Punalur is a municipality in the Kollam district of Kerala, India.[2] It is the headquarters of the Punalur Taluk and Punalur Revenue Division. It is situated in the eastern part of the Kollam district of Kerala, on the banks of the Kallada River and foothills of the Western Ghats. It is about 45 kilometres (28 mi) north-east of Kollam and 68 kilometres (42 mi) north of Thiruvananthapuram.

Punalur
Municipality
Punalur Suspension Bridge
Punalur is located in Kerala
Punalur
Punalur
Location in Kerala, India
Punalur is located in India
Punalur
Punalur
Punalur (India)
Coordinates: 9°01′01″N 76°55′34″E / 9.017°N 76.926°E / 9.017; 76.926
Country India
StateKerala
DistrictKollam
Government
 • BodyMunicipality
 • Chairman/ChairpersonK. Pushpaletha
Area
 • Total
34.35 km2 (13.26 sq mi)
Elevation
56 m (184 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
46,702
 • Density1,400/km2 (3,500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC 5:30 (IST)
PIN
691305 to 034
Telephone code0475
Vehicle registrationKL 25
Nearest cityKollam (44 km)
Websitewww.punalurmunicipality.in www.voiceofpunalur.com

Geography

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The Punalur Suspension Bridge
 
Punalur Kallada River seen from Punalur Suspension Bridge

Punalur has an average elevation of 56 metres (184 ft).[3] Many tourists have visited scenic spots along the Kallada River.[4] The Palaruvi Falls is 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Punalur.[5] The first planned eco-tourism project in Kerala is only 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Punalur on NH 744 towards Sengottai.

Politics

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Punalur Assembly constituency is part of the Kollam (Lok Sabha constituency) and Punalur Assembly constituency.


K. Pushpaletha is the sitting Chairperson of Punalur Municipality. P. S. Supal of Communist Party of India is the MLA of Punalur assembly constituency and N. K. Premachandran is MP of Kollam (Lok Sabha constituency).[6]

The assembly constituency is continuously won by Communist Party of India since 1991. Punalur Municipality is currently ruled by Left Democratic Front.[7]

Climate

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Climate data for Punalur (1981–2010, extremes 1956–2012)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 38.8
(101.8)
40.1
(104.2)
40.6
(105.1)
40.6
(105.1)
39.2
(102.6)
36.6
(97.9)
36.6
(97.9)
34.8
(94.6)
35.2
(95.4)
36.2
(97.2)
37.6
(99.7)
36.2
(97.2)
40.6
(105.1)
Mean maximum °C (°F) 35.8
(96.4)
37.1
(98.8)
38.3
(100.9)
37.8
(100.0)
36.5
(97.7)
34.0
(93.2)
33.1
(91.6)
33.1
(91.6)
34.0
(93.2)
34.6
(94.3)
34.2
(93.6)
34.8
(94.6)
38.5
(101.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 33.9
(93.0)
35.4
(95.7)
36.4
(97.5)
35.5
(95.9)
34.1
(93.4)
31.2
(88.2)
30.6
(87.1)
30.9
(87.6)
31.9
(89.4)
32.2
(90.0)
32.2
(90.0)
32.9
(91.2)
33.1
(91.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 20.8
(69.4)
21.5
(70.7)
22.8
(73.0)
23.8
(74.8)
23.8
(74.8)
23.0
(73.4)
22.7
(72.9)
22.8
(73.0)
22.7
(72.9)
22.6
(72.7)
22.2
(72.0)
21.3
(70.3)
22.5
(72.5)
Mean minimum °C (°F) 18.4
(65.1)
18.9
(66.0)
20.3
(68.5)
22.1
(71.8)
22.2
(72.0)
21.6
(70.9)
21.3
(70.3)
21.5
(70.7)
21.4
(70.5)
21.4
(70.5)
20.2
(68.4)
18.0
(64.4)
17.1
(62.8)
Record low °C (°F) 12.9
(55.2)
14.9
(58.8)
17.4
(63.3)
18.1
(64.6)
19.2
(66.6)
18.9
(66.0)
18.4
(65.1)
18.6
(65.5)
17.4
(63.3)
16.9
(62.4)
15.3
(59.5)
15.0
(59.0)
12.9
(55.2)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 14.0
(0.55)
42.8
(1.69)
84.1
(3.31)
219.0
(8.62)
236.8
(9.32)
491.0
(19.33)
394.8
(15.54)
284.5
(11.20)
242.5
(9.55)
437.0
(17.20)
227.0
(8.94)
45.6
(1.80)
2,719
(107.05)
Average rainy days 1.0 2.3 5.5 11.3 11.6 20.5 20.2 15.7 12.0 16.9 10.1 2.3 129.4
Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST) 51 51 54 64 66 75 76 74 72 74 70 61 66
Source: India Meteorological Department[8][9]

Demographics

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As of 2011 India census,[10] Punalur had a population of 46,702. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Punalur has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 82%. In Punalur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Punalur paper mill

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It is the first paper mill in the Kerala, and one of the oldest paper mill of the country, it was started at Punalur in 1886. The mill used reeds to make paper and was opened by T.J. Cameroon, an industrialist from Britain.[11] One of the mill's customers when they were open was the India Security Press. Up to 1931, Punalur was renamed multiple times.[12] In 1987, the mill which was managed by L.N. Dalmia and had around 1020 employees was shut down due to huge liabilities.[13]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ "Kerala (India): Districts, Cities and Towns - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
  2. ^ https://lsgkerala.gov.in/system/files/2017-10/localbodies.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Punalur
  4. ^ Panoramio – Photo of Amazing Punalur – Kakod Whitewater02
  5. ^ "Palaruvi Falls". World of Waterfalls. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  6. ^ "Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies" (PDF). Kerala. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  7. ^ "Yunus Kunju takes on CPI". Deccan Chronicle.
  8. ^ "Station: Punalur Climatological Table 1981–2010" (PDF). Climatological Normals 1981–2010. India Meteorological Department. January 2015. pp. 625–626. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. December 2016. p. M109. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  11. ^ Chronicles, Deccan (4 September 2015). "Punalur paper mill". Deccan Chronicles.
  12. ^ Pereira, Ignatius (27 May 2013). "Inundated colonial bungalow resurfaces after thirty years". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Punalur paper mill to see light of day after 23 years". Deccan Chronicle. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
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