Districts Of Kerala Research Articles

Assessing changes in soil organic carbon stocks and vulnerability to land degradation in Western Ghats, South India: Is it restorative enough?

AbstractSoil organic carbon stock is an important universal land degradation indicator. Owing to the depletion in soil nutrients, the pace of land degradation has increased in the Western Ghats of South India. To understand the changes in surface and subsurface soil organic carbon stocks and vulnerability to land degradation upon land use change, a study was carried out along the natural forest and coffee plantation ecosystems of Western Ghats in South India. The study sites were located in Chikmagaluru of Karnataka and Wayanad and Idukki districts of Kerala. Soil organic carbon stocks (SOC) at the surface (0–30 cm) were higher, 9.10 t C ha−1 and 7.49 k t C ha−1 in forest soils of Chikmagaluru and Idukki, respectively, and the subsurface (30–100 cm) SOC stocks were higher in the coffee plantation ecosystems, 9.11, 9.87, and 8.41 t C ha−1, respectively, in Chikmagaluru, Wayanad, and Idukki. Vulnerability analysis revealed that Chikmagaluru forest (0.57) and coffee (0.51), Wayanad forest (0.58) and coffee (0.55) land uses were low, and both the land uses in Idukki were medium in the status of land degradation with scores of 0.65 and 0.60, respectively, in forest and coffee ecosystems. The difference in the status of land degradation was mainly because of changes in soil reaction, surface, and subsurface SOC stock. An increase in soil pH, CEC, and available nutrients upon conversion to coffee plantation along with increased subsurface carbon storage have confirmed the restorative properties of coffee land use even after conversion from natural forests.

Unveiling the agricultural system's water pollution perils: A study in Thrissur and Palakkad districts of Kerala, India

Unveiling the agricultural system's water pollution perils: A study in Thrissur and Palakkad districts of Kerala, India

IJCM_276A: Determinants of Delayed Sputum Conversion among Tuberculosis Patients in Malappuram District: A Case Control Study

Background: Treatment of drug-sensitive TB consists of an intensive phase of 2 months followed by a continuation phase of 4 months. After completion of intensive phase of therapy, sputum AFB smear microscopy is repeated and presence of smear conversion is suggested as a significant early predictor of treatment effectiveness. Delay in sputum conversion will lead to prolongation of the period of time that patients remain contagious. Objectives: To study the determinants of delayed sputum conversion among Tuberculosis patients in Malappuram district Methodology: A Case control study was conducted among tuberculosis patients residing in Malappuram district of Kerala and registered under NTEP in District Tuberculosis Centre (DTC), Manjeri, Malappuram. After satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 90 tuberculosis patients who failed to achieve sputum smear negativity after completion of 2 months of intensive phase multi drug therapy were taken as cases. Another 90 tuberculosis patients those who achieved sputum smear negativity after completion of 2 months of intensive phase therapy were selected as control group. Data was collected by interview method. Results: Patients with lower socio-economic status (OR = 3.59, 95% CI 1.92- 6.73), low BMI or underweight (OR = 1.98, 95% CI 1.1 - 3.6), multiple symptoms (OR= 5.50, 95% CI 1.98 - 15.28), increased duration of symptoms (OR=4.54, 95% 2.24-9.19), co-morbid condition of diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.24 - 4.09) are at statistically significant risk of delay in sputum smear conversion after intensive phase of anti-tubercular therapy. Conclusion: Patients with lower socio-economic status, low BMI or underweight, multiple symptoms, increased duration of symptoms, co-morbid condition of diabetes mellitus are at statistically significant risk of delay in sputum smear conversion after intensive phase of anti-tubercular therapy. Treating physicians and public health experts should give special attention to TB patients with these risk factors.

