Mecheri

Mecheri receives little rainfall and has moderately dry weather except during the monsoon season. The first two months of the year are generally pleasant, with summer beginning around March. The highest temperatures normally occur during May, which is dry. The climate becomes more temperate in June and July, during the pre-monsoon period, and August is overcast and dry. The northeast monsoon occurs from September to November, and the rains disappear by December.

In the 2011 Census of India,[2] Mecheri had a population of 25,676. Males constituted 53 percent of the population, and females 47 percent. Mecheri has a literacy rate of 59 percent, lower than the national literacy rate of 77 percent.[3] Twelve percent of the population is under six years of age.

Mecheri is known for its Kurumbai sheep. To develop and encourage sheep farming, the government of Tamil Nadu established the Mecheri Sheep Research Station[4] in 1978 in Mecheri's Pottaneri panchayat.

Production of silk sarees Mecheri Chamarajpet Devanga Community pepole also big produces hand-loomed and power-loom silk and cotton sarees.

Weaver using a handloom

SISCOL is now JSW Steel Southern Iron and Steel Company, a joint venture with JSW Steel), built India's first integrated steel plant at a cost of ₹2,235  crore (₹22.35 million) in Pottaneri for the production of TMT corrosion-resistant bars and alloy steel.[5]

Mecheri is a holy site,[6] with broad conifers surrounding the main temple. Rajagopuram is the temple's main entrance, and Mecheri has a number of other temples.

Salem Airport (IATA: SXV; ICAO: VOSM) is in Kaamalapuram, near Omalur, 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Mecheri on the Salem-Bangalore Highway (NH-7). Although Kingfisher Airlines had service from Chennai, it was terminated in 2012 due to the airline's financial problems.

Rail service is available 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Mecheri at the Mecheri Road railway station, part of the Salem railway division. Trains from Mettur travel through Mecheri Road to Salem, which connect to the rest of India. The Chennai – Salem Express operates daily to Chennai Egmore from the Mettur Dam railway station.

Mecheri bus terminus

Intercity bus

Mecheri is on State Highway 20, the Bhavani-Thoppur road. Thoppur is 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Mecheri. Bhavani, 60 kilometres (37 mi) away, connects to Erode and Coimbatore via NH 544. Scheduled bus service is available to Chennai, Bangalore, Erode, Coimbatore and Mysore from MSS[7] and KPN Travels.[8]

• The Kavery Educational Institutions,[9] with engineering, education and polytechnic colleges, is in Kalipatti.
• The Sri Balamurugan Arts and Science College, affiliated with Periyar University,[10] was founded in 2004 to serve students from rural areas.

Mecheri Government School arch

• Government Boys and Girls Higher Secondary School, Mecheri
• Perun Thalaivar Kmarajar Government Higher Secondary School, Madhanaicken
• Sri Raghavendra Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Mecheri
• Meenampark Matriculation School, Mecheri
• Panchayat Union Middle School, Parakkallur
• SSV Matriculation and CBSE Schools, Kuttapatti
• SRV Matriculation and CBSE Schools, Pottaneri
• Vivekananda Matriculation, Mecheri
• Swamy Vivekananda Nursery School, Mecheri
• Sri Raghavendra Nursery and Primary School, Mecheri