1.
Idukki district
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Idukki is one of the 14 districts of Kerala state, India, created on 26 January 1972. At that time, the headquarters was at Kottayam. In June 1976 it was moved to Painavu, Idukki which lies in the Western Ghats of Kerala. Idukki is the second largest district in area but has the lowest population density, Idukki has a vast forest reserve area, more than a half of the district is covered by forests. The urban areas are densely populated villages are sparsely populated. The name of the district is derived from the Malayalam word Idukku, Idukki has an area of 4,358 km2 and is the second largest District of Kerala. Rugged mountains and forests cover about 97 percent of the area of the District. The district is only by road. Rail and airlink is not available, National Highway NH49 and State highways 13 and 33 passes through the district. Anamudi, the highest peak in India south of the Himalayas, is in the Kuttampuzha Panchayat of Adimali Block, thirteen other peaks in the district exceed a height of 2,000 m. The Periyar, Thodupuzhayar and Thalayar are the important rivers of the district, Idukki Dam, Asias largest Arch Dam is located at Idukki Township of Idukki Taluk. The point where the Periyar flows through the gorge formed between two massive rocks known as Kuravan and Kurathi is the site of the Idukki arch dam. The Idukki Hydroelectic project caters for more than 60% of the requirements of the state of Kerala. According to the 2011 census Idukki district has a population of 1,107,453 and this ranks it as 416th among the 640 districts of India. The district has a density of 254 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was −1. 93%, Idukki has a sex ratio of 1006 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 92.2 per cent. According to the 2011 census, Hindus make up 48, 86% of the population, Christians 43. 42%, Muslims 7. 41%. Idukki district is the first district in India to get connected with super-fast broad band system as a part of Digital India Munnar was the resort of the British Government in the south
2.
Government of Kerala
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The Government of Kerala headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the head of state. The state government maintains its capital at Thiruvananthapuram and is seated at the Kerala Government Secretariat or the Hajur Kutcheri. The Government of Kerala was formed on November 1,1956 after merging of State of Travancore-Cochin with the Malabar district of the Madras state as part of States Reorganisation Act,1956, the Governor is appointed by the President for a term of five years. The executive and legislative powers lie with the Chief Minister and his council of ministers, the Governors of the states and territories of India have similar powers and functions at the state level as that of the President of India at Union level. Only Indian citizens above 35 years of age are eligible for appointment, P Sathasivam is the present governor. The Governor enjoys many different types of powers, Executive powers related to administration, appointments, Legislative powers related to lawmaking and the state legislature. Discretionary powers to be carried out according to the discretion of the Governor, the legislature comprises the governor and the legislative assembly, which is the highest political organ in state. The governor has the power to summon the assembly or to close the same, all members of the legislative assembly are directly elected, normally once in every five years by the eligible voters who are above 18 years of age. The current assembly consists of 140 elected members and one nominated by the governor from the Anglo-Indian Community. The elected members one of its own members as its chairman who is called the speaker. The speaker is assisted by the deputy speaker who is elected by the members. The conduct of meeting in the house is the responsibility of the Speaker, the main function of the assembly is to pass laws and rules. Every bill passed by the house has to be approved by the governor before it becomes applicable. The normal term of the assembly is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. But while a proclamation of state of emergency is in operation, the High Court of Kerala is the apex court for the state, it also hears cases from the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. It is a court of record and has all the powers of such a court including the authority to punish an individual for contempt of court. Like all other High Courts of India, this court also consists of a Chief Justice, at present, the sanctioned Judge strength of the High Court of Kerala is 27 Permanent Judges including the Chief Justice H. L. Dattu and two additional judges
3.
Periyar (river)
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Periyar is the longest river and the river with the largest discharge potential in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the few rivers in the region. The Periyar is of utmost significance to the economy of Kerala and it generates a significant proportion of Keralas electrical power via the Idukki Dam and flows along a region of industrial and commercial activity. The river also provides water for irrigation and domestic use throughout its course besides supporting a rich fishery, due to these reasons, the river has been named the Lifeline of Kerala. Kochi city, in the vicinity of the river draws its water supply from Aluva. Twenty five percent of Keralas industries are along the banks of river Periyar and these are mostly crowded within a stretch of 5 kilometres in the Eloor-Edayar region, about 10 kilometres north of Kochi harbor. The Periyar has a length of approximately 244 kilometres and a catchment area of 5,398 square kilometres. The source of the Periyar lies high in the Western Ghats and it is variously claimed to be located in Kerala and in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. This has also admitted by the state of Tamil Nadu in the court. The source of the lies in the remote forests of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Various sources indicate the origin of the river to be Chokkampatti Mala, there are alternate claims for a Tamil Nadu origin, indicating that the Periyar originates in the Sivagiri peaks of Sundaramala, Tamil Nadu. However, the Supreme Court of India in its judgement on the Mullaperiyar issue in 2014, after flowing 48 kilometres from its origin and on reaching Mount Plateau at its eastern end, it is joined by the west-flowing Mullayar—an important tributary—at Mullakudy. During this journey the Periyar traverses through the Periyar Tiger Reserve, the Mullaperiyar dam is constructed at the confluence of the Periyar and Mullayar to create the Periyar Thekkady lake and reservoir, as well as the Periyar National Park. The area belonging to Tamil Nadu in the Periyar basin is located far down the river from the Mullaperiyar Dam site and this area is drained by the tributary Nirar, which is diverted to Tamil Nadu as a part of inter-state Parambikulam-Aliyar Project agreement. From Periyar Thekkady lake and reservoir, some water is diverted eastwards to Tamil Nadu via a tunnel, the diverted water, after power generation, is let into the Suruliar river thereby resulting in an inter-basin transfer of water. The Idukki dam is constructed across the Periyar river on the famous Idukki gorge formed by the Kuravan and Kurathi hills. The main Periyar below the Idukki reservoir flows due north parallel to the edge of the Idukki plateau and is joined by the Perinjakutty from the east. After the confluence with Muthirapuzha, the river flows northwestwards and enters Ernakulam district at Neriamangalam and it is joined by its major tributary, the Idamalayar,1.5 kilometres upstream of the Bhoothathankettu barrage
4.
