Virudunagar District - General Information

• Area 4243 Sq. Km.
  
  
• North Latitude Between 11 00' and 12 00'
  
  
• East Longitude Between 77 28' and 78 50'

In 1985, the erstwhile Ramanathapuram District was trifurcated to create the districts of Ramanathapuram, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Tirumagan (later renamed Sivaganga) and Kamarajar District (later renamed Virudhunagar District).

The District headquarters is Virudhunagar town. It covers an area of 4232 sq. km. and is divided into 8 taluks, namely Aruppukkottai, Kariapatti, Rajapalayam, Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur, Tiruchuli and Virudhunagar.

On 3rd March 1996, Sivakasi taluk was created separating the firkas of Sivakasi, Edirkottai and Salwarpatti from Sattur taluk and Mangalam firka from Virudhunagar taluk.

On 31st August 1998, Kariapatti taluk was formed by separating Kariapatti, Mudukkankulam and Kalkurichi firkas from Aruppukattai taluk. Mallanginar firka, the 4th firka of the taluk was carved out of Kalkurichi firka.

The District is divided into two Revenue Divisions comprising four taluks each. The Aruppukkottai Revenue Division comprises Kariapatti, Tiruchuli, Aruppukkottai and Virudhunagar taluks, and Sivakasi Revenue Division of Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur and Rajapalayam taluks.

There are 6 Assembly Constituencies in the District. 209. Rajapalayam Assembly Constituency is reserved for the scheduled castes. 204. Aruppukkottai, 205. Sattur, 206. Virudhunagar, 207. Sivakasi and 208. Srivilliputur are the other Assembly Constituencies.

There are 2 Parliamentary Constituencies in the District. Aruppukkottai Assembly Constituency falls within 34. Ramanathapuram Parliamentary Constituency and 35. Sivakasi Parliamentary Constituency extends over all the other five Assembly Constituencies and also includes 212. Kovilpatti Assembly Constituency in Tuticorin District.

There are 6 Municipalities – Aruppukkotai, Virudhunagar, Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur and Rajapalayam, 11 Panchayat Unions, 10 Town Panchayats, 450 Village Panchayats and 598 villages of which 506 are inhabited and 92 are uninhabited.

Virudhunagar District is landlocked on all sides with no direct access to the sea. It is bound on the north by Madurai, on the north-east by Sivaganga, on the east by Ramanathapuram and on the south by Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts.

Physiographically it consists of two distinct regions. The eastern slopes of the Western Ghats in Srivilliputtur and Rajapalayam taluks and the black soil plains of Sivakasi, Virudhunagar, Sattur, Aruppukkottai, Tiruchili and Kariapatti. The average height of the hills of the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats is 1500m, though a few peaks rise to 1700m. The highest peaks are Peyimalai Mottai and Kottamalai. The foothills have rich loamy soil with good vegetation cover. The plains with black cotton soil (locally known as karisal) have underlying cal carious formations.

Virudhunagar does not have any perennial rivers. The Vaippar, Arjuna nadi, and Gundar constitute the river network of the District. Numerous streams and rivulets, activated by the monsoon, feed these rivers. The Mandiri odai and Girudhamal nadi flow into the Gundar, which irrigates the northeastern region of the District. The Sengundrapuram odai, Kausika manadi, Uppodai and Mannarkottaiyar are feeder streams of the Arjuna nadi, which flows through the central portion of the District. The Kayalkudiyar and Nichepa nadi join the Vaippar, which runs through the southern part of the District. The Arjuna and the Vaippar meet at Irukkangudi.

The District consists of red loam, red clay loam, red sand, black clay and black loam in large areas with extents of black and sand cotton soil found in Sattur and Aruppukottai taluks. Limestone of different grades and common use minerals like sand, clay and gypsum are the minerals of economic value found. Granite of export value occurs in small pockets in the southern regions of the District.

The climate of the region is semi-arid tropical monsoon type. It has a high mean temperature and a low degree of humidity. The temperatures range from 20° C to 37° C. April, May and June are the hottest months of the year. Virudhunagar receives scanty rainfall with an annual average of 812 mm. The South West monsoon which sets in June and lasts till August brings scanty rain. The bulk of the rainfall is received during the North East monsoon in the months of October, November and December.

The forests are found on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. Only 6.3% of the total geographical area is under forests. The type range from west coast tropical evergreen forests, west coast semi evergreen forests, dry teak forests, southern mixed deciduous forests and dry grasslands. According to the National Forestry Resolution the optimum area under forests should be 1/3rd of the total geographic area. Given the nature of the topography of the District, the soil profile and the rainfall pattern this is an unattainable target. However measures have been undertaken to increase the area under forest coverage and to ensure among other things adequate pasture for live stock, supply of firewood for domestic consumption and raw material for industries. Social forestry programmes have enlarged their range of activities and the area covered by plantations is 3216 hectares. Revenue from the forest for the year 1999-2000 was Rs.53 lakhs.

Many rare and endemic varieties of flora and fauna are found along the mountain slopes. A wildlife sanctuary, spread over 480 sq. kms. was established in 1989 at Shenbagathopu in Srivilliputur taluk.. This sanctuary is contiguous with the Periyar tiger reserve on the south-western side and the Megamalai reserve forest on the north-western side. The altitude varies from 100m to 2010 m above sea level. The sanctuary is home to the endangered, arboreal grizzled giant squirrel Ratufa macrora. This grayish brown squirrel weighs 1 to 1.8 kg. and is the size of a small cat. It measures about 73.5 cms. from nose to tail with the tail being 36 – 40 cm. long. They construct drays at forked branches where the crowns of neighbouring trees meet. This enables the squirrel to move away from the site by jumping from tree to tree when threatened. The home range of an individual is between 0.197 hectares and 0.611 hectares.

The sanctuary also hosts a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles and butterflies. Resident and migratory elephants are common. Other animals sighted are tiger, leopard, Nilgiri thar, spotted deer, barking deer, sambar, wild boar, porcupine, Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque, common langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, sloth bear and flying squirrel. Over 100 species of birds have been identified. The rare Great Indian horn bill is also found.

Special steps have been taken to conserve the forest areas in the sanctuary. The annual leases given for the collection of fruit and other minor forest produce has been stopped. Fruit bearing trees and other trees have been planted. This will increase the food sources as well as ensure continuity in the canopy. Soil conservation and water harvesting measures have been undertaken to improve the habitat.

The forests of Alagarkoil valley in Srivilliputur taluk and Saduragiri are known for rare medicinal plants. The medicinal value of 275 plants has been recorded and reported. The forests host a rich variety of orchids and ferns.