North 24 Parganas district
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?North 24 parganas West Bengal • India |
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Coordinates: | |
Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Area • Elevation |
• 2,134 m (7,001 ft) |
Headquarters | Barasat |
Population • Density |
8,934,286 • 2,181 /km² (5,649 /sq mi) |
Codes • Vehicle |
• WB-26 & Wb- 25 |
ISO abbreviation | PN |
Coordinates: North 24 Parganas is a district in southern West Bengal, India. North 24 Parganas extends in the [tropical zone] from latitude 22º11´6´´ north to 23º15´2´´ north and from longitude 88º20´ east to 89º5´ east. It is bordered to Nadia by north, to Bangladesh (Khulna Division) by north and east, to South 24 Parganas and Kolkata by south and to Kolkata, Howrah and Hoogly by west. Barasat is the district headquarters of Noth 24 Parganas.
North 24 Parganas is West Bengal’s most populous and most economically developed district. It is one of India's most industrialized districts. It is also the tenth largest district in the State by area and second most densely populated district (3,781/km² as of 2007 census).
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Ancient History
According to Ptolemy’s Treaties on Geography, written in the 2nd Century A.D., the ancient land of Gangaridi was stretched between the rivers Bhagirathi-Hoogly (lower Ganga) and Padma-Meghna. The modern-day 24 Parganas was the southern and the south-eastern territory of that legendary kingdom.
Archeological excavation at Berachampa village in Deganga PS proves that though the area was not directly attached to the rule of the Guptas, yet it could not shun their cultural influence.
Hiueng Tsang (c. 629-685) visited 30 Buddhist Biharas and 100 Hindu Temples in India and some of these were in the Greater 24 Parganas region.
The district was not a part of Shashanka’s unified Bengali empire known as Gauda, but it is assumed that the district which was the south-west frontier territory of ancient Bengal, was comprised in under the rule of Dharmapala (estimated c. 770-810). The Pala rule was not quite strong in this part as no excavation uncover any of Buddhist Pala antiquities but a lots of Hindu Sena sculptures.
[edit] Middle Ages
In the middle of 16th century, Portuguese pirates began to invade and plunder many of the waterways and prosperous human settlements in the lower delta region. People started to run off these places in fear of being murdered, raped or captured to be sold as slaves. The Basirhat sub-division of North 24 Parganas suffered this torments.
Pratapaditya, a Bhuian king (one of the 12 feudal lords of Bengal who declared their sovereignty from the Mughal Empire) of Jessore, Khulna, Barisal and Greater 24 Parganas, fought and resisted the Portuguese in the early years of 17th Century. When he was defeated by the Mughals, Lakshmikanta Majumdar (Ganguly) of Barisha, a sub-ordinate of the king, won the favor of fortune. While establishing the famous Kali Temple at Kalighat, Majumdar got some help of Raja Basanta Roy, Pratapaditya’s uncle who was later killed by his ever-suspicious nephew. Yet Majumdar played for Abdul Rahman Khan, the Mughal Subbadar (governor of Mughal provinces). Pratapaditya lost the battles of Salka and Magrahat and was captured by the Mughal. Later he died in prison on the way to Delhi. Majumdar was reworded the zamindari of Magura, Paikan, Anwarpur and Kalikata for his treason against his own sovereign from Jahangir in 1611. Later his grandson was bestowed the Zamindari of Khulna and Greater 24 Parganas (partially) by Murshid Quli Khan, the Nawab of Bengal.
[edit] British Raj
The territory of Greater 24 Parganas were under the Satgaon (ancient Saptagram, now in Hoogly district) administration during the Mughal era and later it was included in Hoogly chakla (district under post-Mughal Nawabi rule) during the rule of Murshid Quli Khan. In 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, Nawab Mir Jafar confer the Zamindari of 24 parganas and janglimahals (small administrative units) to the British East India Company. These were Amirpur, Akbarpur, Balia, Birati ,Azimabad, Basandhari, Baridhati, Bagjola ,Kalikata, Garh, Hatiagarh, Islampur ,Dakshin Sagar, Kharijuri, Khaspur, Ikhtiarpur,Madhyamgram , Magura, Medanmalla, Maida, Manpur, Muragachha, Pechakuli, Paikan, Rajarhat ,Shahpur, Shahnagar, Satal and Uttar Pargana. Since then, this entire territory is known as 24 Parganas.
The Company assigned it to Lord Clive as a personal Jaghir (zamindari) in 1759 and after his death it came under the authority of the Company again.
