South 24 Parganas is an important district of West Bengal State with its district headquarters in Alipore. It has the urban fringe of Calcutta on one side and the remote riverine villages in the Sundarbans.

Agriculture, Industry and Pisciculture are all at their peak in the district.

Sundarbans, formerly Sunderbunds, is a vast tract of forest and saltwater swamp forming the lower part of the Ganges Delta, extending about 160 miles (260 km) along the Bay of Bengal from the Hooghly River Estuary (India) to the Meghna River Estuary in Bangladesh. The whole tract reaches inland for 60-80 miles (100-130 km).

A network of estuaries, tidal rivers, and creeks intersected by numerous channels, it encloses flat, marshy islands covered with dense forests. The name Sundarbans is perhaps derived from the term meaning "forest of sundari," a reference to the large mangrove tree that provides valuable fuel. Along the coast the forest passes into a mangrove swamp; the southern region, with numerous wild animals and crocodile-infested estuaries, is virtually uninhabited. It is one of the last preserves of the Bengal tiger and the site of a tiger preservation project. The cultivated northern area yields rice, sugarcane, timber, and betel nuts.

The region is also famous for some commonly domesticated livestock breeds which includes the Garole breed of sheep and Chinae hans or Muscuovy ducks, the Garole sheep is considered as the progenator of the Booroola merino sheep and is noted for its prolific character. However, the wool of the sheep which can be a valuable natural asset does not find any use among the natives.

Bakkhali beach resort located on one of the islands jutting out into the Bay of Bengal is gaining in popularity, with improvements in transport links with Kolkata.

Assembly constituencies

The district is divided into 32 assembly constituencies:¹

1. Gosaba (SC) (assembly constituency no. 100),
2. Basanti (SC) (assembly constituency no. 101),
3. Kultali (SC) (assembly constituency no. 102),
4. Jaynagar (assembly constituency no. 103),
5. Baruipur (assembly constituency no. 104),
6. Canning West (SC) (assembly constituency no. 105),
7. Canning East (assembly constituency no. 106),
8. Bhanagar (assembly constituency no. 107),
9. Jadavpur (assembly constituency no. 108),
10. Sonarpur (SC) (assembly constituency no. 109),
11. Bishnupur East (SC) (assembly constituency no. 110),
12. Bishnupur West (assembly constituency no. 111),
13. Behala East (assembly constituency no. 112),
14. Behala West (assembly constituency no. 113),
15. Garden Reach (assembly constituency no. 114),
16. Maheshtala (assembly constituency no. 115),
17. Budge Budge (assembly constituency no. 116),
18. Satgachia (assembly constituency no. 117),
19. Falta (assembly constituency no. 118),
20. Diamond Harbour (assembly constituency no. 119),
21. Magrahat West (assembly constituency no. 120),
22. Magrahat East (SC) (assembly constituency no. 121),
23. Mandirbazar (SC) (assembly constituency no. 122),
24. Mathurapur (assembly constituency no. 123),
25. Kulpi (SC) (assembly constituency no. 124),
26. Patharpratima (assembly constituency no. 125),
27. Kakdwip (assembly constituency no. 126),
28. Sagar (assembly constituency no. 127),
29. Kabitirtha (assembly constituency no. 147),
30. Alipore (assembly constituency no. 148),
31. Tollygunge (assembly constituency no. 150) and
32. Dhakuria (assembly constituency no. 151).

