RAMANATHAPURAM

DISTRICT

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 RAMANATHAPURAM DISTRICT

1. Introduction district is simple and flat. Vaigai river and

Gundar river are flowing in the district and
i) Geographical location of the district they will be dry during the summer season.
Ramanathapuram is one of the The total geographical area of the district is
coastal districts bounded on the north by 4,175 sq.km
Sivagangai and Pudukottai districts, on the
ii) Administrative profile
east and south by the Bay of Bengal, and on
the west by Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar Ramanathapuram district comprises 7
districts. The district headquarters is located taluks, 11 blocks and 2362 villages. With
at Ramanathapuram. The district lies repaid to the hierarchy of administrative
o o
between 9 05 and 9 5’ North Latitude and arrangement, there are 2 municipalities, 7
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78 1’ and 79 27’ East Longitude. The town panchayats and 429 village panchayats
general geographical information of the in the district.
Revenue divisions and taluk
Name of Taluks comprised Total no. Total no. of Total no. of
the division in the division of firkas revenue villages hamelet villages
Ramanathapuram 7 67 529
Ramanathapuram Tiruvadanai 7 98 635
Rameswaram 1 2 31
Paramakudi 6 93 367
Mudukulathur 6 46 207
Paramakudi
Kamuthi 5 49 352
Kadaladi 6 45 241
Total 38 400 2362

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 Blocks and Panchayats
Mineral 2005-2006
Sl. No. of No. of
Block name production
No. panchayats hamlets
Crude oil 4,548.358 MT.
1 Tiruvadanai 47 310
2 R.S.Mangalam 35 325 Natural gas 226742372 cum
3 Paramakkudi 39 163 Gravel 25,974 cum
4 Bogalur 26 91
5 Nainarkoil 37 113 Earth 14,294 cum
6 Kamudi 53 346 ii) Agriculture and horticulture
7 Mudukulathur 46 169
8 Kadaladi 60 285 Ramanathapuram district is deficient
9 Ramanathapuram 25 120 in rainfall. There are no major rivers
10 Tiruppullani 33 240 providing perennial water supply for
11 Mandapam 28 200 cultivation. Though a dry district, agriculture
is extensively undertaken by irrigating the
Total 429 2362
land from tanks and wells. The rainfall
during the Southwest monsoon is rather
iii) Meteorological information poor. The rain during Northeast monsoon
season is the major one but is not steady.
The climate of this district in the Whatever rainfall occurs, it is utilised to the
inland plains is generally hot and dry with a best advantage through a large number of
low degree of humidity except within a tanks and wells in the district. Paddy is the
radius of about 20 km from the coast, where most important food crop of the district.
the temperature is tolerable and cool on
account of the sea breeze. The district has a Paddy
hot tropical climate with temperature ranging
In Ramanathapuram district, paddy is
from 22.3o C (min) to 37.8o C (max) and the
main the food crop cultivated in more than
relative humidity is high at 79% on an
63% of the net area sown. It is cultivated
average and it ranges between 80 and 90% in
both as irrigated and rainfed. Rainfed
coastal areas. Though the average rainfall is
sowing generally commences from August
827 mm per annum most of the rain fall
and will extend upto October. In early sown
occurs within a span of 45 days. March to
area, farmers used to raise medium and long
May is the summer season, June to
duration varieties of paddy. There is no
September is south-west monsoon and
marked area for late sowing, but when the
October to December is north east monsoon.
monsoon rains are delayed, the sowing will
Most of the precipitation occurs during
be also taken up late. In the late sown areas
North east monsoon.
medium and short duration paddy varieties
are sown. Farmers are having 10 local
2. Resources availability
paddy varieties in addition to high yielding
varieties with the duration ranging from 105-
i) Land resources (soil types)
130 days and they will choose varieties
according to the need. Red gram is sown as
Most of the soil type is clay (45%)
a mixed crop with rainfed areas and also
followed by coastal alluvial soil (17%) and
grown in garden lands to a limited extent. In
sandy loam (15%). There is no scope for
tankfed ayacut area irrigated paddy is sown
large scale mining in the district.
generally during August to November.

