Cheruthoni
Cheruthoni (ചെറുതോണി) is a town on the banks of Cheruthoni River, a major tributary of the Periyar River, the second longest river in Kerala state, South India. The area is known by Cheruthoni Dam, which is a part of Idukki reservoir, which provide hydroelectric power to the region.
Cheruthoni ചെറുതോണി | |
|---|---|
village | |
 Cheruthoni junction | |
  Cheruthoni Location in Kerala, India  Cheruthoni Cheruthoni (India) | |
| Coordinates: 9°46′25″N 77°2′07″E | |
| Country |  |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Idukki |
| Government | |
| • Type | Panchayath |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 685602 |
| Vehicle registration | KL-06 |
| Nearest city | Kattappana |
Location
The town is adjacent to the famous Idukki Arch Dam and the Cheruthoni dam. These dams, along with the Kulamavu Dam, form the Idukki Reservoir. Cheruthoni is part of Vazhathope Panchayat, in the Idukki District. Other villages adjacent to Cheruthoni are Vazhathope, Thadiyampadu, Karimban, Manjappara, Maniyarankudi, Bhoomiyamkulam, Peppara, Manjikkavala and Painavu.
Origin
The origins of this place can be traced back to 1940s, following a famine the government allowed farmers to migrate to unoccupied arable lands in the mountains, where they cleared the land for agriculture. Later, this region was identified as an ideal spot for a hydroelectric project. The Hindustan Construction Company was contracted to build the dams on behalf of the Kerala State Electricity Board.
History
During the 1960s, a majority of the people living in Cheruthoni were not Keralites, but Sikhs from Punjab (who constituted the workforce of Hindustan Construction Company) and manual laborers from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
2018 Floods