Challenges and sustainability of Indian mental health: evaluating volunteer-based community mental health clinics with a complex adaptive system framework

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate how a community psychiatry model, referred to as the Mental Health Action Trust (MHAT) in India, provides decentralized care and comprehensive services to people with severe mental illness living in poverty. Using the complex adaptive system (CAS) framework, the authors aim to understand the factors that contribute to the diverse outcomes of the MHAT community mental health programme as observed in four different locations.Design/methodology/approachFour MHAT clinics were purposively chosen from two districts in Kerala. A comparative case study methodology was used to document each clinic’s MHAT services and activities, as found during field visits and interviews with staff members and volunteers.FindingsThe study shows that all four clinics met the basic aim of providing free, quality mental health care to the poorest populations, although not all aspects of the comprehensive model could be equally provided. Alignment with the MHAT vision, appropriate leadership, the relationship with partners and their level of community engagement determined the varied success between clinics.Originality/valueThe current study evaluation stresses that community ownership is crucial. Careful attention must be paid to the characteristics of selected partners, including their leadership styles and ability to garner resources.

Regional sustainability of the Kattunayakan tribe in Kerala, India through the enhancement of agricultural, livestock, and livelihood options

CONTEXTThis research investigates the living sustainability of the Kattunayakan tribe in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India, focusing on the factors influencing their agricultural, forest, and livestock practices in the context of changing social conditions. OBJECTIVEThe main objective of the study is to identify critical factors that affect the Kattunayakan community and improve the living sustainability by linking agriculture, forest, livestock, and social conditions. METHODSA total of 598 families were sampled in the 103 settlements spread across 14 panchayats and three municipalities in Wayanad district of Kerala. Population distribution and land use pattern were related, and cluster analysis was carried out to identify tribes having agricultural land and livestock. The analysis of 21 factors with significant correlations with Kattunayakan's living sustainability was carried out. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe Kattunayakans' average annual agricultural income is extremely low, standing at US$472.54 and the average annual income from livestock is US$3.22. The increased wildlife conflicts have hindered Kattunayakans' ability to engage in agriculture and livestock-rearing activities. The factors considered included: agricultural infrastructure with eight factors, coefficients ranging from 0.523 to 0.969; forest and wildlife six factors 0.647–0.811; livestock four factors 0.527–0.696; and social conditions three factors with rotated values 0.499–0.856. The lack of land for agriculture, very low attainment in education, and wildlife conflict correlate highly with the community's lack of sustainability. Allocation of degraded land for the landless tribes as non-sellable land for the cultivation of crops, increasing the awareness among the tribe to cultivate crops which is not palatable for wild animals, providing training for the tribe on the value addition of forest produce, selling milk through cooperative societies, can improve income generation among the tribe, thereby improving their living sustainability. SIGNIFICANCEThis study unveils the intricate dynamics influencing the living sustainability of Kattunayakan communities in Wayanad, Kerala. Findings of the study provide actionable insights to improve agricultural practices, mitigate conflicts, and promote sustainable development in the Wayanad district.

Growth and Instability Analysis of Coconut in Kerala and India

The present study was carried out to analyze the growth trends and to observe magnitude of variations in area, production and productivity of coconut in India, Kerala and two major coconut growing districts (Kozhikode and Malappuram) of Kerala. This study is based on secondary data on area, production and productivity of coconut in India, Kerala and two districts of Kerala state collected from the website of Coconut Development Board (CDB) for a period of 20 years, i.e., from 2000-01 to 2019-20. The study used averages, coefficient of variation, instability index and compound annual growth rate for the analysis of the data. The growth trend was estimated using Compound Annual Growth Rate while the instability was measured using Cuddy Della Valle Instability index with the aid of coefficient of variation. The entire study period was further divided into two sub-periods: Period I (2000-01 to 2009-10) and Period II (2010-11 to 2019-20). The results of the growth rate analysis indicated that the highest growth rate was observed in production (3.85 %) followed by productivity (3.07 %) and area (0.75 %) at one per cent level of significance in the overall period in India. Whereas in Kerala, the area (-1.05 %) and production (-0.49 %) registered negative growth in the overall study period, but the productivity (0.57 %) showed a positive growth rate which was significant at five per cent level of probability. The results of the instability index reveal that the production of coconut in India experienced a highest variation of 10.59 per cent, followed by productivity (9.89 %) and area (3.36 %). Similarly, in Kerala, the instability index was found to be highest in production (11.12 %) followed by productivity (7.57 %) and area (5.71 %).