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Sometimes sowing will be further extended
upto December according to the filling of Minor millets
rainwater in the tanks and also release of
water from Vaigai dam to the Vaigai fed Minor millets are generally sown
system tanks. between July and November and the area is
spread over whole of the district.
Cholam
Cotton
Rainfed cholam sowing is taken up in
dry lands between July and September.
Rainfed cotton sowing is taken up
Beyond September there would not be any
during September-October. The sowing will
sowing of cholam crop and cumbu crop will
be extended sometimes upto December
be sown as alternate crop in these areas. A
depending upon rainfall. Rice fallow cotton
lablab pulse is also sown as mixed crop.
is generally sown in Paramakudi and
Cumbu Kamuthi taluks during January-February
months.
Rainfed Cumbu sowing is generally
taken up between September to Pulses
November. Only in Ramanathapuram Taluk
Red gram is sown during June to
the sowing will be extended upto
August. Black gram, green gram and
December. Irrigated cumbu is taken up from
cowpea are sown as rainfed crop in
February, March to June, July.
September, October months. Red gram is
Ragi sown as mixed crop with millets and
groundnut. Black gram and green gram are
Rainfed ragi sowing is taken up
sown as pure crop as well as mixed crop in
during September and October. Irrigated
cotton and sugarcane. The cowpea is sown as
ragi is mainly sown in September to October
pure crop and also in some places as mixed
in East Ramanathapuram where the crop is
crop with millets.
sown in tankfed ayacut.
Normal area productivity and production of major crops
Sl. Productivity per ha Production in
Crop Aarea in ha
No. in kgs. metric tones
1 Paddy 1,28,000 2,552 3,27,859
2 Cholam 2,117 862 1,825
3 Cumbu 889 1,123 998
4 Ragi 1,448 1,331 1,927
5 Minor Millets 404 448 181
7 Pulses 3,362 491 1,651
8 Cotton 2,733 2.40(Bales) 6,559
9 Groundnut 6,112 88.5 5,409
10 Sunflower 145 351 51
11 Gingelly 1,636 404 661
12 Chillies 16,292 808 13,164
13 Coriander 1,748 254 443
14 Coconut 7,942 14,000 1,112 lakh nuts
15 Sugarcane 231 124 28,644

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Groundnut and gingely richest coastal regions in all of mainland of
India. Some of the islands are veritable
Groundnut and gingely are cultivated
‘biologist’s paradise’ It holds within high
mostly in rainfed condition, during the
genetic diversity. It is equally rich in algae,
months of December-January and April –
seagrasses, coral reefs, pearl banks, sacred
May.
chank bed, fin & shell fish resources,
Chillies mangroves, endemic and endangered
species. The seagrass beds form an important
Chillies are cultivated in both rainfed habitat for the highly endangered sea
and irrigated condition. Chillies are directly mammal, the Dugong dugon commonly
sown in the month of September. The called as sea cow.
transplanted chillies will be taken in the
fortnight of November.

iii) Forest resources

Forest Area
There are 18 forest areas in
Ramanathapuram district constituting a total
area of 5,356.85 ha 13 forest areas fall under
the Reserve land category with 4,139.39 ha
(41.39 sq.km) and category of reserve forest
areas is 702.46 ha. Unclassified forest is Coral reefs of Gulf of Mannar
available in 515 ha in the district. The
district total area of forest under green cover Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
classification is 22,149 ha Dense and sparse (GOMBR) was declared in 1989 as the first
forest spread over an area of 742 ha and 538 Marine Biosphere Reserve in the country. It
ha respectively. There is no grass land and encompasses the entire extreme south eastern
degraded forest area covering this region. Indian part of sea extending between
The forest area has not shown much Rameswaram and Kanyakumari to an extent
fluctuation over the years. The Forest of 10,500 sq.km including the Gulf of
Plantations have been restricted to the Mannar Marine National Park of 560 sq.km
existing forest areas in Ramanathapuram (the core zone of biosphere reserve), which
district. About 2,562.65 ha of manmade includes 21 uninhabited islands and
forest area is available in the district. Fuel surrounding shallow coastal waters.
wood is the only manmade forest plantation Considering the necessity for participatory
in the district. The villages located in the co- management in the lines of Eco-
taluks of Thiruvadanai, Muthukulathur and development, Government of India with
Rameswaram abut forest areas in the district. Government of Tamil Nadu introduced a
Out of these taluks, Thiruvadanai has more GEF-UNDP funded project on
number of villages abutting the forest area. “Conservation and sustainable use of Gulf of
Mannar Biosphere Reserve’s coastal
Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere biodiversity” to address the threat issues of
Reserve Gulf of Mannar. Gulf of Mannar Biosphere
Reserve Trust, a special body of the
Designated as a Biosphere Reserve, Government of Tamil Nadu was also formed
the Gulf of Mannar is one of the biologically in 2002.