Gosaba, Basanti, Kultali, Canning West, Sonarpur, Bishnupur East, Magrahat East, Mandirbazar and Kulpi constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates. Along with one assembly constituency from North 24 Parganas district, Gosaba, Basanti, Kultali, Jaynagar, Canning West and Canning East assembly constituencies form the Joynagar (Lok Sabha constituency), which is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC). Baruipur, Jadavpur, Bishnupur East, Behala East, Behala West, Magrahat West and Kabitirtha constituencies form the Jadavpur (Lok Sabha constituency). Bishnupur West, Garden Reach, Maheshtala, Budge Budge, Satgachia, Falta and Diamond Harbour constituencies form the Diamond Harbour (Lok Sabha constituency). Magrahat East, Mandirbazar, Mathurapur, Kulpi, Patharpratima, Kakdwip and Sagar constituencies form the Mathurapur (Lok Sabha constituency), which is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC). Along with six assembly segments from North 24 Parganas district, Bhangar assembly constituency forms the Basirhat (Lok Sabha constituency). Along with three assembly constituencies from Kolkata district, Sonarpur, Alipore, Tollygunge and Dhakuria form the Calcutta South (Lok Sabha constituency).

Impact of delimitation of constituencies

As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the district will be divided into 31 assembly constituencies:²

1. Gosaba (SC) (assembly constituency no. 127),
2. Basanti (SC) (assembly constituency no. 128),
3. Kultali (SC) (assembly constituency no. 129),
4. Patharpratima (assembly constituency no. 130),
5. Kakdwip (assembly constituency no. 131),
6. Sagar (assembly constituency no. 132),
7. Kulpi (assembly constituency no. 133),
8. Raidighi (assembly constituency no. 134),
9. Mandirbazar (SC) (assembly constituency no. 135),
10. Jaynagar (SC) (assembly constituency no. 136),
11. Baruipur East (SC) (assembly constituency no. 137),
12. Canning West (SC) (assembly constituency no. 138),
13. Canning East (assembly constituency no. 139),
14. Baruipur West (assembly constituency no. 140),
15. Magrahat East (SC) (assembly constituency no. 142),
16. Magrahat West (assembly constituency no. 143),
17. Diamond Harbour (assembly constituency no. 144),
18. Falta (assembly constituency no. 118),
19. Satgachia (assembly constituency no. 117),
20. Bishnupur (SC) (assembly constituency no. 110),
21. Sonarpur South (assembly constituency no. 109),
22. Bhanagar (assembly constituency no. 107),
23. Kasba (assembly constituency no. 107),
24. Jadavpur (assembly constituency no. 108),
25. Sonarpur North (assembly constituency no. 109),
26. Tollygunge (assembly constituency no. 150) and
27. Behala East (assembly constituency no. 112),
28. Behala West (assembly constituency no. 113),
29. Maheshtala (assembly constituency no. 115),
30. Budge Budge (assembly constituency no. 116),
31. Metiaburuz (assembly constituency no. 147),

Gosaba, Basanti, Kultali, Mandirbazar, Jaynagar, Baruipur East, Magrahat East and Bishnupur constituencies will be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates. Gosaba, Basanti, Kultali, Jaynagar, Canning West, Canning East and Magrahat East assembly constituencies will form the Jaynagar (Lok Sabha constituency), which will be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC). Patharpratima, Kakdwip, Sagar, Kulpi, Raidighi, Mandirbazar and Magrahat West constituencies will form the Mathurapur (Lok Sabha constituency), which will be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC). Diamond Harbour, Falta, Satgachia, Bishnupur, Maheshtala, Budge Budge and Metiaburuz constituencies will form the Diamond Harbour (Lok Sabha constituency). Baruipur East, Baruipur West, Sonarpur South, Bhangar, Jadavpur, Sonarpur North and Tollyganj constituencies will form the Jadavpur (Lok Sabha constituency). Along with six assembly segments from North 24 Parganas district, Bhangar assembly constituency forms the Basirhat (Lok Sabha constituency). Along with four assembly constituencies from Kolkata district, Kasba, Behala East and Behala West will form the Calcutta South (Lok Sabha constituency).

References

External links

• South 24 Parganas district official website - homepage
• A travel article on Dhosa & Tilpi by Rangan Datta
• A travel Article on Frazerganj by Rangan Datta
• A travel article on Achipur by Rangan Datta
• Rangan Datta's Home Page
• Pictures of Ganga Sagar
• Pictures of Ganga Sagar Mela 2007
• Pictures of Ganga Sagar Mela 2008

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