Environment and Geographical Advantages

Topography and climate of Coimbatore

In the extreme west of Tamil Nadu, bordering Kerala, lies Coimbatore District. The district borders Palakkad district of Kerala in the west, Nilgiris district in the north, Erode district in the northeast and east, Idukki district of Kerala in the south and Dindigul district in the southeast. The district has an area of 7,649 square kilometers. On the extreme west of the District lies Coimbatore City.

The Western Ghat Mountain Ranges, one of the most bio-diverse areas in the world, surround Coimbatore like a horseshoe on the north, west and south. Except for the Palakkad Gap, the whole of the western area is mountainous. The Noyyal River forms the southern border of the old city. Plains with scarce rains are to the east of Coimbatore. The hills around Coimbatore make the mornings and evenings cool and pleasant. The major rivers flowing through the district are Bhavani, Noyyal, Amaravathi and Aliyar. The Siruvani dam is the main source of drinking water for Coimbatore city and is known for its tasty water.

Coimbatore is located at an elevation of about 411 meters. The mean maximum and minimum temperatures vary between 35 °C (95 °F) and 18 °C (64 °F). Its proximity with the wooded hills of the Western Ghats gives Coimbatore a pleasant and salubrious climate, almost throughout the year. It has a tropical wet and dry climate, with the wet season being from October to December due to the North-East Monsoon. The South West Monsoon, from June to August, also contributes some rainfall which comes to half of what is got from the former. The average annual rainfall is around 700 mm with the North East and the South West monsoons contributing to 47% and 28% respectively to the total rainfall.

Topography and Climate of Vadavalli

Ideal Homes is situated in Vadavalli on the west side of Coimbatore City, at the foothills of Maruthamalai hill ranges. As the western side of the city gets far more rains than the eastern side of the city, Vadavalli enjoys a salubrious climate with plenty of rains. The close proximity with Maruthamalai Hill Ranges, which are part of the Western Ghats, has a large share in making the climate cooler, rains, especially the summer showers, more frequent and water availability more than sufficient. Besides, unlike the other parts of Coimbatore, Vadavalli gets a good share of the South West Monsoons due to its nearness with the Western Ghats.

The sufficient availability of water for irrigation has resulted in the lush growth of orchards of coconut and arecanut palms in the area. In the open places food crops like green peas and chillies are grown in abundance by the traditional agrarian community of Vadavalli. Even in the hottest and driest months of summer, the mornings and evenings are refreshingly cool in Vadavalli.

Flora and Fauna

According to a recent survey, the Coimbatore urban wetlands harbour 66 resident, 17 migratory and 33 migrant birds totalling to 116 species. Open billed stork, ibis, spot-billed duck, spot-billed pelican, painted stork, teal and black winged stilt are some of the migratory birds that visit the wetlands of Coimbatore wetlands at regular intervals.

Several small birds with colourful feathers and mellifluous calls are seen in Vadavalli, including flocks of mainahs, francolins and babblers and dozens of peafowl and asian koel. In the hills around Coimbatore, apart from the species common to the plains, we can often see several species of deer, Nilgiri tahr, sloth bear wild elephants, wild boars, leopards, and bison. The areas near the hills, like Vadavalli, are home to small and harmless wild animals like the mongooses and squirrels. Colourful insect life like butterflies and moths including plain tigers, blue tigers and danaid eggfly are plentiful in Vadavalli.

Water Resources

Ideal Homes provides Siruvani Water for drinking purposes. It is considered one of the tastiest water sources in the world. The Siruvani Waterfalls, lake and dam are located 35 km west of Coimbatore City in the Western Ghats. Water from Siruvani River is renowned for its taste and mineral properties. The sweetness has been attributed to the vegetation and rocks through which the water flows in the Attapady area. According to many knowledgeable sources it is the second sweetest water in the world. Borewell water, which has been tested and found usable, is supplied to the residents of Ideal Homes, for purposes other than drinking.

The ground water level in Vadavalli do not go down as in other places of Coimbatore district because of the rains and because of the wetlands that are seen around Vadavalli. Wetlands are the most productive ecosystems in the world and they also support ecosystems around them. They help us to preserve a lot of aquatic species and play host to migratory birds. Preserving the wetlands is the best way of controlling floods and containing pollution. There are also several ponds in and around Vadavalli adding to the storage facilities for available rain water.