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 The Trust is implementing various reserves of ilmenite and garnet are 4,165 and
activities to bring in participatory Eco- 1,219 tonnes respectively.
management in the lines of Eco-
development. It encourages basic inventory Graphite
and management oriented research activities. Graphite bearing zones have been
It facilitates awareness and capacity building met between 3 m and 32 m at several
among various stakeholders of the area. It horizons in the boreholes. The percentage of
promotes alternative livelihood and vocation graphite in the rock varies from 18% to
diversification through skill up-gradation and 23%. The graphite bearing zone has been
employment. The multi dimensional proved along the strike direction for a
approach of the Trust in simultaneously distance of 2000 m. The total preliminary
addressing the variety of threat issues of estimated reserves are of the order of
Gulf of Mannar has taken nearly five years 1,80,000 tonnes of graphite bearing rock.
to percolate down and reach up to the bottom
of the fishery system in the area by 2008. Gypsym

iv) Mineral resources The total reserves of this area are

estimated to be of 33,500 tonnes of which
The eastern portion of the district
about 10,000 tonnes have already been
consists of rocks formed in beds of
mined.
shallow lakes and coastal backwaters where
the salt and mud brought by the rivers are Limeshell
deposited. The sedimentary rocks extend
into the whole of Tiruvadanai, Sub-recent shell limestone occurs at
Ramanathapuram and Mudukulattur taluks. about 0.8 km north of Ramanathapuram.
These sediments, mostly of clay and The total reserves are of the order of 81,300
sandstone, have been deposited for several tonnes.
million years from what is known in types of
clays geological parlance as Gondwana age, Limestone
to the present day. They contain limestones. Three bands of good quality
Limestone of different grades, clays, crystalline limestone occur in the vicinity of
euchres, gypsum, graphite and limonite (1) Pandalkudi, (2) Palavanattam and (3)
sands are the minerals of economic value Chinnayyapuram.
found in the district.
v) Water resources
Clay:
The district has 2 rivers viz Vaigai
China clay with an average thickness and Gundar, but they are not perennial.
of 0.91 mm. occurs over an area of 2.59 Vaigai river starts in Gandamanaickanur
sq.km in Sivaganga area. The total hills of Theni district traverse through
estimated reserve area of the order of 4.06 Paramakkudi and Ramanathapuram taluks in
million tonnes upto a depth of 3.05 mm. a South-Easterly direction feeding a large
number of tanks. It joins the sea near
Garnet and ilemenite sands
Attangarai. The Gundar river from the
The beach sands along the coast of Eastern slopes of the Varushanadu and
Ramanathapuram district carry small Andipatty ranges above Watrap flows
quantities of garnet and ilmenite ranging in through Aruppukkottai and empties into the
length from a few meters to 8 km and in Gulf of Mannar. Vaigai river basin, Pambar
thickness from 0.6 to 2.5 cm. The total & Kottakaraiyar and Gundar,are the three

