Chaliyar River, recently seen in news, originates from which hills?

Ans: (1)

Key Points

Chaliyar River – Overview

1. Origin:

• Originates from: Ilambaleri (or Elambalari) Hills in the Nilgiri Mountains, part of the Western Ghats.

• Location: Near the Wayanad–Malappuram district border in Kerala.

2. River Course:

• Flows primarily through Malappuram district.

• Takes a southward route before reaching the sea.

3. Major Tributaries:

• Chaliyarpuzha

• Punnapuzha

• Kanjirapuzha

• Karimpuzha

• Iruvahnipuzha

• Thottumukkampuzha

• Together, they form the Chaliyar River drainage system.

4. Termination Point:

• The river drains into the Lakshadweep Sea at Beypore, also known as Chaliyam Harbour.

5. In the News:

• Recently highlighted due to landslides in Wayanad, where the river became a “haunting symbol” and a “floating graveyard” due to debris and destruction.

6. Other Key Facts:

• The Nilambur region along the river’s banks is noted for natural goldfields.

• The total drainage area of the Chaliyar is approximately 2,933 sq km, with 388 sq km lying in Tamil Nadu.