In 1793, during the rule of Lord Cornwallis, entire Sunderbans were in 24 Parganas. In 1802, some parganas on the western banks of river Hoogly were included into it. These parganas were in Nadia earlier. In 1814, a separate collectorate was established in 24 Parganas. In 1817, Falta and Baranagar and in 1820, some potions of Nadia’s Balanda and Anwarpur were encompassed to it. In 1824, portions of Barasat, Khulna and Bakhargunge (now in Bangladesh) were also included to it.
In 1824, the district Headquarter was shifted from Kolkata to Baruipur, but in 1828, it was removed to Alipore.
In 1834, the district was spilt into two districts – Alipore and Barasat, but later these were united again.
In 1905, some portion of this district around the Sunderbans was detached and linked to Khulna and Barishal. These parts remained in Pakistani (later Bangladeshi) territories where Jessore’s Bangaon was joined to 24 Pargana after 1947 partition.
[edit] After Independence
In 1983, an administrative reform committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Ashok Mitra suggested to spilt the district into two and as per the recommendation of the committee two districts – North and South 24 Parganas were created. The North 24 Parganas which was included to the Presidency Division has been formed with 5 sub-divisions of the Greater 24 Parganas namely Barasat (Headquarter), Barrackpore, Basirhat, Bangaon and Bidhannagar (a satellite township of Kolkata, popularly known as Salt Lake).
[edit] Geography
The district lies within the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta. The river Ganges flows along the entire west border of the district. There are many over rivers, which include the Ichhamati, Jamuna, and Bidyadhari.
[edit] Location
Latitude: 23°15'North - 22°11' North
Longitude: 89°5'East - 88°20' East
[edit] Land
Soil Status varies from alluvial to clay loam
Ratio of land High:Medium:Low=17:44:39
[edit] Groundwater Arsenic Contamination
North 24 Parganas is one of the nine (including Kolkata) severely arsenic affected district in West Bengal . On the basis of updated survey conducted by School of Environmental Studies (SOES), Jadavpur University, out of total 22 administrative blocks in 22, 21 and 16 blocks arsenic above 10 μg/L (WHO Recommended value of arsenic in drinking water), 50 μg/L (Indian standard value of arsenic in drinking water) and 300 μg/L (the concentration predicting overt arsenical skin lesions) was noted respectively. The maximum arsenic contamination level found in this district is 2830μg/L in the Baduria block.
[edit] Climate
The climate is tropical, like the rest of the Gangetic West Bengal. The hallmark is the Monsoon, which lasts from early June to mid September. The weather remains dry during the winter (mid November to mid February) and humid during summer.
Annual Rainfall 1,579mm(Normal)
Temperature 41°C in May(Max) and 10°C in January(Min)
Relative Humidity Between 50% in March & 90% in July
[edit] Economy
Muslims are mainly engaged in farming , fishing and other agricultural activities. The average size of agricultural landholdings in 3.2 Bighas. Hindu "Refugees" from Bangladesh form a major part of the industrial workforce. North 24 Pargans is the most economically and agriculturally developed District of West Bengal , and the highest electricity consumption.
[edit] Government and politics
[edit] Administrative Units
[edit] District Administration
District Magistrate and Collector -- Prabhat Kumar Mishra, IAS [Ph.No. 033-25523662 (off), 25523474 (Res), 25523535[fax)]
Additional District Magistrate (G) -- Parwez Ahmed Siddiqui, IAS [Ph.No. 033-25523355 and 25842212 (fax)]
- Sub-Divisions - 5
- Barasat SDO- SC Ghosh , Ph.No. 9433043355,
- Barrackpore SDO- Umapda Chatterjee Ph.NO. 09830038776,
- Basirhat SDO- Susanta Dutta ,Ph.No. 09434010170,
- Bongaon SDO-Bhudeb Biswas, Ph.No. 09434159425,
- Bidhannagar SDO-Tapas Chowdhary, Ph,No.-09433072314
- Blocks 22
- Panchayat Samities 22
- Gram Panchayats 200
