FOCUS TO KOLLAM

 Kollam is a unique place in tourism map of the world. This is the only district having the three streams of tourism, beach tourism, inland water tourism and eco tourism in Kerala, a place having the evergreen innovative tourism region in the world. This district is next to the state capital having the 2nd largest sea port of the State and a beautiful calm and quiet city and is famous for its natural gifts of wide rivers, dominant hills, forests, lakes and planes and there is a throb of vibrant industrial activity that combines with the equanimity of the wonders of the modern age with the traces of the bygone era. Kollam is an important district of the state with regards to trade and commerce and is the centre of the country's cashew trading and processing industry. It is also an important hub of the state's marine products industry, with the port of Neendakara being the centre for trawlers, exporting units. Once a city of palaces, Kollam has been known to the outside world, by the time honoured proverb, “ Kollam kandavanu illam venda” (Once you have seen Kollam you would no more need your illam(home))”

The city of Kollam is known by many different names that frequently changed with time. It was associated with names like Desinganadu, Kollam, and Quilon. From the days of the Phoenicians and the  Romans this seaport town has continued to have a commercial reputation. Ibn  Batuta regarded Kollam as one of the five main ports dealing in Chinese trade.  Since ages rulers of Kollam and China have exchanged embassies and this led the  town to flourish as a Chinese settlement. 

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a trading center at  Kollam in 1502. Then came the Dutch followed by the British in 1795. A British  garrison was stationed at Kollam in pursuance of a treaty between Travancore   and the British.

During the rule of Velu Thampi Dalawa of Travancore the town experienced many changes, new bazaars were built and that invited merchants from Madras and Thirunelveli to settle here. Later on Kollam became the capital of the enlightened and liberal rulers of Desinganad.

As an administrative unit the town flourished in the year 1835, when the Travancore state consisted of two revenue divisions with headquarters at Kollam and Kottayam. In the year 1949 when Travancore and Cochin were desegregated, Kollam was one of the three revenue divisions in the state. Later on these three revenue divisions were converted into districts. 

The later history of Kollam is interwoven with the Portuguese, Dutch and English rivalry for control of the Indian Ocean trade routes and commodities nearby. The Malayalam era is calculated from the founding of Kollam in the 9th century.

FORESTS

The area under forest in Kollam District is 1100 sq.kms and it falls in Thenmala, Punalur and a portion of Achencoil forest division. Thenmala Range, Aryankavu Range and Shendurney Sanctuary Constitute the Thenmala Division. Achencoil Range, Kallar Range and Kanayar Range, make up the Achencoil division while Punalur division includes Pathanapuram and Anchal Ranges. Teak and Softwood form the major forest plantations in the District.

MINERAL RESOURCES

The District is immensely rich in mineral resources. The beach sands of the District have concentrations of heavy minerals like Ilmenite, Rutile, Monosite and Zircon which offer scope of exploitation for industrial purpose.

Besides, large deposits of China clay in Kundara, Mulavana and Chathannoor, there are also lime shell deposits in Ashtamudi lake, Bauxite deposits in Adichanaloor and disseminated graphite in Punalur.

AGRICULTURE

The District has a prominent place in the field of agriculture. The total extent of land under cultivation is 2,18,267 hectares. The principal crops are paddy, tapioca, coconut, rubber, pepper, banana, mango and cashew. About 70 percent of the work force is engaged in agriculture.

Coconut gardens extend to about 75,454 hectares. About three hundred and forty three million coconuts are produced every year. The five major crops; paddy, tapioca, coconut, rubber, pepper-are cultivated in an area of 1,73,847 hectares. Small and marginal farmers constitute more than 95% of the farming community and the average per family holding is 0.21 hectare. All the 71 panchayats of the District are covered by separate Krishi Bhavans.

There is an oil palm plantation at Bharatheepuram near Anchal, in an area of 4000 hectares, under the Oil Palm India Lts., a state Government undertaking.

The rehabilitation plantations. another State Government undertaking, is located at Kulathupuzha near Thenmala.