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catchment areas of river basin in the district. In Ramanathapuram district 7 fish
The existence of over 5,000 number of tanks processing factories are functioning in Tondi
in the district makes it known as the Lake and Mandapam. Prawn, squids, cuttle fish,
District of the State. crabs and fish are processed and exported to
foreign countries. Many small
vi) Fisheries production entrepreneurs are involved in fish drying and
The Ramanathapuram district has dried fish is used in poultry and cattle feed
271 km of coast line of which 130 km is in manufacturing.
Palk bay and 140 km in Gulf of Mannar. vii) Heritage resources
Ramanathapuram coast is well known for
pearl fishing. The Pandya kings who ruled Rameswaram
over this district exploited the pearl fisheries
of the east coast. The Cholas who succeeded The holy abode of the hindu god,
Pandyas not only patronized pearl fishing but Rama is a virtual paradise for the devout.
also developed it with great care in the Palk No hindu’s journey is complete without a
bay and Gulf of Mannar. Marco Polo (1260- pilgrimage to both Varanasi and
1300) who traveled here during this period Rameswaram for the culmination of his
says in his account that the pearl fishing was quest for salvation and is hallowed by the
monopolised by Pandyas. The large quantity epic ‘Ramayana’. Folklore mentions about
of pearls collected from the pearl beds were god Ram’s presence in this land, after his 14
exported to Mediterranean countries. year exile.

The Regional center of the Central Local legend has it that Rama was
Marine Fisheries Research Institute helped back into Rameswaram and
Mandapam which was established in 1947 into India by his brother Lakshman and
has developed proven technology for the Hanuman along with his band of thousands
culture of pearls, edible oyster, clam mussel of monkeys, after finally emerging victorious
and seaweed. Commercial pearl farming has against the demon – Ravana. They helped
come up near Kurusadai island and the build a bridge with rocks from the sea and
Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development shores to cross the ‘Sethu canal’ and
Corporation Limited maintains it. reach India. Lord Rama is also believed to
have sanctified this place by worshipping
Ramanathapuram district has distinct and glorifying Lord Shiva and hence marks
chank fishery. Jadhi Chanks are abundant in the confluence of Shaivism and Vaishnavism
the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. More and is thus revered by both Shaivites and
than 2000 fishermen are engaged in active Vaishnavites alike and thus there is a strong
chank diving and sacred chank collected by belief that bathing in the 22 ‘Theerthams’ or
divers are marketed in West Bengal for natural springs is a step forward in
making ornaments. This contributes enlightenment. Therefore, Rameswaram has
significantly to the development of fisheries. rightly been declared as one of the National
Pilgrim Centres in the country.
About 160 prawn farms are operating Further down, the geographical
in the district which follows intensive type of terrain and landscape naturally tapers slowly
prawn culture. Prawns harvested from these but sharply toward the end, converging and
farms are exported to Japan, USA and gently sinking into the sea at Dhanushkodi –
European countries, which earn sizable the country’s tip in this part of the
foreign exchange for the country. peninsular. This natural phenomenon has a

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lot of significance and most people revere Villoondi Theertham
the thought and hope to attain salvation as a
Villoondi literally translated stands
culmination of their prayer, sacrifice and
for ‘buried bow’. It is quite well known that
penance in this holy place. With this
Lord Rama always carried a bow. According
backdrop, it is proposed to construct a yoga-
to legend, at this sacred spot, located around
cum-meditation centre at Rameswaram
7 km from the main temple on the way to
which any tourist can use to attain solace and
Pamban, is this puranic place, significant
discover oneself through the Vedic science
because it was at this place where Lord Ram
of yoga and meditation. This could also
is said to have quenched the thirst of Sita by
pave the way for the establishment of
dipping the bow into the sea water. Even to
a Vedic College where all students could
this day, tourists throng this place to see
be imparted with knowledge and inputs on
where potable water is available within the
Hindu religion and mythology, the Vedas,
vicinity of sea water.
Upanishads and the teachings of the
Bhagavad Gita. Badrakali Amman Temple
Ramanathaswamy Temple A kilometer away from the main
sanctum sanctorum is the Badrakali
The legend says that Hunuman was Amman Temple with Devi Durga as its
sent by Lord Rama to bring a Lingam to chief deity. It is very popular among Devi
worship at an appointed auspicious hour. As Durga’s worshippers hailing mainly from
Hunuman arrival was delayed, Sita moulded West Bengal. This temple is en-route to the
a lingam for Rama’s timely worship. It is Gandhamathana Parvatham.
the main deity being worshiped as
Ramanathaswamy. Disappointed Hunuman Gandhamathana Parvatham
was later consoled by Rama by installing the A hillock situated 3 km to the north
Lingam which was brought by him a little of the temple is the highest point in the
north of Ramanatha, and decreed that the island. There is a two storeyed mandapam,
Hunuman’s lingam should have precedence where Rama's feet. (padam) is found as an
over the Ramanatha in all honours. imprint on a chakra. Pilgrims throng in
thousands to worship Gandhamathana
Agni Theertham
Parvatham.Sukreevar temple and Theertham
The calm shallow water-spread of the are situated on the way to Gandhamadana
sea, present hardly 100 meters in front of Parvatham.
the temple gopuram is considered as
sacred. A dip in the Agnitheertham is Dhanushkodi
considered to remove the sins of the The Southernmost tip of the island is
pilgrims. The other theerthams (holy water called Dhanushkodi. It was completely
tanks) in and around the temple are also washed away by a cyclone in 1964. But
important for pilgrims. the Kothandaramasamy Temple here remains
Jadayu Theertham intact. It is 18 km away from Rameswaram
and can be reached by road. A popular
Jadayu, king of the birds, who fought belief is that, it is where Vibishana a brother
in vain with Ravana, the demon to save Sita, of Ravana surrendered before Rama.
is said to have fallen down here as his wings Dhanush-kodi has a fine beach, where sea
were severed. Sand dunes surround the surfing is possible.
temple and the pond. The water in the pond
is as sweet as that of a tender coconut.

