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 Khilafat
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.
|
|
| District |
Malappuram |
| Area
(in Sq.km) |
3,550 |
| Population |
36,25,471 |
| Males
|
17,54,576 |
| Females
|
18,70895 |
| Sex
ratio : Females/1000 |
1,066 |
| Density
of Population |
1,021 |
| Per
Capita Income (in Rs) |
13,782 |
| Literacy
rate |
89.61%;
Male 93.25%; Female 86..26% |
| Coastal
line in km. |
70 |
| Water
bodied area in ha. |
4,994 |
| Forest
area in ha. |
103417 |
| Assembly
Constituencies |
1.
Manjeri
2. Kondotti
3. Thiroorangadi
4. Malappuram
5. Thanoor
6. Perinthalmanna
7. Ponnani
8. Manakada
9. Thirur
10. Vandoor
11. Nilamboor
12. Kuttippuram |
| Taluks |
Head
Quarters |
No.
of Villages |
| Nilamboor |
Nilamboor |
19 |
| Eranad |
Manjeri |
33 |
| 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 |
5.4 |
6.7 |
20.8 |
90.9 |
220.2 |
645.8 |
786.8 |
395.1 |
213.3 |
274.5 |
145.4
|
28.2 |
| Live
stock Population (2000 Census) |
| Cattle |
Buffaloes |
Goats |
Sheeps |
Pigs |
| 166351 |
17617 |
189292 |
494 |
881 |
| Major
Agricultural Products |
| Products |
Area
under cultivation (ha.) |
Production
in tonne |
| Rice |
19678 |
38981 |
| Pepper |
9846 |
979 |
| Cashewnut |
10735 |
4481 |
| Tapioca |
6947 |
176344 |
| Coconut |
107254 |
787
million |
| Arecanut |
19622 |
5706 |
| Rubber |
29335 |
33883 |
| (Source:Agriculture
Statistics 2002-2003) |
| Local
Self Government |
| District
Panchayats |
1 |
| Block
Panchayats |
14 |
| Grama
Panchayats |
99 |
| Educational
Institutions |
| Schools
|
| Schools |
Govt. |
Private
Aided |
Private
Unaided |
Total |
| L
P School |
349 |
478 |
8 |
835 |
| U
P School |
113 |
225 |
16 |
354 |
| High
School |
82 |
80 |
29 |
191 |
| Higher
Secondary Schools |
36 |
38 |
42 |
116 |
| Vocational
H.S.S. |
23 |
3 |
- |
26 |
| Arts
and Science Colleges |
| Government |
Private |
Total |
| 3 |
9 |
12 |
| Professional
Colleges |
| Type
of Institutions |
Number |
| Agri.Engg.
& Technology |
1 |
| Engineering
College |
2 |
| 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 |
125 |
76 |
44 |
| Beds |
2392 |
220 |
50 |
| Industries
and Infrastructure |
| No.
of registered working factories(2001) |
1003 |
No.
of SSI Units(2003) |
12724 |
| 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 |
| 208.867 |
1278.341 |
198.143 |
143.140 |
1828.491 |
| Vehicles
having valid registration(2003) |
| Goods
Vehicles |
Buses |
Cars |
Taxis |
Jeeps |
Auto
Rickshaw |
Two
Wheelers |
Others
|
Total |
| 20015 |
7882 |
20221 |
12510 |
8131 |
40719 |
80291 |
1971 |
191740 |
| Communication |
| No.
of Post Offices |
No.
of Telephone Exchanges |
| 438 |
85 |
GENERAL
FEATURES
Amalgamating
the distant and backward areas of the erstwhile Kozhikode,
Perinthalmanna 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 Wayanad 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 Kadalundi 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.
