Thiruvananthapuram District is the southernmost district of the Indian state of Kerala The headquarters is in the city of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) which is also the capital city of Kerala.

The electrification of the city is done by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). Transmission circle, Thiruvananthapuram city and Kattakkada are the three circle divisions of the district. 43% of the total power consumption is by Domestic consumers which is equivalent to 90 million units per month. The electrical substations of Thiruvananthapuram district are one 220 kV, nine 110 kV and six 66 kV. The Power Grid Corporation has commissioned a 400 kV substation which will ensure high-quality power supply to the city.

The water supply is well covered within the city limits. It is considering 84% of the urban and 69% of the rural population in the city. Peppara and Aruvikkara dams are the main sources of water for distribution in the city. The newly implemented project plan for improving the water supply with Japanese aid covers Thiruvananthapuram city as well as six suburban panchayats having urban characteristics.

The sewerage system was modernized in 1938, long after it was implemented in the city at the time of Travancore Kingdom. The underground system for the disposal of sullage and sewage is now completely under the control of Kerala Water Authority . For the execution of the sewerage system the city area is divided in to seven blocks, two commissioned in the 1990s and two after 2000. Stilling chamber at the Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) located at Valiyathura is to where the sewerage is being pumped to and is disposed through sewage farming. Diary Development Department which maintains this sewage farm runs fodder cultivation is here. The sewerage system in the city is a service provided to the residents and there is no revenue generation from this scheme.

  Geography :

By the sea shore built on hills Thiruvananthapuram is located at 8.5° N 76.9° E on the west coast, near the southern tip of mainland India. 250 square kilometers is the total area of the city and the suburbs, which is sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. The average elevation is 16 ft from the sea level.

The area is geographically divided into two regions, the midlands and the lowlands. Low hills and valleys adjoining the Ghats form the Midland region. Whereas the lowland is a narrow stretch which comprises of shorelines, rivers and deltas, dotted with coconut palms.

The biggest fresh water lake in the district is Vellayani lake, located in the suburbs of the city. Karamana river, and the Killi river are the major rivers that flow through the city.

The eastern suburbs of the city are formed by highlands. Agasthyarkoodam the highest point in the city rises 1890 m above sea level. Ponmudi and Mukkunimala are beautiful hill-resorts around the city.

Flora and fauna :

The district has a rich variety of plants ranging from rare orchids, medicinal plants and spicesto hedge plants, tuber crops, plants yielding edible fruits and fibre. Aromatic plants and spices such as pepper and ginger are cultivated on a large scale on the hilly tracts. Nedumangad taluk is one of the biggest centres of cultivation and trade of pepper and other hill produces. A major portion of the district comes under the middle plain and the region is under the cultivation of coconut, paddy, tapioca, tuber crops, plantains and vegetabless.

The forests of the district abound in a variety of animals & birds and are excellent wild life habitats. Elephants, bisons, monkeys and rare species of reptiles have the place of prominence in them. The Neyyar reservoir and nearby areas abound in wild life. Nestled in the lap of the Western Ghats, a wild life sanctuary is quickly growing over an area of nearly 777 km² around this reservoir. The forest under the Kulathupuzha range is the habitat of rare species of snakes and lizards. Mammals are well represented in the district. Nilgiri Langur (Kasi Fohnii), the Lion-tailed Macaque (Macaca Silenus), the Nilgiri brown mongoose (Herpestes fuscus) and the Malabar civet (Moschothere Civettina) are characteristic to this region. Carnivores include tiger, wild cat, jackal, leopard and wild dog. Sloth gear, gaur, a few species of deer and elephant are also seen. Reptiles include lizards, snakes, crocodiles and tortoises. There are about 75-80 species of snakes in this area and some of them are very poisonous.

