TAMILNAD PLAINS

eastern coastal lowlands of Tamil Nadu state, southern India. Bounded by the Bay of Bengal on the east, the Indian Ocean on the south, the Eastern Ghats on the west, and the Andhra Plains on the north, the Tamilnad Plains consist of the Cauvery Delta and the deltas of the Vaigai and Palar rivers, which have formed beaches of sand and shingles. Sand dunes (locally known as theris) rising 100 to 215 feet (30 to 65 m) and supporting Palmyra palm and thorny scrub are conspicuous features along the relatively straight coast. The flat plains are broken by numerous hills with a distinct north-northeast to south-southwest trend. Natural vegetation consists of littoral forests and plantations of casuarina and coconut, together with scattered trees, climbing vines, and grass. The Cauvery, Ponnaiyar, Palar, Vaigai, Tambraparni, Vellar, and Arni rivers flow east into the Bay of Bengal. The soils are red-loamy and sandy-loamy, both rich in iron. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of the region; crops include rice, pulse (legumes), oilseeds, tobacco, and sugarcane. The Cauvery delta has a large irrigation canal system. The early development of industry by the British has made the coast of the Tamilnad Plains one of the most industrialized areas in India; industries produce textiles, cement, chemicals, vegetable oil, fertilizers, automobiles, galvanized pipe, calculators, and teleprinters. The railway-coach factory at Perambur is one of the largest in Asia. Neyveli town has a large thermal power plant. Railways and roads connect Madras, Tiruchchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Thanjavur, and Chingleput.