Mecheri
Mecheri is a town in Mettur taluk, Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for its temples.
Mecheri | |
---|---|
Town | |
Mecheri Location in Tamil Nadu, India | |
Coordinates: 11°51′03″N 77°57′23″E | |
Country | |
State | Tamil Nadu |
Region | Kongu Nadu |
District | Salem |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 25,676 |
Languages | |
• Official | Tamil |
Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
Vehicle registration | TN-52,TN-93 |
Overview
Mecheri is a town panchayat which is divided into 18 wards. The wards cover 31 villages and about 230 square kilometres (89 sq mi).
Demographics
In the 2011 Census of India,[1] Mecheri had a population of 25,676. Males constituted 53 percent of the population, and females 47 percent. Mecheri has an average literacy rate of 59 percent, slightly lower than the national average of 59.5 percent: male literacy is 75 percent, and female literacy 65 percent. Twelve percent of the population is under six years of age.
Temples
Mecheri is a holy site,[2] with broad conifers surrounding the main temple. Rajagopuram is the temple's main entrance, and Mecheri has a number of other temples.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the mainstay of the region; about 70 percent of the population is engaged in agriculture. Major field crops are:
- Cereals and pulses: Rice, jowar, bajra (cumbu), ragi, maize, korra, toor dhal, greengram, blackgram and horsegram
- Fruits and vegetables: Custard apple, plantains, mangoes, watermelon, cucumber, pomegranates, lemons, tomatoes, chillies, brinjal, pumpkins, lady's fingers, bitter gourd, snake gourd, bottle gourd, greens, bush beans
- Cash crops: Turmeric, sugarcane, tapioca and cotton
Livestock
Mecheri is known for its Kurumbai sheep. To develop and encourage sheep farming, the government of Tamil Nadu established the Mecheri Sheep Research Station[3] in 1978 in Mecheri's Pottaneri panchayat. Other livestock are cattle, goats, buffalo, pigs and chickens.
Industry
Southern Iron and Steel Company, a joint venture with JSW Steel), built India's first integrated steel plant at a cost of ₹2,235 crore (₹22.35 million) in Pottaneri for the production of TMT corrosion-resistant bars and alloy steel.[4] Mecheri also produces hand-loomed silk and cotton sarees, dothi and angavasthram.
Educational institutions
Colleges
- The Kavery Educational Institutions,[5] with engineering, education and polytechnic colleges, is in Kalipatti.
- The Sri Balamurugan Arts and Science College, affiliated with Periyar University,[6] was founded in 2004 to serve students from rural areas.
Other schools
- Government Boys and Girls Higher Secondary School, Mecheri
- Perun Thalaivar Kmarajar Government Higher Secondary School, Madhanaicken
- Sri Raghavendra Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Mecheri
- Meenampark Matriculation School, Mecheri
- Panchayat Union Middle School, Parakkallur
- SSV Matriculation and CBSE Schools, Kuttapatti
- SRV Matriculation and CBSE Schools, Pottaneri
- Vivekananda Matriculation, Mecheri
- Swamy Vivekananda Nursery School, Mecheri
- Sri Raghavendra Nursery and Primary School, Mecheri
Transport
Road
Mecheri is on State Highway 20, the Bhavani-Thoppur road. Thoppur is 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Mecheri. Bhavani, 60 kilometres (37 mi) away, connects to Erode and Coimbatore via NH 544. Scheduled bus service is available to Chennai, Bangalore, Erode, Coimbatore and Mysore from MSS[7] and KPN Travels.[8]
Rail
Rail service is available 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Mecheri at the Mecheri Road railway station, part of the Salem railway division. Trains from Mettur travel through Mecheri Road to Salem and Erode Junction, which connect to the rest of India. The Chennai – Salem Express operates daily to Chennai Egmore from the Mettur Dam railway station.
Air
Salem Airport (IATA: SXV; ICAO: VOSM) is in Kaamalapuram, near Omalur, 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Mecheri on the Salem-Bangalore Highway (NH-7). Although Kingfisher Airlines had service from Chennai, it was terminated in 2012 due to the airline's financial problems.
Climate
Mecheri receives little rainfall, and has moderately dry weather except during the monsoon season. The first two months of the year are generally pleasant, with summer beginning around March. The highest temperatures normally occur during May, which is dry. The climate becomes more temperate in June and July, during the pre-monsoon period, and August is overcast and still dry. The northeast monsoon occurs from September to November, and the rains disappear by December.
Climate data for Mecheri, India | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 29 (84) |
30 (86) |
33 (91) |
37 (99) |
42 (108) |
38 (100) |
36 (97) |
35 (95) |
33 (91) |
32 (90) |
30 (86) |
28 (82) |
34 (92) |
Average low °C (°F) | 19 (66) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
26 (79) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
26 (79) |
26 (79) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
22 (72) |
21 (70) |
24 (75) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 14.0 (0.55) |
12.0 (0.47) |
24.0 (0.94) |
44.0 (1.73) |
75.0 (2.95) |
48.0 (1.89) |
59.0 (2.32) |
73.0 (2.87) |
122.0 (4.80) |
161.0 (6.34) |
197.0 (7.76) |
92.0 (3.62) |
1,266.9 (49.88) |
Source: Indian Meteorological Department[9] |
Recreation
Yercaud is a hill station about 55 kilometres (34 mi) from Mecheri, in the Shevaroy Hills of the Eastern Ghats. At an altitude of 1,515 metres (4,970 feet) above sea level, its highest point is the Servarayan temple, at 5,326 feet (1,623 m). The Cauvery River flows over a waterfall in Hoganakkal, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Mecheri. Mettur Dam is a scenic location near the town.
Gallery
References
- "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2014 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "JSW Group - Amongst India's largest conglomerates". www.jsw.in.
- "The Kavery Educational Institutions". kavery.org.in.
- "Sri Balamurugan Arts and Science College". www.sbmcollege.com.
- "Mettur Super Service". www.mssbus.com.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Climatological Information for Chennai". Indian Meteorological Department. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.