Cities, towns and locations in the northern portion of Malda district (including Chanchal subdivision and Old Malda, Habibpur, Bamangola and Gazole CD blocks) M: municipal town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, F: Facility, H: historical centre Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
Area overview
The area shown in the adjacent map covers two physiographic regions – the Barind in the east and the tal in the west. The eastern part is comparatively high (up to 40 metres above mean sea level at places) and uneven. The soils of the eastern region are “hard salty clays of a reddish hue and the ground is baked hard as iron.” It lies to the east of the Mahananda River. The area lying to the west of the Mahananda River, the tal, is a flat low land and “is strewn with innumerable marshes, bils and oxbow lakes.” The tal area is prone to flooding by local rivers.[3] The total area is overwhelmingly rural.[4][5] There are two important historical/ archaeological sites in the area – Pandua and Jagjivanpur.[6]
Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the area. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
There is an announcement that Chanchal and Gazole would be amongst the 22 new municipalities to be formed in West Bengal.[9] The matter has also been reported in the press, but till November 2018, there has been no formal announcement or notification.[10]
Climate
Chanchal has three distinct seasons: summer, winter and monsoon. In summer the temperature sometimes reaches 45 degree Celsius. Winters are generally chilled and cool and sometimes temperature goes below 3 degree Celsius. During the monsoons (between June and September), the town is lashed by moderate to heavy rains.
History
It was the home of Raja Saratchandra Rai Bahadur, who built the Chanchal palace. The King was married to Queen Dakshyani. One part of the palace was transformed into a government college in 1969.The other part of the Palace is now Chanchal Subdivisional Court.[citation needed]
Chanchal Raj BariChanchal Sub-Divisional Court and Chanchal College
Demographics
According to the 2011 Census of India, Chanchal had a total population of 5,570, of which 2,287 (51%) were males and 2,743 (49%) were females. Population in the age range 0–6 years was 634. The total number of literate persons in Chanchal was 4,936 (78.04% of the population over 6 years).[11]
Infrastructure
According to the District Census Handbook, Maldah, 2011, Chanchal covered an area of 1.7896 km2. The protected water-supply involved overhead tank, tube well/ borewell. It had 900 domestic electric connections, 400 road lighting points. Among the medical facilities it had 1 family welfare centre, 1 maternity & child welfare centre. Among the educational facilities, it had 1 primary school, 1 middle school, 1 secondary school, 1 higher secondary school, 1 general degree college. Among the social, cultural and recreational facilities it had 1 cinema theatre, 1 public library.[12]
Civic administration
Police station
Chanchal police station under West Bengal police has jurisdiction over Chanchal I and Chanchal II CD blocks.[13][14]
CD block HQ
The headquarters of Chanchal I CD block is at Chanchal.[13][15][16]
Chanchal Super Speciality Hospital at Chanchal Roy Para, Chanchal (with blood bank and other digital facilities) is a major medical facility. There are primary health centres in Chanchal I CD Block at Kharba (with 10 beds) and Singia (Nadishik PHC) (with 10 beds).[18]
^"District Statistical Handbook 2014 Malda". Table 2.1, 2.2, 2.4b. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
^"District Census Handbook Maldah, Series 20, Part XII A"(PDF). Census of India 2011, Page 98: Brief Description of Places of Religious, Historical or Archaeological Importance and Places of Tourist Interest of the District. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
^"District Census Handbook Maldah, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A"(PDF). Section II Town Directory, Pages 775-786; Statement I: Status and Growth History, Page 775; Statement III: Civic & Other Amenities, Pages 779-780; Statement IV: Medical Facilities 2009, Pages 781-782; Section V: Educational, Recreational and Cultural Facilities: Pages 783-785; Statement VI: Industry & Banking, Page 786. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
^ ab"District Statistical Handbook 2014 Malda". Table 2.1, 2.2, 2.4b. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
^"BDO Offices under Malda District". Department of Mass Education Extension & Library Services, Government of West Bengal. West Bengal Public Library Network. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
