Geography
Kolayad Gram Panchayat of Kannur District was formed in 1963. 33.15 sq. km. The area boundaries of the panchayat are Malur and Peravoor panchayats in the north, Patyam panchayat in the south, Kanichar panchayat in the east and Chitariparam panchayat in the west. As per 2011 census the total population of the panchayat is 19790 including 10340 females and 9450 males. 90 percent literacy rate in Anidu. About 43 percent of the total area of the panchayat is forest land. The panchayat is full of mountains and rivers like Pallipalam river, Kakantot river, Kannavam river and about eight rivers, Kolappamala, Palakkad mountain and Peckeri mountain. Peruva, Chembukav, are tourist attractions here. According to the topography, 90 percent of the people in the panchayat belonging to Malanad are engaged in agriculture. Major agricultural crops are coconut, rubber, squash, banana, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, palm, and vegetables. About eight rivers and more than thirty ponds in the panchayat are used as water sources. The panchayat has 72 public wells and 4 public drinking water taps for the availability of clean water. Around two hundred street lights have also been installed to make the streets of the panchayat passable even at night. More than 10 roads like Kannavam-Peravoor road, Kolayad-Tholambra road, Etayar-Alachery road pass through the panchayat. The road traffic here is mainly centered around Nitumpoil Bus Stand within the Panchayat and Peravoor Bus Stand Koothuparam Bus Stand outside the Panchayat. Bridges like Pallipalam, Tippupalam, Puttalam bridge and Kadalkandam bridge are also proofs of the traffic development here. Kannavam, Punnapalam, Netumpuramchal, which were built by the British battalion in 1823, are the foundations of the Panchayat's transport facilities and are still a part of history. Thalassery railway station is the nearest railway station to the panchayat. Panchayat residents rely on Karipur airport for foreign travel. Azhikal, an inland port, is the nearest port to the panchayat. A bunker of Bharat Petroleum is functioning at Nitumpo in the panchayat. 10 ration shops and one justice store are functioning in the field of public distribution of the panchayat. There are commercial centers here that are active in the field of trade. Kolayad, Alecherry, Nitumpoil and other places are major trading centers. Kolayad also has a fish market. Kolayad. Nitumpoil has shopping complexes. There are Hindus, Muslims and Christians in the panchayat. St. Cornelius Church, Don Bosco Church, Nethumpurumchal Church. Vairighatakan Temple, Chowvakkav Temple, Naranathambalam, Koliyad Church, Alecheri Church, Edayar Church and many places of worship of different religious sects are located here. Festivals of these places of worship, Theiyam, Thira Mahotsavam, Thirunal and Perunal etc. are celebrated by all irrespective of caste and religion. Rao Bahadur, J.C. Sequeira, KK Kurian, Rev. Father Paul Fernandes, the first vicar of Kolayad Latin Church, who were social workers, are unforgettable figures in the socio-cultural education history of this panchayat. Social worker KC Kuruvila, Olympian Poulos, athletics star Chandrika and others are the current famous people of the panchayat. Kolayad Cultural Centre, Menachoti Scheduled Tribe Cultural Centre, PYC Club, Gnanodayam Library, EMS Memorial Library, EMS The memorial library and about ten libraries and reading rooms are the main art, sports and cultural centers of the panchayat. St. Martin C. Porus Hospital, Sheeja Homeo Clinic, Ayurveda Hospitals in Peruva and Chembukav are the health centers that are actively working in the field of health care of the Panchayat. A primary health center is also functioning in Peru. The panchayat also gets ambulance services from Arayangad Sneha Bhavan and Peravoor Cooperative Hospital. Kolayad also has a veterinary hospital for veterinary treatment. There is also a goat farm in Kommeri. About ten government and non-government schools like Peruva Government UPS, Etyar Government LPS Menachoti Government UPS, St. Cornelius High School, St. Clavier's UPS School are working for the educational advancement of the Panchayat. Daiwadan Center at Punnapalaam is an important social institution here. A branch of Vijayabank is functioning at Netumpuram Chal. A branch of NMG Bank is also functioning at Koliyad. The major banking institutions in the cooperative sector are Kolayad Co-operative Bank, Thondil Co-operative Bank, Etayar Co-operative Bank, Alecheri Co-operative Bank and Koothuparamba Co-operative Bank. Private financial institutions like Noble Financiers, Ebin Financiers also operate here.