M.E.S. Ponnani College, Ponnani

The coastal lowlands of Kerala in southwest India are endowed with deposits of fluvial and marine and aeolian mineral resources. Kerala's beach placers are a major and strategic mineral source in the area. Apart from beach placers, the coastal area in and around Alappuzha district has vast amounts of silica sand that occur between the Vembanad Lake and the seashore, spanning for about 35 km from Cherthala to Arookutti. Although many studies have been carried out on Kerala's beach placers, studies on silica-sand deposits of Alappuzha-Cherthala belt are very limited. Therefore, the present study addresses the textural and mineralogical characteristics of the Alappuzha-Cherthala belt. Fine sand comprises 11.2% to 57.3% in the surface sediments, while in the subsurface samples fine sand varies from 25.66% to 66.5%. Both the surface and subsurface sands are moderately to well sorted. These sands are in general coarsely skewed and leptokurtic. The mineralogical analysis reveals that opaques, sillimanite, and zircon dominate in the heavy mineral assemblage. The CM pattern revealed that the sands were generally transported by rolling and suspension. High sillimanite concentrations in the samples suggest a sialic metamorphic origin for silica sands. Long beach currents carried sillimanite and quartzose sands from the coastal extents of the Trivandrum Block in the south (south of Achankovil lineament) towards the Alappuzha-Cherthala coast, which is later modified into the silica sand deposits during the aridity event in the beginning of Late Holocene.

Over the past three decades, Wayanad District in the Western Ghats has undergone notable ecological changes in vegetation, land use, and hydrology. This study uses NDVI-based spatiotemporal analysis to examine vegetation health and land cover dynamics from 1991 to 2021, with future projections for 2031 and 2041 using the CA-ANN model. Results show a significant increase in thick vegetation from 102.93 km² in 2001 to 1015.40 km² in 2021, indicating effective forest regeneration. Light vegetation has correspondingly declined, transforming into denser forest cover. Agricultural zones such as Meenangadi and Panamaram reveal seasonal NDVI fluctuations tied to farming practices. Barren lands, especially those affected by quarrying and urban growth, have varied over time, highlighting the need for targeted restoration. Water bodies show minor spatial variations linked to rainfall and management efforts. Projections indicate stabilization of thick vegetation at 47.51% and a reduction in barren land by 2041. The study underscores the value of NDVI and CA-ANN modelling for predicting land cover change and supports informed land-use planning and conservation to promote ecological resilience in the face of anthropogenic pressures.

Morphometric analysis of Kabani River Basin in Wayanad district of Kerala was done using two different approaches. The first approach utilized CartoSat DEM with 30m resolution, and second used Survey of India (SOI) topographic maps of 1:50,000 scale. Drainage networks were digitally extracted from SOI toposheet using ArcGIS software. Drainage networks were created from the DEM (Digital Elevation Model) by using Hydrology tool available in ArcGIS. A comparative study of morphometric parameters derived by the two approaches revealed important insights into the advantages and limitations of each dataset for various applications. In the present study, it could be seen that drainage delineation done with CartoSat DEM data matched well with the ground truth than the drainage extracted from toposheets. The linear, areal and relief parameters derived from both the datasets are discussed in detail to show their significance in geomorphological and hydrogeological studies of the terrain.

This paper examines the various constraints faced by fisherwomen in their participation in the workforce. These constraints include socio-cultural factors, economic barriers, and limited access to resources and training. Gender-based discrimination and traditional gender roles often restrict women’s involvement in certain types of work. The study was conducted in the Thiruvananthapuram and Malappuram districts of Kerala. The main objective was to examine the relationship between work status and health, skills, family attitudes, general awareness, scheme utilisation, family income, expenditure, and debt. Primary data were used for the study. The major statistical tools employed for data analysis were the Chi-square test and bar diagrams. The sample consisted of 398 fisherwomen, of whom 262 were unemployed and 136 were employed. Stratified random sampling was used for data collection. The analysis of the constraints affecting the work participation of fisherwomen reveals the interconnected nature of socio-cultural, economic, health-related, and institutional barriers. Traditional gender roles and societal expectations continue to limit women’s mobility and restrict their participation in economically productive activities. Approximately 80 per cent of the unemployed women had education only up to the seventh standard. Similarly, 90–91 per cent of their parents had education only up to the seventh standard. Low educational attainment among unemployed women and their parents restricts access to skilled employment, thereby reinforcing cycles of poverty and economic dependency.

Floods are among the most frequent and destructive natural disasters globally, posing significant threats to both human lives and infrastructure. The increasing population density in flood-prone areas, unplanned urban development, and encroachment into natural floodplains have intensified the vulnerability of many communities. This study aims to delineate flood-prone areas within Pozhuthana Grama Panchayath, located in Wayanad district, Kerala, using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. The analysis is conducted through a weighted sum overlay method, incorporating multiple thematic layers including slope, elevation, drainage density, rainfall, geology, geomorphology, soil type, and land use land cover. These layers, processed in the ArcGIS environment, were derived from satellite data and secondary sources. The outcome of this analysis is the Flood Hazard Zonation (FHZ) Map, which classifies the region into four distinct flood risk zones: low, moderate, high, and very high. To validate the accuracy of the FHZ map, a comparison was made with past flood events, particularly the 2018 Kerala flood. The comparison indicates that most of the areas falling under the mapped high and very high-risk zones in the map correspond with regions affected during past flood events. A spatial comparison with previous flood events, particularly the major Kerala floods, confirms that most high and very high-risk zones were indeed affected, validating the accuracy of the model. This study can guide land use planning, infrastructure development, and emergency preparedness, contributing to more resilient communities in flood-sensitive regions like Pozhuthana Grama panchayath.