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 'Arudhra' festival in December attracts a
large number of devotees.

Erwadi
The tomb of Sultan Ibrahim Syed
Aulia, who came from Arabia via Cannanore
is about 800 years old. Pilgrims from far off
countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia and
Singapore are visiting this tomb.
Santhanakoodu Festival is celebrated in
February-March and it attracts thousands of
pilgrims.
Dhanushkodi
Satchi Hanuman temple
Kurusadai Island
This is where Hanuman is said to
This Island lies to the west of have delivered the good news of Sita's well
the Pamban Bridge between the mainland being to Rama with an evidence
and the island. It is a Marine Biosphere, a choodamanai (Jewel) of Sita.
paradise for the marine biologists and nature
lovers. Marine wealth abounds here Oriyur
attracting many a scholars and researchers to
this Island. It is about 4 km from Oriyur is one of the most revered
Mandapam. One should approach fisheries pilgrim centers for Christians the world over
department for permission to visit this as it is home to the martyrdom of St. John
island. Off Kurusadai Island one could see De Britto, a Portugese Jesuit better known as
plenty of coral-reef, fish. Dolphins and sea- ‘Arulanandar’. It was in this place that the
cows (Dugong dugon) are also often saint was beheaded in 1693 and the sand
witnessed. dune is said to have turned red, believed to
be stained by the blood of the saint. Here,
Ramanathapuram one can see a magnificent shrine with its
An ancient town, and is now the head Portugese façade that contains a captivating
quarters of the district. It was from here the statue of Arulanandar offering his neck in
Sethupathis (Chieftains) ruled this humble submission to the executioner.
territory. Ramalingavilasam Palace with
good painting and tomb of Thayumana Annai Indira Gandhi Bridge
Swamigal, are the places worth visiting. A The 2.2 km long length bridge
museum is functioning here. connecting the Rameswaram island and the
mainland is the longest bridge in India
Uthirakosamangai constructed over a bay. It is also called as
It is situated at a distance of 72 km Pamban Bridge. Similarly the railway
from Rameswaram is Uthirakosamangai bridge connecting the island is noted for its
There is an ancient Siva temple, where the unique opening mechanism to pass the ships
presiding deity is carved in Emerald. Annual through the sea.

