Questionnaire: General information ------------------- 1. Name of the Block: Vembakottai 2. District: Virudhunagar 3. State: Tamil Nadu 4. Contact Person(s): Angamaal Ph : 011 91 4562 258577 S.T. Balakrishnan Ph : 011 91 4562 342186 Statistics ---------- Total Number of Blocks in this district: 11 Number of Blocks covered by TNSF/BGVS: 7 blocks are covered under HBP Number of Villages covered by the programme in the Block: Virudhunagar district has 450 village panchayats and a total of 598 villages of which 506 are inhabited and 92 are uninhabited. Vembakottai block has 48 village panchayats. HBP covers 30 villages (that corresponds to 18 village panchayats). District Population (based on 2001 census): ------------------------------------------------- Census 2001 Total Male Female ------------------------------------------------- Population 17,51,548 8,70,820 8,80,728 ------------------------------------------------- Female/Male ratio: 1.01 Health Status in the District ----------------------------- Number of Doctors in the area: In Virudhunagar district, there are 9 Government hospitals with a combined bed strength of 772 beds. There are 36 Primary Health Centers and 284 Sub-Centers attached to Primary Health Centers in various blocks of the District. Population per Bed Ratio: 2269 Education --------- Literacy Rate in Virudhunagar district (%): Census 2001 Total Male Female ------------------------------------------------- Population 17,51,548 8,70,820 8,80,728 Literates 11,52,516 6,50,601 5,01,915 According to the 2001 census the percentage of literate population in the District is 62.91%. The percentage of male literacy is 75.67% and female literacy is 50.17%. Others: ------ When was the programme started in this block? Three blocks, Karyapatti, Thiruchuzhi and Watrap in this district were a part of Aragya Iyyakam programme where the health programme began in 1999-2000. In Vembakottai block, as a part of HBP, the first round of block level training for 20 village health activists was completed in May 12-13, 2002 in Kangarakottai pachayat village. What is special about this block? Virudhugar district has several attractions : Important Pilgrim Centres Andal Thirukkovil, Srivilliputur; Irukkankudi Mariamman Temple, Sattur; Boominathar temple, Thiruchuli; Srinivasaperumalkoil (Thenthiruppathi) at Srivilliputur; Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Aruppukottai. Important Tourist Centres Memorial house of Kamarajar at Virudhunagar; Pilavakkal Dam near Watrap;Andal Koil at Srivilliputhur; Boominatharkoil and birth place of Ramana Maharishi at Thiruchuli; Ayyanar falls - 15 km from Rajapalayam; Shenbagathoppu - Alagarkoil near Srivilliputur; Sastha Koil – Near Thevathanam, Rajapalayam. Vembakottai block has 1. Guhanparai - this is located on the road to Kalugumalai from Vembakkottai. A small hillock to the west of the village is called Guhanparai and the village takes on the same nomenclature. There is a small natural cavern at the foot of the hillock, which is believed to have been used as a shelter by Jain monks. A 10th century AD Vatteluttu inscription on a rock of the hillock states that a monastery Munnurruvarperumpalli was established in the name of Munnurruvar kovilpillaigal (servants of the palace). 2. Vembakottai Reservoir System - this receives water from 7 distributaries of the Vaippar. These streams originate in the eastern slopes of the Western ghats. The reservoir is a scenic spot ideal for picnics. It is being developed into a tourist spot with landscaped gardens and boating facilities. Comments: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Resources Virudhunagar: http://www.virudhunagar.tn.nic.in/ http://tnmaps.tn.nic.in/