A Comparative Study on the Molluscan Diversity in the Selected Beaches of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala ,India

Biodiversity of bivalves and gastropods at Pozhikkara and Kappil beaches of kollam and thiruvananthapuram Districts of Kerala was assessed in this study. A total count of 1130 molluscs were collected in which 24 species belonging to 19 families of two classes ; Class gastropods and Class bivalves were observed. Study was carried from December-2022 to May 2023 by using Beachcombing method in sandy areas and scrapping of molluscs in the Rocky areas selected for the study . In family of Muricidae three species were found and in Babylonidae ,Turitellidae and Bursidae two species of each was observed ,remaining families were included with one species each were recorded from the study areas .Perna perna and Donax scrotum were seen in large number during the study period. . Cymaticum perryi ,Natica marochinesis ,Faunus ater and Nipponaphera quasilla were least in number during study period KeyWords:Pozhikkara,Kappil,Mollusc,Beachcombing,Bivalves,Gastropods

Problems and Prospects of Elected Women Representatives at Grass Root Level in Kerala with Special Reference to Palakkad District

It’s been decades after implementing the 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution. The capacity-building measures taken by the Government aim to develop the Elected Women Representatives at the Panchayat level to lift them to societal needs and to adapt themselves to the forefront leaving behind all the difficulties they faced in the past which will make them completely competent to be a leader. Local Governance had remarkable progress after the inclusion of women into the mainstream of politics. Here, attempts are made to analyze the socio-economic and political profile of the Elected Women Representatives and the problems faced by the elected women representatives at the individual level and institutional levels in the Palakkad district of Kerala.

Disaster resilience of flood in Kerala, India

Kerala, the southern state in the Indian peninsula, has been affected by floods for the last three consecutive years. Changing weather patterns leading to heavy monsoon and development without considering the ecological vulnerabilities of the region has been pointed out as the reasons for flooding. Displaced communities, the destruction of agricultural and industrial enterprises, and health concerns have made disaster management a challenge for communities and governments alike. Even though there were lots of difficulties, the way Keralites came out of all these miseries and their adaptation was really inexplicable and always provided scope for research in that area. This paper focuses on examining the flooding pattern and impact of floods in Kerala, India and assessing the resilience capacity of the affected community. Self-developed questionnaires were used to gather data from the flood-affected population in the most flood-affected districts in Kerala. To gauge the respondents’ opinions, the questionnaire used a five-point variable Likert scale. When all was said and done, 260 valid questionnaires were successfully retrieved. The study found that communities show resilience to flood with partnership and decentralised management of disasters. The study could help recognise the strategies for building resilient communities through policy intervention and civil society participation.

Infestation of the armoured-scale insect Aulacaspis madiunensis (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on Cycad plants in the Northern districts of Kerala, India

Infestation of the armoured-scale insect Aulacaspis madiunensis (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on Cycad plants in the Northern districts of Kerala, India

Patterns of Neoplasm Among the Tribal and Non-Tribal Communities in Wayanad District of Kerala, India: A Hospital Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The burden of neoplasms coupled with the inaccessibility to health services has always been a public health concern among the tribal population. The objective of the study was to determine the patterns of neoplasm and its associated factors among the tribal and non-tribal communities attending a primary care hospital in Wayanad, Kerala. Methodology: A record based cross-sectional study was conducted in a primary care hospital in Wayanad, Kerala. Data of patients who attended the hospital from January 2016 to December 2021 were collected from the procedure registry. The independent predictors of the community were identified using regression model (p value <0.05 was significant). Results: Among the 650 study participants, majority (85.3%) were females. The mean (±SD) age was 41.62 ± 15.26 years. Only 8.5% of the study participants had malignant lesions. Multivariable analysis revealed that the pre-malignant and malignant lesions were more among the tribals [AOR (95% CI) =3.31 (1.46-7.52)] with a female preponderance [AOR (95% CI) =1.99 (1.17-3.40)]. The other independent predictors of the community were neoplasms of gastrointestinal system [AOR (95% CI) =2.90 (1.04-8.04)] and age less than 20 years [AOR (95% CI) =2.42 (1.06-5.54)]. Conclusion: An increasing trend of malignancy and pre-malignancy is seen among the tribal communities.