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 Pamban bridge

viii) Biodiversity multifarious anthropogenic activities in

recent years, the Government and other
The diverse nature of ecosystems in national and international organizations
the Gulf of Mannar entire stretch from evinced great interest to protect and conserve
Ramanathapuram through Tuticorin and this ecosystem. Towards this, the Global
Tirunelveli to Kanyakumari supports a wide Environment Facility (GEF) through United
variety of significant species including 117 Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
species of corals, 13 species of seagrasses, has facilitated the project on “Conservation
641 species of crustaceans, 731 species of and Sustainable Use of Gulf of Mannar
molluscs, 441 species of finfishes and 147 Biosphere Reserve’s Coastal biodiversity”
species of seaweeds apart from the which is being carried out by the Gulf of
seasonally migrating marine mammals like Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve Trust
whales, dolphins, porpoises and turtles. A (GOMBRT). Coral reefs in the Palk Bay
unique endemic species of Balanoglossus – region are distributed on the Northern side
Ptychodera fluva, a living fossil that links from Rameswaram island to Vedhaalai,
invertebrates and vertebrates, has been covering a distance of about 25km In the
recorded only at Kurusadai. The coral reef Palk Bay, corals were found to be disturbed
resources of the Gulf of Mannar are unique. by human impacts through oil pollution,
They grow surrounding all the 21 islands. waste discharge from processing units and
They offer shelter to a variety of organisms discharge of domestic household wastes
and protect the mainland from storms, from the nearby Mandapam town.
currents and shore erosion.
The Gulf of Mannar harbours
In view of the sensitive nature of the mangroves of considerable diversity which
Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere support a variety of biological organisms. It
Ecosystem and the threats faced by it due to is believed that the region was once covered

10
with thick mangrove forests. There are industries. The Government on with its
indications that there was over-exploitation part also has set up few establishments in the
that led to vanishing of mangroves species. public / co-operative sectors for providing
As a result, species such as Bruguiera employment to local population. The chief
gymnorrizha and Acanthus ilicifolius could industries found in the district are
not be collected earlier in Rameswaram in handloom weaving of textiles, spinning and
recent years, and similar are the cases with weaving of textiles in factories, salt and
Pemphis acidula in Pamban and Acanthus chemical industries, cement, matches,
ilicifolius on Krusadai Island. crackers and fireworks and printing and
allied industries.
3. Impacts
i) Urbanization Handloom weaving of cotton textiles
is an ancient occupation followed in this
Surface water and ground water are district. The important handloom centres are
the major sources for protected water supply situated in Paramakkudi taluk. Silk weaving,
system in municipalities and town using China Silk as raw material, is practised
panchayats respectively. The estimated in Ramanathapuram and Paramakkudi.
sewage generation is 56 lakh litres among Textile mills are functioning in the district,
municipalities and 72.80 lakh litres among which produce a variety of yarns. Mat
town panchayats. Nature of disposal through weaving is followed in the vicinity of
river is 56 lakh litres in municipalities and Ilaiyankudi. Boxes and other articles from
25.9 lakh litres in town panchayats, with the palmyrah leaves are being manufactured in a
direct disposal to sea is 46.90 lakh litres. The number of places in Ramanathapuram taluk.
town panchayats have complete open Coconut coir fibre making is followed in the
drainage system and the municipalities have district, the important centre being
partial underground pipe system. The solid Periyapattinam There has been no discharge
waste generation from the municipalities and of industrial effluents in river basin/other
town panchayats are 15 tonnes and 21.75 water bodies in Ramanathapuram district.
tonnes, respectively. The solid waste
collection in municipalities and town iii) Natural hazards
panchayats is 15 tonnes and 20.3 tonnes. No data available regarding the
Overall the solid waste generated adds up to natural hazards in the coastal areas of this
36.75 tonnes with a collection efficiency of district. However, it obvious that erosion,
96.05%. It was observed that about 86% of accretion, sea level rise and the impacts of
the solid wastes are compostable on wet climate change are no different from other
basis 14% of rag, wood matter, glasses, brick districts.
and stone, etc, are non-compostable in the
district. iv) Natural disaster prone areas

ii) Industrial development (effluent Ramanathapuram district is highly

discharge / pollution – air water land etc.) drought prone because of the lack of rain and
rivers. Floods and cyclones are rare in this
The district is considered as an district. During 1964 cyclone the
industrially backward area and the Southernmost tip Dhanushkodi was washed
Government is giving incentives like away with much causality. Dhanushkodi
allotment of sites at cheaper rates, adequate town went under the sea water during that
power supply and loans on low rates of time. Since most of the district lies along the
interest to entrepreneurs for setting up coast, the district is always prone to tsunami.

