Polachira is a wetland spread over 600 hectares
sup>(archived fro

located near Paravur Municipality in

Kollam District Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 List of districts in Kerala, districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major La ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

, India. Formerly part of the

Chathannoor Chathannoor is a town in the Indian state of Kerala situated at the Kollam District on the banks of Ithikkara River. It is about from Kollam(Quilon) City. Chathannoor is around north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram(Trivandrum). Geo ...

Grama Panchayath, it is now located in the Chirakkara Grama Panchayath. Polachira is about 2 km south of

town and 9 km north east of Paravur town. Chathannoor-Polachira-Ozhukupara Bund Across Road is the main access to Paravoor. Indian spot billed duck

Migratory Birds

As a result of the biodiversity and abundance of fish and mussels, Polachira is a favorite destination for migratory birds.India Social Website
/ref> Polachira recorded over 151 species which includes perigin falcon (the fastest bird on earth), spot billed pelicon, white stork, painted storks and plenty of duck species. Monthly birdwalks are conducted by group of people from kollam birding battalion.

Agriculture

Polachira consists entirely of paddy fields where farmers can cultivate paddy three times a year (Moonupoovu Nilam). As the soil has high fertility value there is no need of fertilizer to cultivate paddy which will give high yields to the farmers. However, the main problem faced by farmers is that the fields are covered with water for the whole year. If needed, farmers' association takes initiatives to dry the fields by using water pumps, but it is very expensive and local self-government authorities help is needed for it to take place. If the fields in Polachira get dry and are suitable for paddy cultivation during May, November and January. Unscientific construction of bund affected three times paddy cultivations. Consequently, there are complaints from farmers that the authorities of the local self-government intend to catch and sell fish from Polachira by drying its fields and have no intention to help the farmers in their paddy cultivation.

Tourism

There is a high scope to develop Polachira as a tourist spot. But the relevant authorities have not yet taken action for it. Presence of wildlife especially migratory birds, pleasant weather, picturesque landscape makes it an ideal destination for nature lovers. An organization formed in the name of Ithikkara-Polachira Tourism Development Agency with an aim to explore Polachira's tourism possibilities, owing to certain reasons, is not working now.

Important institutions

Important institutions near Polachira:
Chathannoor Ghss Chirakkara Devi Temple
Kottekkunnu Subrahmanian Temple
Vilappuram Devi Temple
Chathannoor S.N. College
Nss chathannoor
Govt. H.S.S., Nedungolam
Govt. H.S., Uliyanad
Govt. H.S., Chirakkara
Meenadu LP school
Ozhukupara Govt W L P School
Government Medical College Kollam
Lord krishna residential school B R Hospital and Research centre. Nedungolam

References

External links