Gulf Male Migration in Kerala: How do the Female Spouses Cope with It?

International male migration, where they have to leave their wives and families behind is becoming an increasingly visible trend in India in general and Kerala in particular. The scholars of international migration have produced a number of studies that research in detail about the economic implications on the household of these migrants. However, there have been a very limited number of studies that endeavored to look into the experiences of the wives of these migrants, especially within the context of India. This study attempts to bridge this gap by conducting a qualitative investigation on the effects of international migration of adult male members in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, specifically on their wives with the broader objective of unravelling the difficulties and concerns (if any) faced by these women in the physical absence of their husbands. In doing so, it also efforts to explore the continuity and changes in the discourse. Contextualized against the Indian landscape of patriarchy, the paper particularly intends to delineate the gendered experiences of these women especially with respect to the agency, autonomy, and decision making power exercised by them within familial settings. Further ahead, the research also aims to look into the nature of their relationship with their migrant spouses and the implications this has on their personal lives. Theoretically situated within the relational autonomy and intersectional frameworks of feminism, the study will base its findings on the data acquired qualitatively from the semi-structured interviews conducted with fifteen women from Thiruvananthapuram, whose husbands have migrated to Gulf countries for work.

Role of Audio Visual Aids to Impart Garden-Based Nutrition Education for Preschoolers

Introduction: One of the most critical period in human life is the preschool years. In order to develop healthy food habits nutrition education need to be imparted at this age. There is a novel strategy to deliver nutrition education to children namely Garden-Based Nutrition Education (GBNE). Utilization of nutrition education tools can be an effective way for the delivery of GBNE.
 Aim: To develop PowerPoint presentation on the importance of fruits and vegetables converts to video form and a child friendly gardening video for preschool children and assess the feasibility and acceptability.
 Materials and Methods: Audio visual aids like power point presentation and videos were developed. Power point presentation on importance of fruits and vegetables was developed in such a way that it can reach the respondents and convey the intended message for preschool children with a total of 13 slides.
 A documentary child friendly gardening video was constructed having a duration of nearly seven minutes with the title “Garden Based Nutrition Education” with the intention to inculcate gardening skills among children from their early childhood years. Both the tools were developed using standardized procedures and was subjected to pre study. In order to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the developed GBNE tools it was subjected to preschool teachers/anganwadi workers and parents of preschool children. The sample consisted of 75 parents and 75 preschool teachers which was randomly selected from Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala.
 Results: The study reveals that, both parents and teachers finds child friendly gardening video as the most feasible and acceptable tool to impart garden-based nutrition education.
 Discussion: Preschool children loves gardening ad watering. Child friendly gardening video is most involving and interesting in nature when compared to power point video.
 Conclusion: Therefore it can be concluded that power point video on importance of fruits and vegetables and child friendly gardening video can be used as effective GBNE tool to teach the significance of fruits and vegetables through gardening activities.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of hypertension among tribal population in Thrissur District: A cross-sectional study in South India

IntroductionHypertension is the major cause of premature death worldwide. There are disparities in the prevalence of hypertension across cultural groups. This study aimed to explore the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension and the associated factors among the adult tribal population in Kerala, India. MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 206 adult tribal population in Thrissur district in Kerala. World Health Organization STEPS questionnaire for non-communicable disease risk factor surveillance was used. We measured blood pressure, weight and height using standard protocols. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP)≥140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP)≥90 mmHg or on medication for high blood pressure. Multivariate logistic regression was done to find out the associated factors with hypertension. ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 44.7 years (SD ± 13.9; men:30%). Around 24% of the participants did not receive any formal education. Current tobacco prevalence was 28% and alcohol consumption was 19%. Nearly 63% were physically active. Prevalence of overweight was 33%. Hypertension prevalence was 48%. Among the hypertensive participants, 59% were aware of their condition, of which 74% were under treatment, and 7.8% achieved adequate control. In the age-sex adjusted multivariate analysis, being diabetic was the highest significant factor associated with the prevalence of hypertension (OR:9.58, CI: 1.87–49.07), followed by being overweight (OR:5.48, CI: 2.49–12.03). ConclusionThis study indicates a high prevalence of hypertension and overweight among the selected tribal population. Our research highlights the importance of regular monitoring and consistent adherence to treatment for hypertension and other risk factors in this population.

