Chengara

The village has a tropical climate with three distinct seasons: a humid summer, monsoon, and a moderate winter. The warmest month is April. The village often experiences heavy thundershowers in May, during which humidity remains high. The monsoon season is from June to August with most of the heavy rainfall in June and July, June being the wettest month of the year.

Chengara has a population of just above 1,500. The literacy rate of the village is 99%.

G.C.S.L.P. school is the only school in Chengara. The school is owned by the Chengara Service Co-operative Society Ltd. It covers a standard of I-V. The nearest higher secondary school is St. George Vocational Higher Secondary School in Attachackal. Students from Chengara also go to schools in nearby towns. Students from Chengara depend on Catholicate College Pathanamthitta, IHRD college Konni, St Thomas Arts & Science College thavalappara Konni, SNDP Arts & Science College kizhakkupuram Attachakal, SAS College Arts & Science Konni, VNS Arts & Science college konnpara Konni, NSS College Konni, Govt HSS Konni, RVHSS Konni , PSVPMHSS Konni and St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry for their studies. Those who study technical courses attend the technical institutes around Pathanamthitta.

The economy of Chengara is primarily based in agriculture. Rubber plantations are a major source of income for the local population. Chengara is among the largest rubber-producing places in Kerala, due to its hilly terrain, high humidity and rainfall. Other major crops are cocoa, coconut, tapioca and pepper. Chengara has a large number of non-resident community.

Major political parties in Chengara are Indian National Congress (INC) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI [M]). K. U. Jenish Kumar (CPI [M]) is the present M.L.A. for Konni which includes Chengara and Anto Antony is the present MP of Pathanamthitta constituency which includes Chengara.. Chengara belongs to Konni gram panchayat (village council). The present panchayat member of Chengara is N. N. Rajappan of INC. Chengara Surendran MP (CPI) is also a native of Chengara. Chengara Surendran (born 31 January 1968) was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He represented the Adoor constituency of Kerala and is a member of the Communist Party of India (CPI).

Traditionally Chengara is a stronghold of INC. Kerala congress also has presence in the village. Abraham Vazhayil (District Secretary Kerala Congress (M), Chairman, UDF Konni Constituency) is also a native of Chengara. Though Chengara has a long tradition of politics, there has been no conflict among the different political parties.

Cricket is the most popular sport in the village. A cricket tournament is held annually during the mid-summer vacation. Other popular sports are football, volleyball and badminton.

Orakuzhi is a small waterfall located at the Kizhakkupuram border of the village. This place is a common hangout for youths.

Meemooti Thodu is another waterfall in Chengara, which is dangerous due to its high fall over rock. The possibility of damming the stream was explored but deemed unfeasible.

Harrisons Malayalam Rubber Plantation covers a significant part of Chengara, stretching over3,000 acres (1,200 ha). It is crossed with many unpaved service roads suitable for bullock or trucks.

Chemmani Rubber Plantation covers 300 acres (120 ha) in Chengara.

Tribal on strike

The village is frequently mentioned in the media due to a land struggle, popularly known as "Chengara Samaram", which took place on a rubber plantation 3 km (1.9 mi) outside the village. Led by Laha Gopalan, the Sadu Jana Vimochana Samara Vedi (SJVSV) agitation began with hundreds of Vedi workers encroaching upon the Kumbazha Estate of Harrison Malayalam Limited on 4 August 2007, demanding 5 acres (2.0 ha) of land for farming and ₹50,000 towards initial farming expenses to each landless family among them. They pitched tents on the occupied land and started tapping the rubber trees at the estate for their livelihood. The Vedi leader claimed that 490 acres (200 ha) of land at Chengara were under SJVSV occupation.[5]

During the agitation, notable persons including Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy, Govindacharaya, and V. M. Sudheeran visited and extended solidarity with local families. However, the struggle created a negative image of Chengara. The previous LDF government had identified 831.03 acres (336.31 ha) of land in 10 districts for distribution among the 1,495 eligible landless people as part of the Chengara Package. Of the 1,495 families identified, 38 families belong to the Scheduled Tribes category and 1,227 to the Scheduled Castes. However, many people declined to occupy the land allotted to them, finding it unsuitable for habitation and farming. Vedi leader Laha Gopalan had categorically stated that there was no question of vacating the land until all the landless families at Chengara were allotted land suitable for farming and habitation. Some families have constructed permanent dwellings in the encroached land and started cultivation there. The Vedi too have set up a library and school on the occupied land. [6]

• Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
• Bethel Marthoma Church
• Pathanamthitta
• Konni, India
• Kumbazha

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