Geography and Ecological Features
The Tholicode Grama Panchayat is a geographical area spanning 22.37 square kilometers (7102 acres and 38 cents), which includes hills, slopes, and plains. Approximately 728 hectares of the total area is covered by forest land, which falls under the Chooliyamala Forest Reserve. The Panchayat consists of 16 wards, including 14 tribal settlements located within this reserve forest area.
This Panchayat presents a beautiful vista, with rubber cultivation dominating the hills and slopes, while the plains are home to coconut, banana, and other crops. Paddy (rice) cultivation, which was once abundant, is now limited to a very few areas due to widespread land reclamation.
This region is water-rich, featuring numerous springs, ponds, streams, canals (thodu), and other water bodies. However, drought becomes a significant problem during the summer. Many rock formations, trees, and features like Cheettipara and Poovarath Kunnu (hills) remain unique natural characteristics of the area.
The soil types found here include black soil (karimannu), red soil (chemmannu), sandy soil (manalmannu), and alluvial soil (ekkalmannu). The fertile topsoil is a special feature of the area, which facilitates abundant agriculture.
The rampant practice of sand mining and land reclamation, combined with reduced rainfall, has intensified the drinking water shortage. Other contributing factors include the pollution of water sources, reduced water penetration into the soil due to less tilling and digging of the land, and insufficient soil aeration.
In some areas, issues are created by quarries, lands that haven't been filled/leveled, the widespread presence of fallow land, and a decline in agriculture.
The area is a habitat for various flora and fauna. Although residential areas exist across different parts of the Panchayat, urbanization and other factors are influencing people to settle near the main thoroughfares. The Thiruvananthapuram-Ponmudi State Highway cuts across this Panchayat. A distinct housing style has emerged, with improved houses being built along the edges of the main roads. The Vamanapuram River, which originates in Ponmudi, flows close to this Panchayat.