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE: THE CASE OF MEENANGADI PANCHAYAT IN KERALA

India faces significant vulnerability to the effects of climate change, attributed to its varied geography, substantial population, and reliance on agriculture. The nation encounters numerous climate-related challenges, including more frequent and severe extreme weather events like heatwaves, droughts, floods, and cyclones. Dealing with this intricate matter necessitates a comprehensive and cooperative strategy that extends beyond conventional top-down governance models. Local governments have a vital role in formulating and executing climate change adaptation strategies. They assess local vulnerabilities, identify priority areas, and formulate plans to build resilience and reduce risks. This can involve measures such as infrastructure improvements, land-use planning, water management, and public health initiatives tailored to the specific needs of the community. Local governments often collaborate with stakeholders, including businesses and residents, to achieve greenhouse gas reduction targets. India has pledged to become carbon neutral by the year 2070, and achieving carbon neutrality is a complex and multi-faceted endeavour that requires coordinated efforts across sectors and levels of government. The carbon-neutral Meenangadi in the Wayanad district of Kerala is a perfect example of successful local self-government taking measures to achieve carbon neutrality.

Assessment of Carbon Neutrality and Sustainability of KCAET Campus in Kerala, India

The study was conducted during 2021–22 with a view to analyze the carbon neutrality and sustainability of Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (KCAET) campus. It was done for proposing and implementing sector-wise adaptation and mitigation strategies to develop KCAET campus of Malappuram district in Kerala as a “Carbon Neutral Campus”. A carbon emission and sequestration analysis in the sectors of food consumption, transportation, energy, waste and AFOLU (Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use) was done. The required data were obtained by conducting various surveys, and the corresponding emission factors were taken from available literatures. Carbon emission and sequestration of each sector was calculated as the product of the emission factor and activity data. The total carbon emission from the campus was found to be 522.086 CO2 eq.t and the total sequestration from the campus was 177.2 CO2 eq.t. Since the carbon emission is higher than carbon sequestration, it can be inferred that the campus is not carbon neutral. Strategies for achieving and maintaining carbon neutrality through reduction in emissions, improving stock of carbon and creating carbon credits/reserves need to be adopted. Since the major emission is from transportation and use of fuels, energy efficient methods to save energy and switching to renewable energy sources to bring down the emissions from energy consumption need to be implemented.

Land suitability analysis for turmeric crop for humid tropical Kerala, India, under current and future climate scenarios using advanced geospatial techniques.

Turmeric cultivation primarily thrives in India, followed by Bangladesh, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. India leads globally in both area and production of turmeric. Despite this, there is a recognized gap in research regarding the impact of climate change on site suitability of turmeric. The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate both the present and future suitability of turmeric cultivation within the humid tropical region of Kerala, India, by employing advanced geospatial techniques. The research utilized meteorological data from the Indian Meteorological Department for the period of 1986-2020 as historical data and projected future data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). Four climatic scenarios of shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change AR6 model of MIROC6 for the year 2050 (SSP 1-2.6, SSP 2-4.5, SSP 3-7.0 and SSP 5-8.5) were used. The results showed that suitable area for turmeric cultivation is declining in future scenario and this decline can be primarily attributed to fluctuations in temperature and an anticipated increase in rainfall in the year 2050. Notable changes in the spatial distribution of suitable areas over time were observed through the application of geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Importantly, as per the suitability criteria provided by ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (ICAR-NBSS & LUP), all the districts in Kerala exhibited moderately suitable conditions for turmeric cultivation. With the GIS tools, the study identified highly suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable and not suitable areas of turmeric cultivation in Kerala. Presently 28% of area falls under highly suitable, 41% of area falls under moderately suitable and 11% falls under not suitable for turmeric cultivation. However, considering the projected scenarios for 2050 under the SSP framework, there will be a significant decrease in highly suitable area by 19% under SSP 5-8.5. This reduction in area will have an impact on the productivity of the crop as a result of changes in temperature and rainfall patterns. The outcome of the present research suggests that the state of Kerala needs to implement suitable climate change adaptation and management strategies for sustaining the turmeric cultivation. Additionally, the present study includes a discussion on potential management strategies to address the challenges posed by changing climatic conditions for optimizing turmeric production in the region. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Repercussions of Reliance on Informal Sources of Finance: A Study of Tribal Communities in Kerala