- Mouzas 1,606
- Municipalities 27
- Non-Municipal Towns 33
- Outgrowths 11
- Cantonment Board 01
- Police Stations 35
- Inhabited villages 1,599
[edit] Municipalities
- Kanchrapara
- Halisahar
- Naihati
- Bhatpara
- Shyamnagar
- Garulia
- Barrackpore
- North Barrackpur
- New Barrackpur
- Titagarh
- Khardaha
- Panihati
- Kamarhati
- Baranagar
- Dum Dum
- ------- North DumDum
- ------- DumDum
- ------- South DumDum
- Bidhannagar
- Barasat
- Madhyamgram
- Rajarhat-Gopalpur
- Habra
- Gobardanga
- Ashoknagar Kalyangarh
- Basirhat
- Baduria
- Taki
- Bongaon
[edit] Transport
[edit] Bus Terminuses
44 - Baguihati - Sealdah - Howrah Station Mini - Baguihati - BBD Bag (Dalhousie Square)
227 - Bangur Avenue - S.E. Railway Office L3C - Bangur Avenue - Esplanade (very irregular CSTC Bus )
79B - Barasat - Shyambazar 81 - Barasat - Barrackpur (Fishery Gate) 87 - Barasat - Bara Jagulia 88 - Barasat - Kanchrapara DN8 - Barasat - Karunamoyee (Salt Lake) via Nagerbazar DN9/1- Barasat - Dakshineswar DN16 - Barasat - Dhamakhali via Baguihati, Lauhati, Bhangar DN17 - Barasat - Esplanade STA ( Limited stop Inter-District White Buses with blue-red borders) Barasat - Baruipur Barasat - Tarakeshwar via Nagerbazar, Dunlop Barasat - Kamalpur (in Howrah district)
45 - Dum Dum Airport - Padmashree 46 - Dum Dum Airport - Esplanade L30B - Dum Dum Airport - Esplanade (very irregular CSTC Bus)
Dum Dum Cantonment Railway Station
30D - Dum Dum Cantonment - Babughat
11A - Dum Dum Railway Station - Howrah Station
30B - Gouripur - Babughat via Dum Dum Road 30B/1- Gouripur - Howrah via Italgachha, RN Guha Road, Dum Dum Road 45A - Gouripur - Garia Station
30C - Hatiara - Babughat via Jessore Road 30C\1 - Hatiara - Esplanade via Ultadanga.
93 - Kharibari - Bagbazar 211 - Kharibari - Ahiritala
47 - Laketown - Dhakuria 47A - Laketown - Dhakuria 215 - Laketown - Howrah Maidan 215/1- Laketown VIP - Howrah Maidan
30 - Madhyamgram Station - Babughat via Jessore Road 79D - Madhyamgram Crossing - Babughat via VIP Road
3C/1 - Nagerbazar - Bosepukur 3C/2 - Nagerbazar - Ruby Hospital 202 - Nagerbazar - Science City 221 - Nagerbazar - Golpark 219 - Nagerbazar (Starts from Clive House ) - Howrah Maidan Mini - Nagerbazar - Howrah Station
[edit] Auto-rickshaw stands
Baguihati to Ultadanga , Baguihati to Nagerbazar , Baguihati to Airport. Hatiara to Baguihati and Jatragachi
Birati More to Birati Rly.Station , Birati Rly. Station to Belgharia Rly.Station,Birati Rama Cinema Hall to 2no.Airport gate.
Airport 1no. gate to Durganagar Rly.Station , Airport 1no. gate to Gorabazer , Airport 1no.gate to Narayanpore ,Airport 1no.gate to Nager Bazer ,Airport 1no.gate to Baguihati.
[edit] Demographics
- Population:8,930,295 (2001 census)
- Male:4,635,262; Female:4,295,033
- Area:4094 square km
- Population Density:2781 per square km
- Sex ratio: 977 females per 1000 males
- Decadal Growth Rate 1991-200 : 22.64
- Literacy rate(excluding 0-6 age group),in percentage:82.07 ( second-highest in West Bengal
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- Male:83.92; Female:71.72
Hindus - 61% , Muslims - 36% , others - 3%
[edit] Education
- Primary school 2353,799
- Middle school 26163
- High school 204560
- Higher Secondary school 15328
- Degree college 237
- Technical schools & colleges 116
[edit] Health facilities
- District Hospital 10 with 2500 beds
- Sub Divisional Hospital 14 with 1870 beds
- state General Hospital 18 with 1870 beds
- ESI Hospital 01 with 200 beds
- Rural Hospital 07 with 228 beds
- Block Primary Health Centre 15
[edit] Important Towns
[edit] External links
- Everything about the district of North 24 Parganas- a really good site
- map of North 24 Parganas
- another map of North 24 Parganas
- Census 2001 data
Districts of West BengalBankura · Bardhaman · Birbhum · Cooch Behar · Darjeeling · North Dinajpur · South Dinajpur · Hooghly · Howrah · Jalpaiguri · Kolkata · Malda · Midnapore East · Midnapore West · Murshidabad · Nadia · North 24 Parganas · South 24 Parganas · Purulia