state of Travancore –Cochin was found in 1949 by merging
the Travancore State and Cochin State. The state of Kerala
was found in 1956 by adding the Malabar district and Kasargod
area and former Madras State and Travancore-Cochin State.
Each of this area had its own Survey & Settlement
brief history of Survey & Settlement is given below:
(1) Year 1738 to 1748:- This settlement was
confined to the lands belonging to Sree
Padmanabha Swamy Temple. No measurement of land was conducted.
Year 1712:- A complete survey and settlement
was conducted. The
survey was a ‘Kettezhuthu’ Record of “what is heard”
was based on discussions with land-holders. The
holders were issued pattas after settlement.
Year 1775:- Ramayyan Dalava conducted a complete
Survey and settlement. Holders were issued pattas.
The nature of survey is not known.
Year 1801:- A complete survey was conducted.
This was a ‘Kandezhuthu’.
(Record of what is seen). The tenures were similar to
settlement. Pattas were also issued after the settlement.
Year 1817:- This was only a settlement of garden
lands. Pattas were issued subsequent
to the settlement.
Year 1836:- A complete resurvey of garden lands
was conducted. Side measurements
were made with a ‘10’ Feet Rod. Rough Pattas
were issued after the settlements.
Year 1882 to 1909:- This is the latest settlement
scientific Survey was conducted and pattas were issued
for all the land owners.The last settlement was conducted
in Cochin during 1905-1909 following the settlement Proclamation
of 1905 and in Malabar during 1926-1934 according to the
resettlement Manual of 1930. In all the three regions
settlement was conducted after conducting a land survey.
The survey records in all the regions were maintained
according to the Land Records maintenance Rules in the
a survey of Edavakas namely Kilimanoor, Vanjipuzha, Poonjar,
Nediyiruppu and a re-survey of Nedumangad taluk was also
conducted. The re-survey records of Nedumangad Taluk were
not finalised due to large number of complaints. By and
large these records prepared prior to independence was
in use in the state till the re-survey records which was
prepared from the year of 1966 was put in use in many
of the villages of the state. The methods used for the
survey records existed prior to the re-survey, which was
conducted in 1966, is enumerated below.
The methods which were in force in various areas
of the state is given below
(i) Tak System or System of simple triangles
Revenue field is split into a number of triangles and
the sides of the field forming the arms of the triangle.
system is simple for practical. But it has some defectives.
system was adopted in Karthikapally, Karunagapally, Kollam,
Chirayinkeezhu and Thiruvananthapuram taluks.
Plane table system
this system of survey, field observation and plotting
are done simultaneously. After entering the plane table,
radiating lines are drawn from the fixing to the various
points with the help of sight Rule, measurements to these
points are taken and plotted to scale along the radiating
lines.This system was adopted in north Wayanad and South
Base line and offset system:-
stations were fixed at Village and Khandom boundaries
to form blocks of about 50 hectares. The blocks are divided
into large triangles and the boundaries of survey fields
and subdivisions fixed by offset taken from the sides
of triangles. Revenue fields are clubbed to form Survey
fields of approximately 2 hectares in wet lands and 4
hectares in dry lands. All the measurements taken are
entered on the block sheets.
system was adopted in the following taluks:-
Perinthalmanna, Ottapalam, Palakkad, Alathur, Aluva, Devicolam,
Paravur, Kunnathunad, Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha, Cherthala,
Vaikom, Kottayam, Changanasseri, Ambalapuzha, Kuttanad,
Kanjirappally, Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Pathanamthitta,
Mavelikkara, Kunnathur, Pathanapuram, Kottarakkara.
(iv) Diagonal and offset system or triangle
and offset system
system is being adopted for survey since 1902. Each field
trijunction is connected with the next field by a line
called G line and selecting convenient diagonals completes
the triangles. Independent framework is provided for
each survey field. Field and subdivision bends are offseted
on the G lines and diagonals. The diagonal and offset
system affords an independent check of a substantial amount
of field work done by the surveyor. The uptodate diagonal
and offset system is more accurate, less costly and quite
easy for maintenance of framework of survey and land records.
system was adopted in the following taluks
Eranad, Tirur, Ponnani,
Talappally, Chavakkad, Trissur,
chart showing the system is appended.
the formation of Kerala state, elaborate survey of Government
lands and occupation in Government lands, was conducted
under plan schemes, but most of these records were not
finalized and given effect in the revenue administration
1966, a general re-survey of the state was commenced and
the re-survey of 652 villages has been completed and given
effect in the revenue administration.