The economic and social consequences of reliance on informal finance are enormous in the case of socially and economically disadvantaged people like the tribal communities. These communities have become more financially vulnerable due to the severe barriers in accessing institutionalised formal finance. Drawing on data collected from 246 randomly chosen households from four tribal communities (Kurichya, Kuruma, Adiya and Paniya) in the Wayanad district of Kerala, and using mixed-method approach, the study seeks to examine the repercussions of reliance on informal source of finance by the tribal communities. The study reveals that the agents of informal financiers also resort to social demoralising and mental harassment towards the tribal households. The study shows that tribal households may not be aware of compounding effect of interest rates when they avail credit from any source of finance, especially informal finance. This in turn increases the indebtedness among the tribal communities. All these call for the need of tailoring institutional (formal) credit solutions suitable to the credit needs and socio-economic conditions of the weaker segments of the society like the tribal communities. The study suggests adopting supply-side cum demand-side strategies.

Unraveling determinants of integrated farming systems adoption for sustainable livelihood and dietary diversity.

Over the years, smallholder farmers have faced more vulnerability to risk and uncertainty in India due to their dependence on cereal crops. One way to reduce this risk is through diversified agriculture, integrating different practices for efficient resource utilization, and adopting a farming systems approach. An integrated farming system (IFS) is one such technique that provides year-round income from different components of enterprises. However, the decision to adopt IFS may be determined by several characteristics of farmers, which needs to be delineated through impact analysis to harness the benefits of a systems approach. This study analyzes the economic effects of integrated farming systems and assesses their determinants, as well as the dietary diversity patterns of farmers in two states of southern India, i.e., Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A multistage sampling technique was used to obtain cross-sectional data from 367 farmers randomly chosen from one district in Kerala and two districts in Tamil Nadu. The participants have Crop + Horticulture + Animal husbandry (45.45%) as their major system, whereas non-participants have Crop + Animal husbandry (44.35%) as their predominant system. Coarsened exact matching and logit regression methods were used to evaluate the economic impacts of IFS and its influencing factors. The findings of the study indicate that age, education, livestock holding, access to credit, and plantation area have a positive and significant effect on participation by farmers in the program. The matching results show that adoption of IFS resulted in a significant economic impact, generating an additional gross income of Rs. 36,165 ha-1 and a net income of Rs. 35,852 ha-1 and improving the dietary diversity of farm households by 8.6% as compared to non-adopters. This study suggests that IFS is a promising approach for improving farmers' livelihoods, economic gains, and nutritional security. Therefore, the integrated farming systems models need to be upscaled through the convergence of government schemes in other regions of India to support smallholder farmers' farming.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Ticks, Tick-Borne Diseases, and Ethnomedicine Among an at-Risk Population in Kerala.

Tick and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are increasing annually, and the study of ticks has gained importance after the outbreak of Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) in the South Western Ghats of India. Wayanad district of Kerala, with the highest tribal population in South India, is a KFD endemic state, owing to the lack of knowledge, attitude, and practice studies on TBDs and ethnomedicines against ticks. This study was carried out to assess their baseline knowledge, attitude, and ethnomedicinal practice against ticks. A structured questionnaire was used to conduct a survey of 499 tribal members living in forest fringe areas. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors that influence the knowledge, attitude, and practice of tribes on TBDs. More than 70% of the population visit the forests on a regular basis, with 65.7% of the population regularly exposed to tick bites; however, only 47.7% were aware of TBDs. About 47.4% of the respondents took precautions like therapeutics and natural remedies to avoid tick bites. Ten species of medicinal plant belonging to eight different families have been identified from the survey. The tribal population use these plants to repel ticks as well as treat tick bites. From the study, we concluded that the limited in-depth knowledge displayed by the tribes can be strengthened by conducting community programs such as awareness classes on TBD and its control measures. The ethnobotanicals identified can be used to formulate novel tick repellents in the future.