Chunakara
Grama Panchayat

Chunakkara Panchayat is a geographical region situated in the Mavelikkara Taluk of Alappuzha District. The Panchayat is bordered by Thazhakara Panchayat to the north, Thamarakulam Panchayat to the south, Nooranad Panchayat to the east, and Bharanikkavu and Thekkekara Panchayats to the west.

The Panchayat covers an area of 17.32 square kilometres and is surrounded on all sides by extensive paddy fields. To the north lie Mevelil Padam and Thazhakara Puncha; to the east, Peruvelil Puncha; to the south, Poovathoor Chira Nilam and Vettikkottu Puncha; and to the west, Pallikkal Thodu along with its adjoining wetlands and Chooranalloor Puncha.

The land surface gradually rises towards the central part of the Panchayat and slopes gently towards the surrounding areas. The Panchayat consists of two main types of land: homestead land (purayidam) and paddy land (nilam). Paddy lands can be classified into single-crop fields (oruppoo nilam) and double-crop fields (iruppoo nilam). Homestead lands may be categorized into hilly areas, plain areas, and low-lying areas.

Most of the paddy fields in the Panchayat are cultivated with two crops annually. Major double-crop paddy fields include the areas south of Puthenkulam in the Peruvelichal wetlands, Kololil Padam, Konnakkottu Padam, Chira Pammam, Puthuchira Padam, Vettikkottu Puncha, Kannampally Chira, Madathilkulangara Padam, Kottappattu, Oorikkunnu, Chooralloor, and Meveli Padam. The principal single-crop paddy field is located in the northern part of the Peruvelichal wetlands, beyond Puthenkulam, on the eastern side of the Panchayat.

The double-crop paddy fields consist mainly of fertile clayey soil mixed with sand, although the proportion of sand varies from field to field. These soils are highly productive. The single-crop paddy lands contain rich clay soil. Adjacent to the paddy fields, there are low-lying homestead areas averaging about ten metres in width, characterized by sandy soil. The elevated and plain regions contain gravelly soil with a high lateritic content.

Although the hilly regions are relatively elevated compared to the surrounding terrain, they are neither too steep to cause serious soil erosion nor unsuitable for cultivation. Both the elevated and plain areas are suitable for a wide variety of agricultural crops.

At an average depth of about three feet below the surface in the elevated and plain regions, there are extensive deposits of laterite stone, which are quarried and used for constructing building walls and other structures.

The major water bodies in the Panchayat are Vettukkuzhichal, Puthenkulam, Vettikkottu (Raakkuzhi) Canal, and Komalloor Mazhuppayil Canal. In addition, around thirty ponds are distributed across various wards of the Panchayat.