General information
Total population : 83,580 (G.O.I. Census figures as per 2001)
Description of population: Mostly "gounder, vanniar"
caste (a most backward caste) and harijans. Small farmers, skilled and
unskilled labourers, fishermen. The entire area has been certified
"backward and in need of development" by the Collector of South
Arcot District in 1984, but is rapidly improving. The impact of the
development of Pondicherry and Auroville is noticeable.
Information on some villages
(Lists the G.O.I. census figures as well as the
village's relationship to Auroville and
projects undertaken by the Village Action Group)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
Edayanchavady
|
|
Gounder caste, very few harijans. Mostly
skilled and unskilled labourers and farmers. Udavi School, youth club
strong, new women's club, Auroville health sub-centre, two night schools and
one health worker. Toilets and kitchen gardens established. Supplementary education
in the Government Primary School, selected as model village under the scheme
of HUDCO. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
2,369
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue village
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.
|
Kottakarai
|
|
Farmers, skilled and unskilled labourers.
Co-op society, night school, library, Trickle-up programme (TUP). Many
children attend Isaiambalam crèche and school. There is an Auroville health
sub-centre, community health workers, toilets, kitchen gardens and
afforestation projects, active youth and women’s club. Supplementary
education in the Government Primary School. Credit and savings. Installation
of hand pumps.
|
|
|
Population:
|
669
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue village
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.
|
Ambethkar
Nagar (Kottakarai colony)
|
|
The Dalit settlement (outcaste) of
Kottakarai village, placed directly opposite. Little cooperation between the
two. Landless labourers used to work for large landlord. Many young men have
joined Auroville. DANIDA well project, TUP, women's club, youth club and
night school. Toilets have been constructed and the village has local health
practitioners. Installation of hand pumps.
|
|
|
Population:
|
533
|
|
Type of village:
|
Schedule caste colony
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.
|
Alankuppam
|
|
Pondicherry State village. Facilities
include veterinary service, library, street drainage, ample water, health
sub-centre with trained staff nurse and a High school. Contact through youth
club, sports club, day school, and night school. Kitchen gardens and local
health practitioners. Installation of hand pumps. Supplementary education in
the Government Primary School.
|
|
|
Population:
|
1,240
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue village
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.
|
Annainagar
(Alankuppam colony)
|
|
Dalit settlement at some distance from
Alankuppam; also with many benefits from Pondicherry State: loans, harijan
housing, etc. Night school. Youth club, kitchen garden and local health
practitioner and a very active women’s club with the help of whom an overhead
tank was constructed by AVAG and AV Health centre. Credit and savings.
Installation of hand pumps.
|
|
|
Population:
|
470
|
|
Type of village:
|
Schedule caste colony
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.
|
Sanjeevinagar
|
|
Prosperous village, with Pondicherry
state advantages. (Big toddy liquor shop of the area here. Encouragement to
local dramatists (best in area). Night school and women's club. Organic
farming trial plots, kitchen gardens and local health practitioners. Mohanam
cultural centre, youth club. Installation of hand pumps. Supplementary
education in the Government Primary School. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
1,369
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue village
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.
|
Rayapettai
|
|
Agricultural village with many working
for Auroville. Half population is Muslim, half Hindu. The Hindu section is
socially conscious and active, Muslims have a separate sangam, but their
children come to the Hindu night school. Long lived youth club and night
school. Toilets and kitchen gardens. Women’s group. Installation of hand
pumps. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
617
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue village
|
|
|
|
|
|
8.
|
Rayapudhupakkam
|
|
Distant from Auroville, primarily
agricultural. Rayapettai is actually a hamlet of this village. Contact
through development works, night school teacher, woman health worker and
farmers of ecological agriculture. Auroville health sub-centre, kitchen garden
and local health practitioner. Women’s group and youth club. Supplementary
education in the Government Primary School.
Installation of hand pump. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
770
|
|
Type of village:
|
Panchayat village
|
|
|
|
|
|
9.
|
Aravindhapuram
|
|
Dalit settlement of Rayapudupakkam. Noted
in the area for its many members who have taken advantage of assistance for
harijans and become professional. Good contact with youth club, women's club,
community health worker and night school. Toilets, kitchen gardens,
afforestation projects and local health practitioners. Overhead tank built by
AV Health centre and AVAG. More community service projects. Income Generation
Programme for Women. Supplementary education in the Government Primary
School. Installation of hand pumps.
Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
957
|
|
Type of village:
|
Schedule caste colony
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.
|
Thuruvai
Village & Dalit Settlement
|
|
Elders participate with youth in
"sangam" along with panchayat members and president; village helps
colony. Pilot tree planting project successfully carried out here. Contact
with sangam, library, youth club, community health worker, night school,
sport. Organic farming trial plots, kitchen gardens, afforestation projects
and local health practitioners. Active women’s club in Dalit settlement.
Supplementary education in the Government Primary School. Installation of hand pumps. Credit and
savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
810
|
|
Type of village:
|
Village: Panchayat
Colony: Schedule caste
colony
|
|
|
|
|
|
11.
|
Irumbai
Village & Dalit settlement
|
|
A quiet village. Site of an ancient
temple. DANIDA well project, youth attend Village Action Group seminars.
Women's club, community health worker, small night school. Local health
practitioners and kitchen gardens. Supplementary education in the Government
Primary School. Installation of hand
pumps. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
570
|
|
Type of village:
|
Village: Panchayat
Colony: Schedule caste
colony
|
|
|
|
|
|
12.
|
Morattandi
Village & colony
|
|
On Madras road near Auroville community
of Promesse. Govt. re-housing for harijans. All Aurovilians living in
Promesse participate in the Arul Vazhi project with village children,
conducting kindergarten and evening programmes. Night school and eco-club,
youth and women's club, village reading room, health sub-centre, community
health worker, toilets, kitchen gardens, afforestation projects and local
health practitioners. Supplementary education in the Government Primary
School. Installation of hand pumps.
|
|
|
Population:
|
1,016
|
|
Type of village:
|
Village: Revenue village
Colony: Schedule caste
colony
|
|
|
|
|
|
13.
|
Kuilapalayam
|
|
Closest to Auroville settlements.
Handicraft & production units, Bank, Post Office, Auroville Health
Centre, New Creation school for village children, training centre. Crèche,
night school, day school, workers education programme. Women's club, toilets
and kitchen gardens. Supplementary education in the Government Primary
School. Installation of hand pumps. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
2,256
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue village
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14.
|
Lakshmipuram
|
|
Hamlet of Kuilapalayam. Population
included in Kuilapalayam above. Includes many carpenters living around the
carpentry co-op; depends on Fraternity for water. Drama group. Good contact
with Village Action Group.
|
|
|
Population:
|
350
|
|
Type of village:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15.
|
Bommayapalayam
|
|
Large village. Division in leadership
makes village organization difficult. Night school, crèche, youth club,
women's club, community health workers, toilets, kitchen gardens,
afforestation projects and local health practitioners. Supplementary
education in the Government Primary School. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
2,102
|
|
Type of village:
|
Panchayat
|
|
|
|
|
|
16.
|
Gandhinagar
|
|
Harijan colony of Bommayapalayam. Seaside
village. Night school building. Toilets and kitchen gardens.
|
|
|
Population:
|
476
|
|
Type of village:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17.
|
Periya
Mudaliar Chavadi
|
|
Seaside village not far from Pondicherry.
Many educated youths, night school, reading room, community service days etc.
Good contact with Village Action Group. Kitchen gardens and local health
practitioners. Supplementary education in the Government Primary School.
|
|
|
Population:
|
813
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue Village
|
|
|
|
|
|
18.
|
Chinna
Mudaliar Chavadi
|
|
Seaside village. Community health
workers. Kitchen gardens started by Village Action Group. Youth club in
fishermen’s community. Supplementary education in the Government Primary
School.
|
|
|
Population:
|
812
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue and fisherman village
|
|
|
|
|
|
19.
|
Pillaichavadi
|
|
Distant seaside village. Youth club,
women's club, micro projects, kitchen gardens and local health practitioners.
|
|
|
Population:
|
1,350
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue village
|
|
|
|
|
|
20.
|
Mathur
Village & Colonies
|
|
Agricultural village, quite remote. Night
school, community health workers, kitchen gardens, afforestation projects and
local health practitioners. Contact through greenwork. Women’s club.
Supplementary education in the Government Primary School. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
1,490
|
|
|
Type of village:
|
Village: Panchayat
Colony: Schedule caste
colony
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21.
|
Kalapet
|
|
Pondicherry seaside village. Site of
large scale industrial development: Many farmers displaced by compulsory land
purchase; problem of pollution from newly introduced industries. Youth club,
women's club and local health practitioners. Credit and savings.
|
|
|
Population:
|
980
|
|
|
Type of village:
|
Revenue village
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
