Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 416
Sex Ratio Rank : 570
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 31 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 12 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Challenges of the
district : Our research with local communities
The main issue of Kollam is unavailability of clean
drinking water. The water we receive is unfit for consumption.
People struggle to get water. They walk long distance to fetch water.
I feel after few years’ water will be very costly.
Unemployment is a very common problem faced by the country.
The quality of education in our district is very good. People are
well read and aspire to progress ahead. Unemployment is the only
obstacle in the development.
Brief About KollamDistrict
Quilon or Kollam is an old sea port town on the
Arabian coast. About thirty per cent of this district is covered
by the Astamudi lake, there by making it the gateway to the backwaters
of the state. Once a city of palaces, Kollam has been known to
the outside world, by the time honoured proverb, "Once you have
seen Kollam you would no more need your illam (home)".
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. The
rulers of Kollam (Desinganadu) and China, exchanged embassies
and there was a flourishing Chinese settlement at Kollam. Merchant
Sulaiman of Siraf in Persia (9th Century) found Kollam to be the
only port in India, touched by the huge Chinese junks, on his
way from Canton to Persian Gulf. Marco Polo, the great Venician
traveller, who was in Chinese Service under Kublahan in 1275,
visited Kollam and other towns on the west coast, in his capacity
as a Chinese mandarin.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a trading
centre at Kollam in 1502 A.D. Then came the Dutch followed by
the British in 1795 AD A British garrison was stationed at Kollam
in pursuance of a treaty between Travancore and the British.
Velu Thampi Dalawa of Travancore did much for
the improvement of Kollam town. He built new bazars and invited
merchants from Madras and Tirunelveli to settle here. Kollam later
became the capital of the enlightened and liberal rulers of Desinganad.
It was also the nerve centre of the rebellion organised by Velu
Thampi against the British.
TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
The district is situated on the south west coast of India. It
extends from latitude 9° 28' N to 8° 45' and longitude 76° 28'
to 77° 17' N. The district is bound on the north by Alappuzha
district, north east by the Pathanamthitta district, on the east
by Thirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, on the south by Thiruvananthapuram
district and on the west by the Arabian Sea. The area of the district
2,492 sq. kms. And in area the district ranks seventh in the State.
Two rivers, Kallada and Ithikkara, flow through
this district. The Sasthamcotta lake, the only major fresh water
lake in the State, is here. Two other major lakes are the Ashtamudi
kayal and the Paravoor kayal. Edava and Nadayara kayals lie partly
in this district.
The district has a tropical humid climate, with
an oppressive summer and plentiful seasonal rainfall. The hot
season, lasting from March to May, is followed by the south west
monsoon from June to September. The north east monsoon occurs
from October to November. The rest of the year is generally dry.
CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Kollam, the capital of the erstwhile Venad, was
a great centre of learning and culture. It attracted distinguished
scholars from all parts of South India. Leelathilakam and Unnuneelisandesam,
two outstanding literary works of historical importance, are contributions
of 14th Century Kollam. The dance form of Kathakali in its new
version of Ramanattam was the creation of Kottarakkara Thampuran,
who also improved Krishnattam by substituting Malayalam for Sanskrit.
Paravoor K.C.Kesava Pillai, a gifted poet, prose
writer, dramatist and scholar, originated the musical play in
Malayalam through his work Sadarma. His Kesaveeyam, a Mahakavyam,
is of outstanding literary importance. In the history of Malayalam
music, he has a prominent place as a gifted composer of songs.
Paravoor Kesavan Asan, the founder editor of Sujanandini, another
prominent literary figure, was a journalist and a prose writer
of eloquence. His Saratchandrika is a contribution to the study
of Ayurvedic system of medicine E.V.Krishna Pillai, another literary
celebrity has etched his name in the field of humour and satire.
C.V.Kunjuraman, editor of Kerala Kaumudi and Malayalarajyam was
a poet, literary critic, prose writer and a journalist of outstanding
distinction.
Coming to modern times, Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai
and Soornadu Kunjan Pillai, noted literary historians and poets
like O.N.V. Kurup, Thirunallur Karunakaran, Punalur Balan, novelist
and poet Lalithambika Antharjanam are some of the literary luminaries
hailing from this district.
Leaders like T.M.Varghese, C.Kesavan, Kumbalathu
Sanku Pillai, N.Sreekantan Nair, R.Shankar and C.M.Stephen who
played prominent roles in shaping the socio-political destiny
of the State, are also from this district. The district gave birth
to well known freedom fighters like Chandiran Kali Ambi (Kadakkal
Manthri) and Franco Raghavan Pillai.
POPULATION
Sex ratio (defined as the number of females per 1000
males) shows a fluctuating trend from decade to decade. Taking
the population in the district as a whole in 1941, 1971, 1981,
1991 and 2001, females outnumber males. In all other decades there
was a ponderance of males over females. According to the 1991
census there are 1043 females for every 1000 males, while it was
1022 in 1981 census. According to 2001 census the sex ratio of
Kollam is 1070.
The density of population of the district has
increased from 871 persons per sq. km. in 1981 to 963 in 1991.
The total population of the district according to 2001 census
is 2,584,118 and population density is 1037.
According to 1991 census, this district had a
literacy rate of 90.47% against 72.95% in 1981. It was 64.97%
in 1971. And according to 2001 census it is 91.49%.
