every 1000 males,the state ratio being 1058 females for 1000 males. The density of population is 1022 per Sq. Kms. Which is higher than the state average (819 per Sq. Kms.). Literacy as per 2001 census is put at 88.61%. Subsequently, Malappuram District was declared 100% literate along with other districts of the state; made possible by in intensive state wide literacy drive.


ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS

Headquarters of the administration is at Malappuram, with Collectorate and main offices in the civil station, established in the erstwhile headquarters of the Territorial Army. The district has two revenue divisions with headquarters at Perinthalmanna and Tirur. There are 6 taluks, namely Ernad (headquarters at Manjeri), Perinthalmanna, Tirur, Ponnani, Nilambur and Tirurangadi (headquarters at Parappanangadi). The taluks of Nilambur and Tirurangadi and the revenue division of Tirur, were formed recently.