11
 ii) Coastal protection initiatives
4. Government initiatives
The island of Sri Lanka act as a huge
i) Initiatives to improve fisher folk barrier even in the case of future tsunami and
livelihood damage to this coast was minimum during
Following are the schemes from Tamil the earler tsunami . Further, the stretch of the
Nadu Government to improve fisher folk coast is in a bay formation with not much
livelihood littoral drift activity. Moreover islands of the
Gulf of Mannar, dynamic resources like
• National Savings- cum- Relief scheme coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses of
for Marine Fishermen both Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay act as
bioshield to protect the coast of this district.
• Savings- cum- Relief scheme for
Marine Fisherwomen Stretch from Devipattinam to
Nambuthalai
• Enhanced Financial Assistance of
Rs.2000/- to Marine Fishermen Families This stretch of the coast covers
during Fishing Ban period. Devipattinam, Thirupalakudi, Morpannai,
Mullimanai and Nambuthalai. For all the
• Special Allowance of Rs.4000/- for above stretches, the details of the shoreline
fishermen families during Non-fishing changes are not clearly evident. From local
period. public, it was heard that there is continuous
erosion but not alarming. Only during
• Group accident insurance scheme for cyclones, damages have taken place.
fisher-folk. Tsunami did not affect this area. For
Nambuhalai, between the shoreline and an
• Fishermen personal accident insurance existing road there are number of hutments
scheme. which are not permanent type may be
relocated. No hard measures are suggested
• Motorisation of traditional Crafts. for this location as the sediment transport is
almost nil and the shoreline oscillations are
• Cash awards to 10th and 12th students just temporary. Enormous amount of sea
belonging to fishermen community. grass is available. Plantations are
recommended.
• Payment of daily relief to the missing
fishermen family while conducting iii) Awareness initiatives
fishing in the sea. [

Various awareness creation activities

• Fishermen Welfare Board schemes.
have been made among the fisher folk on
• Scheme of creating employment tsunami and CRZ issues by different
opportunities to educated fishermen Government and Non Government
youth through up gradation of skills in organizations.
Maritime Education and Nautical
Sciences.

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iv) Bio diversity

Coral and seagrass restoration has

been done by Suganthi Deavadason Marine • Designated a Biosphere Reserve, The
Research Institute in Gulf of Mannar coast of Gulf of Mannar is one of the
the district. Mangrove restoration has been biologically richest coastal regions in
done by the Forest Department. all of mainland of India with corals,
seagrasses, mangroves and other
important flora and fauna.
5. Summary / Conclusion
• Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
• Ramanathapuram is one of the (GOMBR) was declared in 1989 as
coastal districts bounded on the north the first marine Biosphere Reserve in
by Sivagangai and Pudukottai the country.
districts, on the east and south by the
Bay of Bengal, and on the west by • The district has 2 rivers viz. Vaigai
Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar and Gundar, but they are not
districts with an area of 4,175 sq.km perennial.
• Ramanathapuram district comprises
of 7 taluks, 11 blocks and 2362 • Ramanathapuram district has 271 km
villages. With regards to the of coastal line of which 130 km in
hierarchy of administrative Palk bay and 140 km in Gulf of
arrangement, there are 2 Mannar.
municipalities, 7 town panchayats • The district is considered as an
and 429 village panchayats in the industrially backward area as there
district. are no major industries in the district.
• Most of the soil type is clay (45%) • Ramanathapuram district is highly
followed by coastal alluvial soil drought prone because of the lack of
(17%) and sandy loam (15%) and rain and rivers.
there is no scope for large scale
mining in the district.
• The island of Sri Lanka acted as a
• Ramanathapuram district is deficient huge barrier during tsunami along
in rainfall. There are no major rivers with coral reefs, mangroves and
providing perennial water supply for seagrasses of both Gulf of Mannar
cultivation. and Palk Bay. Coral and seagrass
restoration has been done by
• In Ramanathapuram District, paddy Suganthi Deavadason Marine
is main food crop cultivated in more Research Institute in Gulf of Mannar
than 63% of the net area sown. coast of the district.

• There are 18 forest areas in • Mangrove restoration has been done

Ramanathapuram district consti- by the Forest Department.
tuting a total area of 5,356.85 ha

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