Chengara
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Chengara
ചെങ്ങറ | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 A View of Chengara Junction | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Pathanamthitta |
| Government | |
| • Panchayat Member | N.N.Rajappan |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 689664 |
| Telephone code | 0468-2349*** |
| Vehicle registration | KL - 03 |
| Coastline | 0 kilometres (0 mi) |
| Nearest city | Konni, Pathanamthitta |
| Literacy | 100% |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Pathanamthitta |
| Website | teamchengara |
Chengara is a small village situated in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala. It is approximately 10 km from the district headquarters. The village is 110 km from Kochi, and just over 100 km from the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, depending on the route taken.[1]
Overview
Chengara is known for its natural beauty,hills and good climate. Out of four borders, three borders of Chengara are surrounded by Harrisons Malayalam limited (a rubber plantation company).Chengara was found to have the cleanest air, in terms of least concentration of dust particles in air. The nearest towns to chengara are Konni which is of about 6 km and pathanamthitta which is of about 10 km. The newly allotted medical college[2] is just 3 km away from the village.
Climate
The village enjoys a tropical climate, the monsoons start in June. The months of April–May can get humid. The best weather is from October to February. Chengara experiences three distinct seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. Typical summer months are from March to May. The warmest month in Chengara is April. Although summer doesn't end until May, the village often experiences heavy thundershowers in May, although the humidity remains high. The monsoon season lasts from June to August, with moderate rainfall. Most of the heavy rainfall in the village falls between June and July, with June being the wettest month of the year
Education
G.C.S.L.P school, Chengara is the only school. The school is owned by Chengara Service Co-operative Society Ltd No:3137. It covers a standard of I-V. The nearest higher secondary school is St.George Vocational Higher Secondary School in Attachackal. In addition to the above institutions, Students from Chengera goes to schools in nearby town for education. Degree Students from Chengara depend Catholicate College Pathanamthitta & St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry for their studies. Those who study technical courses attending the technical institutes around Pathanamthitta
Economy
The economy of Chengara is primarily from agriculture.Rubber plantations are a major source of income for the local population.Chengara is one among the largest rubber producing places in Kerala. The hilly terrain, high humidity and good rain makes it suitable for rubber cultivation. Other major crops are cocoa, coconut, tapioca and pepper.Chengara has a large NRI community.
Politics
Major political parties in Chengara are Congress and CPI(M). Recently CPI gains more strength than CPI(M) in Chengara. Adv. Adoor Prakash (INC) is the present M.L.A of the legislative assembly in Konni which includes Chengara and Anto Antony is the present MP of Pathanamthitta constituency which includes chengara. This is the third consecutive victory of the Adv. Adoor Prakash from Konni legislative assembly Chengara belongs to Konni Gramapanchayat. The present panchayat member of Chengara is N.N.Rajappan of Indian National Congress. Chengara Surendran MP CPI) is also a native of Chengara. Chengara Surendran (born 31 January 1968) was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He represented the Adoor constituency of Kerala and is a member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) political party. Like other places in Kerala, people of Chengara are also well aware about politics. Traditionally Chengara is a stronghold of Congress Party. Kerala congress also has presence in the village.Abraham Vazhayil(District Secretary Kerala Congress(M),Chairman,U D F Konni Constituency)is also a native of Chengara. Though Chengara has a long tradition of politics, till today there is no conflict among the different political parties which is uncommon in various places.
Sports
Cricket is the most following sports in the village. Cricket tournament is held annually during the mid summer vacation. Other popular sports are football and volleyball.
Demographics
Chengara has a population of just above 1500.The literacy rate of the village is 100%.
Religion
People belonging to various religions are living in harmony. The major religions in Chengara are Christianity and Hindu. Bethel Marthoma Church, St George Orthodox Church, St Patrick's Malankara Catholic Church, bethel brethren assembly and Pentecost Church (IPC) are the churches situated in the village. The temple in the village is Chengara siva parvathi Temple. Bethel Marthoma Church organizes a convention known as Chengara convention in January every year. Bethel Marthoma Church belongs to the Ranni-Nilackal Diocese of Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church.