Munnar
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Munnar is a town and hill station located in the Idukki district of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. Munnar is situated at around 1,600 metres above sea level. The name Munnar is believed to mean three rivers, referring to its location at the confluence of the Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers, geographic coordinates of Munnar is 10°05′21″N 77°03′35″E. Munnar town is situated on the Kannan Devan Hills village in Devikulam taluk and is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district covering an area of nearly 557 square kilometres, Munnar is well connected by both National highways, state highways and rural roads. The town lies in the Kochi - Dhanushkodi National highway, about 130 km from Cochin,31 km from Adimali,85 km from Udumalpettu in Tamil Nadu and 60 km from Neriyamangalam. Distance from major cities from Kochi - Ernakulam -150 km The nearest major stations are at Ernakulam. The Nearest Functioning Railway station is at Udumalaipettai, the nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, which is 110 kilometres away. The Coimbatore and Madurai airports is 165 km from Munnar, the panchayath of Munnar formed in 1961 January 24 is divided into 21 wards for administrative convenience. Coimbatore district lies in the north, Pallivasal in south, Devikulam and Marayoor in east and Mankulam, most of the native flora and fauna of Munnar have disappeared due to severe habitat fragmentation resultant from the creation of the plantations. There has been action to address the problems of property takeovers by the mafia that have, according to successive governments. In 2011, the government estimated that 20,000 hectares of land had been illegally appropriated, the temperature ranges between 5 °C and 25 °C in winter and 15 °C and 25 °C in summer. Temperatures as low as −4 °C have been recorded in the Sevenmallay region of Munnar, köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies it as subtropical highland. Bisonvalley Kolukkumalai Kunchithanny Marayur Mattupetty Dam Munnar Tea Museum Pallivasal Rajakkad Munnar travel guide from Wikivoyage Kerala Tourism
5.
Penstock
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A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydro turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has inherited from the earlier technology of mill ponds. Penstocks for hydroelectric installations are normally equipped with a gate system, flow is regulated by turbine operation and is nil when turbines are not in service. Penstocks, particularly used in polluted water systems, need to be maintained by hot water washing, manual cleaning, antifouling coatings. The term is used in irrigation dams to refer to the channels leading to. Penstocks are also used in mine tailings dam construction, the penstock is usually situated fairly close to the center of the tailings dam and built up using penstock rings. These control the level, letting the slimes settle out of the water. This water is piped under the tailings dam back to the plant via a penstock pipeline. Similar structures which are not enclosed are head races or leats, penstocks are commonly used in water management systems such as surface water drainage and foul water sewers. Penstocks provide a means of isolation of flows, penstocks are incorporated into the surface water management systems of many landfill sites. Attenuation lagoons are constructed in order to store water, limiting the discharge from the site to pre-development rate. Penstocks are installed at the outfall from the lagoon so that in the event that the surface water becomes contaminated the penstock may be closed. This will have the effect of isolating the site from the watercourse, penstock cross-sections for the Grand Coulee Dam U. S. Department of Energy Hydropower Basics
6.
Chinese fishing nets
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In India, Chinese fishing nets are fishing nets that are fixed land installations for fishing. While commonly known as Chinese fishing nets in India, the formal name for such nets is shore operated lift nets. Huge mechanical contrivances hold out horizontal nets of 20 m or more across, each structure is at least 10 m high and comprises a cantilever with an outstretched net suspended over the sea and large stones suspended from ropes as counterweights at the other end. Each installation is operated by a team of up to six fishermen, while such nets are used throughout coastal southern China and Indochina, in India they are mostly found in the Indian cities of Kochi and Kollam, where they have become a tourist attraction. The Indian common name arises because they are unusual in India, the system is sufficiently balanced that the weight of a man walking along the main beam is sufficient to cause the net to descend into the sea. The net is left for a time, possibly just a few minutes. The catch is usually modest, a few fish and crustaceans, rocks, each 30 cm or so in diameter, are suspended from ropes of different lengths. As the net is raised, some of the rocks one-by-one come to rest on a platform thereby keeping everything in balance, each installation has a limited operating depth. Consequently, an individual net cannot be operated in tidal waters. Different installations will be operated depending on the state of the tide and it was earlier thought that the nets might have been introduced by the Chinese explorer Zheng He. Recent research shows that these were introduced by Portuguese Casado settlers from Macau, the Chinese fishing nets have become a very popular tourist attraction. Their size and elegant construction is photogenic and the rhythm of their operation is quite hypnotic. In addition, catches can be purchased individually and need be only a short distance to a street entrepreneur who will cook it. Fishing in India Zheng He and Kochi Short documentary about Chinese fishing nets in Fort Kochi
