Environment Department in Kerala

Facts about Environment Department in Kerala

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Environment Department was formed on 2006 delinking from the Science, Technology & Environment Department.
Kerala State Pollution Control Board is managed by the Environment Department of the State. The Kerala State Biodiversity Boards are also controlled by this administrative Department.
The Kerala State Pollution Control Board is a body comes under the control of Health and Family Welfare department. The board is charged with enforcing laws for the safeguard of environment. The headquarters of Pollution Board is Thiruvananthapuram.
Kerala State Biodiversity Board is an autonomous body of the State Government. Its Headquarter is Thiruvananthapuram. The board functions under the State Biodiversity Act 2008 and the Biodiversity Act of 2002.
Haritha Sree is a 10 lakh seedlings planting programme. It was organized on the World Environment Day, 05th June 2014. Kerala is one of the 12 States of India make laws to prevent and control water pollution.

Major schemes of Environment Department

Location and Boundaries of Kerala

Area is 38,863 square kilometres.
Its location is south-western region of the Indian subcontinent.
The state is wedged between the Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats.
Kerala lies at the middle of north latitudes 8°18' and 12°48' and the east longitudes 74°52' and 72°22'.
The total area of Kerala accounts for 1.18% of total landmass of India.

Boundaries

The physiography of the state is split into three regions. They are Highlands, Midlands and Lowlands

Highlands

The Highlands starts from the Western Ghats and it extends to an altitude of 900 m, with so many peaks that has an altitude of more than 1800. The total area of highlands in kerala is 18650 square kilometers and contributes 48 percent of the entire land of State.
The region has key plantations including tea, coffee, rubber and spices.
The region is also called as Cardamom Hills.
The highest peak in Kerala is Anamudi (2695 meters - 8130 ft).
Most of the rivers of the state has its source from Western Ghats.
Western Ghats become a wall of mountains that go through Palakkad. Here, Palakkad Gap which is a natural mountain pass will penetrate to access inner India.
All 44 rivers of Kerala has its source from Western Ghats.

Midlands

The Midlands lies amid the hills and the low land. It has a size of 16200 square kilometers that contributes 40 percent of the entire land of State.
Cashew nut, vegetables and banana are the main crops grown in this region.
This region ranges between altitudes of 250 -100 m and form the part of Nilgiri and Palani hills including Anamalai and Agastyamalai.

Low Land

Lowlands otherwise called as Coastal Area, extends about an area of almost 4000 square kilometers.
It is naturally formed with several shallow lagoons, rives and the coasts of Arabian Sea. The region is rich in the cultivation of coconut and paddy.
Low land is very productive and majority of paddy cultivation in kerala is grown in this area. Kuttanad is a rare region in the country where agriculture is done below the sea level.

Kerala is situated closer to the equator, when compared to other states of the country.
Kerala experiences the humid equatorial tropic climate.
The average temperature in state is from 28° to 32° C on the plains and sometimes it decreases to 20° C in the highlands.
Climate of Kerala are split into 4 seasons. They are Summer, Winter, South West Monsoon and North East Monsoon.

Winter

Winter Season is from November last to the middle of February. Winter season in ths state accounts the lowest rainfall.

Summer

When compared to other states of the country, summers in the state are pleasant; Western Ghats stops the dry northern winds from entering kerala.
Erratic rains along with thunder and lightening are the main particularities of this season. The Season is from March to the end of May.

South West Monsoon

It is the main rainy season in Kerala. The Season starts from end of May or early June till the end of September.
The first state in India to receive rain from the Southwest Monsoon is Kerala.
All the rivers of the state are fed by the monsoons.
Rains starts by the middle of the Malayalam month Edavam and is known as Edavappathi (south west monsoon).

North East Monsoon

It other names are Retreating Monsoon and Reverse monsoons.
The native name of rain during the Malayalam month of Thulam is known as Thulavarsham (north east monsoon).
The rain season is from October to November and sometimes it continue upto December.
Kerala has a wet and marine weather inclined by the regular heavy rains that is in the southwest monsoon and northeast monsoon.
Kerala's rainfall averages 2,923 mm (115 in) annually.
The term 'monsoon' came from Arabic word ‘Mawsim’.
Neriamangalam (Ernakulam district) gets the highest average rainfall in the state.
The district that gets the lowest rainfall in Kerala is Thiruvananthapuram.
The highest rainfall district in Kerala is Idukki.

Tsunami

The Kerala coast was drastically devastated by the tsunami that occurred in 2004 in the Indian Ocean. Almost 176 people were killed and around 1600 people were hurt in the coastal belt.
The utmost devastation was reported along the low coastal areas of the districts, Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam, mostly a strip of 10 kilometers in the place of Azhikkal in Kollam district.
Around 84,773 peoples were evacuated who are living near to the coastal areas and was shifted to the 142 relief camps following tsunami.

Monsoon Tourism

Monsoon Tourism is a project established by State Government and Kerala Tourism department for the promotion of tourism in kerala.
Winter and summer (from November to May months) are the peak time of tourist seasons.