Attractions
1) Orakuzhi
Orakuzhi is a small Waterfalls, located at the Kizhakkupuram border of the village .This place is a common hang out place of the youths of chengara,
2) Meemooti thodu
Another water falls in chengara. This Waterfalls is more dangerous than orakuzhi. Here water falls into huge depth over a huge rock. The officials had a plan to build a small dam in the stream, but later they dropped the plan due to unfavorable result of the feasibility study.
3) Helipad
Private helipad is developed by Harrisons Malayalam limited for uses relating to the rubber plantation. However, it is not functioning now.
4) Harrisons Malayalam Rubber Plantation
Harrisons Malayalam Rubber Plantation is a rubber plantation which covers significant part of Chengara. The plantation stretches over an area of more than 3000 acres. One can see many unpaved roads of width ranging from 2 meters to 3 meters in the plantation which is made by the plantation owners for their business purpose. These types of roads can be used only by Bullock cart, Trucks or Four-wheel vehicles and not by cars
5) Chemmani Rubber Plantation
Another rubber plantation in Chengara which covers an area of 300 acres of Chengara.
Institutions
Various institutions in chengara are
1) Chengara Service Co-operative Society, Ltd no : 3137.
2) G.C.S LP School, Chengara.
Communication
Mobile services from almost all providers are available in the village. The major service providers are BSNL, Airtel, Idea, Vodafone, Reliance, Tata DoCoMo etc. The village has a cable network also which provide all Malayalam channels and major channels in other languages.
Transportation
Both K.S.R.T.C and private buses satisfy the transportation needs of the people in chengara by connecting chengara with the nearby towns. Attachakal-Malayalapuzha road and Attachakal-Kumblampoika road passes through chengara. From Konni this is the easiest route to Vadaserikara, Ranni etc. The route can be used as a Sabarimala route, If government wants.
Rail
The nearest Railway station is Chengannur, 34 km and Thiruvalla which is around 41 km.
Air
The nearest Airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 100 km from Chengara. The Cochin International Airport is around 124 km from Chengara.
Team Chengara
Team Chengara is the official online community of people from chengara in Facebook. Team Chengara owns a vast library of almost all pictures of various spots and events in Chengara. The purpose of this community is to create and maintain a good relationship between the people of Chengara
Chengara Samaram
The village is frequently mentioned in the media due to a land struggle, popularly known as "Chengara Samaram", which is led by Laha Gopalan. The Sadu Jana Vimochana Samara Vedi (SJVSV) agitation began with hundreds of Vedi workers encroaching upon the Kumbazha Estate of Harrison Malayalam Limited at Chengara on August 4, 2007, demanding five acres of land for farming and Rs.50,000 towards initial farming expenses to each landless family among them. They pitched tents on the occupied land and started tapping the rubber trees at the estate for livelihood. The Vedi leader claims that 200 hectares of land at Chengara is under SJVSV occupation.[3] Really the land struggle is not taking place in Chengara, but in Harrisons Malayalam Estate more than 3 km away, which is popularly known as Chengara estate. So it got the name "Chengara Samaram". A fact is that it is taking place on the Athumpumkulam border of the Harrisons Malayalam Estate not in the border of Chengara.
Great personalities from different fields had visited the place during the Struggle. Prominent socio-political leaders, including Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy, Govindacharaya, and V.M. Sudheeran, were among those who had visited Chengara extending solidarity with the families, during the period.
In fact the land struggle created a negative image about Chengara in the mind of the outside people.
Package for protesters
The previous LDF government had identified 831.03 acres of land in 10 districts for distribution among the 1,495 eligible landless people as part of the Chengara Package. Of the 1,495 families identified, 38 families belong to the Scheduled Tribes category and 1,227to the Scheduled Castes. However, many people declined to occupy the land allotted to them, finding it unsuitable for human habitation and farming. Vedi leader Laha Gopalan had categorically stated that there was no question of vacating the land till all the landless families at Chengara were allotted land suitable for farming and habitation. Meanwhile, certain families have constructed permanent dwellings in the encroached land and started cultivation there. The Vedi too has set up a library and school in the occupied land. [4]
See also
References
- ^ http://teamchengara.weebly.com/index.html
- ^ http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/cm-to-lay-foundation-stone-for-medical-college-in-konni/article4264994.ece
- ^ http://www.hindu.com/2011/05/27/stories/2011052759391100.htm
- ^ http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/article3730292.ece
External links
