⛰️ Topography

Malappuram district features a breathtaking landscape characterized by an interplay of hills and paddy fields. Bordered by the Western Ghats to the east and extending all the way to the Arabian Sea in the west, a diverse topography is the defining feature of this district.

Despite sharing a border with Tirur, a major town in Malappuram district, Cheriyamundam is a region that has preserved its rustic rural tranquility. The Tirur-Ponnani River, which flows along the western boundary, serves as the border separating the Tirur Municipality from Cheriyamundam Grama Panchayat. Elders testify that until half a century ago, this river flowed with great abundance. Today, the river's water wealth has diminished and shrunk. Due to unmindful human activities, the river has become severely polluted.

Interventions by environmental enthusiasts and local self-government institutions to save the Tirur-Ponnani River from pollution are welcoming. Initial efforts, such as installing iron fences along the river boundary, have begun to protect the river. Fencing has already been installed over the Thalakkadathur bridge, which crosses the river toward Tirur, to prevent garbage dumping. Additionally, a surveillance camera has been set up within the Cheriyamundam Grama Panchayat boundary near the river.

During the rainy season, rainwater flowing down from elevated areas typically drains through streams such as Pulloorthod, Kunthanithod, Pallithod, Kanthalloorthod, Pareethod, and Ipputtungal thod into the Tirur-Ponnani River, and ultimately into the Bharathapuzha. An excessive rise in the water level of the Bharathapuzha often leads to flooding in the low-lying regions of Cheriyamundam. In August 2018, such water levels caused low-lying areas to be submerged.

🌾 Resources

The cultivation of paddy, coconut, betel leaf, and areca nut forms the backbone of the agricultural sector. While local life and commerce revolved around these crops until a quarter of a century ago, today there is a drastic decline in farming alongside a growing trend of migrating abroad in search of employment.

From the testimony and experiences of the elders, it is understood that farming becoming unprofitable and the scarcity of water are the main reasons adversely affecting agriculture.