Forests :

Thiruvananthapuram district has a reserve forest area of 495.145 km² and vested forest area of 3.534 km² spreading over three ranges, viz., the Kulathupuzha range in the north, Palode range in the middle and the Paruthipalli range in the south. These forests may be broadly classified into three categories, namely, (a) southern tropical wet ever green forests, (b) southern tropical and semi ever green forests and (c) southern tropical moist deciduous forests. Veeti (Dalbergia latifolia), Thembavu (Terminalia crenulata), Aini (Artocarpus hirsutus), Plavu (Artocarpus heterophyllus), Akil (Dysoxylum malabaricum), Venga (Pterocarpus marsupium), Venthekku (Lagerstroemia lanceolata), Manjakadamb (Adina cordifolia) and Irul (Xylia xylocarpa) constitute the important timber species. Social forestry programmes are being implemented under the World Bank aided Kerala Social Forestry Project, National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) and Rural Fuel Wood Schemes to assist small and marginal farmers.

Rivers :

Among the three rivers in the district, the Neyyar (56 km), the southernmost river of the Kerala state, has its origin in the Agasthyamala, the second highest peak in the Wester Ghats. Karamana river (67 km) originates from Vayuvanthol (vazhuvanthol), another mountain in western ghats and the Vamanapuram River have their origin from Chemunji Mottai of the Western Ghats. There are 10 major back waters in the district. The major lakes are Veli, Kadinamkulam, Anchuthengu(Anjengo), Kaappil, Akathumuri and the Edava-Nadayara lakes. Besides these, there is a fresh water lake at Vellayani in Thiruvananthapuram taluk, which has the potential to become the major water sources of the Thiruvanthapuram city in future.

  Demographics

Kerala Legislative Assembly Building -The new Assembly Block was inaugurated at the Legislature Complex on 22 May 1998 by the then President Mr. K.R. Narayanan.
Population : According to the final figures of 2001 census, the population of the district is 3,234,356. The details are as below:

Language :
Malayalam is the mother tongue. People in Neyyattinkara taluk living adjacent to Tamil Nadu border, speak Malayalam mixed with Tamil. Thiruvananthapuram city is more cosmopolitan with people speaking various languages like Malayalam, English, Tamil, Hindi, Tulu and a minor percentage speak Gujarati.
Religion and Caste : Hindus constitute the majority of the population followed by Christians and Muslims. The Hindu community lies grouped on the basis of castes and sub castes as elsewhere in the state. The Nairs,the Nadars, the Ezhavas, the scheduled castes and 11 tribes form the majority of the Hindu community. Christians belong mainly to the Latin Catholic Church, the Church of South India and the Orthodox Syrian Church. The Muslim community also forms a major division of the total population. Economic, social and other ties bind the members of different religious groups at the local level. People live in peace and amity, influencing and being influenced by the culture of one another.
Socio-Economic Conditions : More than 50% of the total population depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Agricultural labourers constitute 42% of the total labour class. Most of the people are engaged in low remunerative pursuits which require very little capital. Political and social consciousness, coupled with the efforts of the social, religious and cultural leaders, have helped to pull down the age-old feudal order. Economic changes have also affected the social life and attitude of the people.

ROADS :
 The N.H.47  stretches from Parassala at the southern extremity  to Paripally in the north, covering a distance of 80kms within the district. The State Highway (MC Road)  covers a distance of  55Kms and passes through Kesavadaspuram,  Vembayam, Venjaramoodu , Kilimanoor and Nilamel  in the north. PWD maintains about 1552 kms of road in the district. Local bodies maintain 9500 kms of road.

BRIDGES :
There are 124 bridges in Thiruvananthapuram district. Mavilakadavu, Amaravila, Mandapathinkadavu, Poovampara, Vamanapuram, Thiruvallom and Aruvikkara are the major bridges.

ELECTRICITY :
All the villages in the district have been electrified and power is available in every nook and corner. Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) divides the district into three circles namely; Transmission circle, Thiruvananthapuram city and Kattakkada, for administrative efficiency. There are 6,52,000 domestic consumers consuming 43% of the total power consumption of the district which account to 90 million units per month. The non-domestic consumption is higher by 57%.
Thiruvananthapuram district has one 220KV, nine 110KV and six 66KV electrical sub stations. The commissioning of one 400 KV substation is on the anvil. There are no hydro-electric power projects within the district.