Gaighata (community development block)

Gaighata গাইঘাটা সমষ্টি উন্নয়ন ব্লক
Community development block
Gaighata Location in West Bengal, India
Coordinates: 22°56′N 88°44′E / 22.93°N 88.73°E / 22.93; 88.73Coordinates: 22°56′N 88°44′E / 22.93°N 88.73°E / 22.93; 88.73
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	North 24 Parganas
Area
• Total	243.52 km2 (94.02 sq mi)
Population (2001)
• Total	300,418
• Density	1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Bengali, English
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Lok Sabha constituency	Bangaon
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Gaighata, Bangaon Dakshin
Website	north24parganas.nic.in

Gaighata (community development block) is an administrative division in Bangaon subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Gaighata police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Chandrapara Bazar.^[1]

Geography

Situated on the banks of the river Jamuna, Gaighata is located at 22°56′N 88°44′E / 22.93°N 88.73°E / 22.93; 88.73.

Gaighata community development block has an area of 243.52 km².^[2]

Gram panchayats

Gram panchayats of Gaighata block/ panchayat samiti are: Jaleswar II,

Census towns

There are 7 (Seven) Census Towns in this block as per Census-2011: Chandpara(code-8330) under Chandpara Gram Panchayat, Sekati(code-8331) under Dooma Gram Panchayat, Purba Sonatikry (code-8332) under Chandpara Gram Panchayat, Dhakuria(code-8333) under Chandpara Gram Panchayat, Chinkanpara(code-8334) under Ichhapur-II Gram Panchayat, Simulpur (code-8335) under Simulpur Gram Panchayat and Bora (code-8336)under Ichhapur-II Gram Panchayat.

Demographics

As per 2001 census, Gaighata block has a total population of 300,418 out of which 177,515 were males and 166,459 were females. Gaighata block registered a population growth of 16.72 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for the district was 22.40 per cent.^[2] Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.^[3]

Transport

Gaighata is on NH 35 from Barasat to Bangaon and the Bangladesh border. A privately operated express bus (No. 250) from Esplanade to Bangaon goes via Gaighata (It's Close From 2008).^[4] Gaighata now has good connectivity with all surrounding villages by means of autorikshas and trekars. One can easily reach Ranaghat and Basirhat by bus. Recently another privately operated bus ( No. DN 44 ) from ( Bangaon to Dakshineswar ) also goes via Chandpara, Gaighata, Habra, Barasat, Madhyamgram, Birati.

Healthcare

Gaighata block is one of the areas where ground water is affected by arsenic contamination.^[5] According to the findings of the Arsenic Dushan Protirodh Committee (ADPC), a national-level NGO which aims to spread awareness of arsenic and prevent arsenic poisoning through water, found at least 70 tube-wells were reportedly supplying water highly contaminated with arsenic. The ADPC tested water from wells across Gaighata block in North 24-Parganas as well as urine samples of 100 school children.^[6]

The possibility of a low cost river water treatment plant utilizing water from Yamuna-Ichhamati at Gighata has been considered. However, this is not considered feasible because the river is highly polluted, costs would considerably increased because of installation of chemical treatment plant to remove pollutants, and the volume of water in the river in summer season is not sufficient.^[7]

Project Well, a NGO, is implementing a self-supporting community-based mitigation program in Gaighata to provide arsenic safe water by constructing 20 modified conventional dugwells along with education on water related health effects to change behaviour.^[8]

References