IRRIGATION

With two rivers, the district is endowed with perennial supply of water. In order to augment the irrigation potential, several plans were evolved during 1953 to undertake river basin schemes. Kalllada Irrigation Project, the biggest multipurpose project, undertaken by the State Government, is intended to utilise the water of Kallada river, mainly for irrigation purpose in Kollam, adjacent Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. There is also a proposal to generate 50 M W of electricity from the dam at Thenmala. The Kallada project comprises of, a masonry dam of 335 M in length with a maximum height of 81 M at Parappur in Thenmala across the river to form a reservoir, a pick up weir and sluices at Ottakkal. The 69 KMs right bank and the 57.75 KMs left bank canal take off from the pickup weir. It is estimated that the two canals together will serve an area of 68,000 hectares. The projects are aided by World Bank.

Improvement of Perumkulam yelah I Kollam Taluk, West Kallada Scheme in Kunnathur Taluk, reclamation of Polachira lake in Kollam Taluk and Ithikkara yelah schemes, are the medium irrigation schemes in the District.

While major and medium irrigation schemes are being taken up by the state Government directly, individual minor irrigation schemes, viz., dug wells, bore-wells, pump sets, drip and sprinkler irrigation systems are being financed by commercial co-operative banks.

FISHERIES

Kollam is an important maritime District of the State with a coast line of 37.3 kms. Fishing has a prominent place in the economy of the District. Neendakara and Sakthikulangara are villages which thrive in fishing. An estimated number of 23,000 persons are engaged in fishing and allied activities. Cheriazheekkal, Alappad, Pandarathuruthu, Puthenthura, Neendakara, Thangasseri, Eravipuram and Paravoor are eight among the 26 important fishing villages. There are 24 inland fishing villages also. Considering the unique location and infrastructure available, the Government has initiated steps for establishing a fishing harbour at Neendakara which is expected to augment fish production by 15%. Average fish landing is estimated to be 85,275 tones per year. One third of the State’s fish catches are from Kollam.

There are 93 producer co-operatives, two credit co-operatives and one marketing co-operative in the fisheries sector. There are 38 Fishermen Development Welfare Co-operative Societies in the District. Nearly 3000 mechanized boats are operating from the fishing harbour. FFDA and BFFDA are promoting fresh water fish culture and prawn farming respectively. A model Fishing Village with 1000 houses is coming up at Eravipuram. A model prawn farm is coming up at Ayiramthengu and a few new hatcheries are also coming up to cater to the needs of the aquaculturists.

About 60% of the production of prawn in the State is from this District.

CASHEW

Cashew processing is a major industrial activity in the District. The Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation(KSCDC) is the largest processor of cashew nut in the world. At present, it has 34 factories. K S C D C provides employment to more than 26,000 workers.

K S C D C exports cashew kernels and cashew nut shell oil. It also manufactures tannin from cashew testa; a by-product. Available raw nuts in the state can feed the factories to only one third of its capacity and hence raw nuts are imported from abroad. 

BEAUTIFUL  ENVIRONEMENT

Kollam District which is a veritable Kerala in miniature is gifted with unique representative features - sea, lakes, plains, mountains, rivers, streams, backwaters, forest, vast green fields and tropical crop of every variety both food crop and cash crop, so called 'The Gods Own Capital'.

The major tourist places in Kollam are the Astamudi backwaters, Adventure park, Ariankavu pilgrim center, Palaruvi waterfalls, Thirumullavaram beach, Sasthamcotta fresh water lakes etc.

Quilon or Kollam, an old sea port town on the Arabian coast, stands on the Ashtamudi lake. Kollam, the erstwhile Desinganadu, had a sustained commercial reputation from the days of the Phoenicians and the Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was regarded by Ibn Batuta, as one of the five chief ports, which he had seen in the course of his travels during a period of twenty four years, in the 14th Century.

Kallada and Ithikkara are the two rivers that flow through this district. Shasthamkotta Lake is the only major fresh water lake in the State. Two other major lakes are the Ashtamudi Lake and the Paravur Kayal. Edava and Nadayara lakes lie partly in this district.

The district has a tropical and humid climate, with an oppressive summer and plentiful seasonal rainfall. The summer season, from March to May, is followed by the south west monsoon from June to September.

Area : 2,492 km²

 Population : 2,584,118

Men : 1,248,616

Women : 1,335,502

LOCATION

 The geographical coordinates for Kollam are 9.28'45° N 76.28'0° E. The district covers an area of 2,492 km² and ranks seventh in the State with respect to area. The district is bound on the north by Alappuzha district, north east by the Pathanamthitta district, east by Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, south by [Thiruvananthapuram district]] and on the west by the Arabian Sea.

Time : IST +5:30 hrs GMT