CENSUS OF INDIA 1981
SERIES-23 WEST BENGAL Part X (8)
TOWN SURVEY REPORT KRISHNAPUR
Investigation and Drafting: Gour Chandra Bagcbi
Editing and Guidance : Sukumar Sinha TOWN SURVEY REPORT KRISHNAPUR
Assistance in Investigation and Tabulation: Sri Samarendra Nath Mondal Assistant Compiler
Preparation of Maps Sri Subir Kumar Chatterjee Draftsman
Photography ~ Sri Arunabha Datta Investigator Sri Manas Kumar Mitra Computor
FOREWORD
Apart from the decennial enumeration of population, the Indian Census is steeped in the tradition of undertaking a variety of studies of topical interest. In fact, the publications brought out in connection with the earlier censuses contained verita~le mines of informa tion on racial, cultural, linguistic and anum ber of other aspects of hfe of the people of this country. With the advent of freedom, however, the scope and dimension of these , special studies had to be restructured in a manner that would provide the basic feedbacks on the processes of development taking place in different spheres of life of the people especially under planned development.
Thus, in connection with the 1961 Census, a massive programme was launched inter-alia to conduct socia-economic survey of about 500 villages ·selected from different parts of the country. The main objective of this study was to know the way .of life of the people living in Indian villages which accounted for 80 per cent of the total population as per 1961 Census. There was, however, an imperative need to extend the area of the study to urban centres as well, to provide a complete coverage of the people living in diverse socia-economic condition. It was with this objective in view ancillary studies on town were launched as part of the social studies programme in connection with the 1971 Census.
The programme of social studies taken up in connection with the 1971 Census, was continued without any major change at the 1981 Census as well. A study on traditional rural based handicrafts was, however, added as a new item under the social study projects of the 1981 Census. For the conduct of urban study, 64 srp.aU and medium towns were selected from different parts of the country following the criteria such as (a) size, (b) demographic features, (c) funFtional characteristics, (d) specific industry or occupation dominating the economy, (e) location, (f) concentration of different castes and commu nities and (g) other social and cultural phenomenon like temple town, health resort, etc.
The research design, tools for data collection and formats for data tabulation and report writing required for urban studies were originally formulated by Dr. B. K. Roy Burman, the then Deputy Registrar General, Social Studies Division. His successor, Dr. N. G. Nag took considerable pains to revise all the formats to make them more comprehensive. Dr. K. P. Ittaman, the present Deputy Registrar General, heading Social Studies Division, coordinated these studies at different levels as well as rendered necessary guidance to the Directorate of .Census Operations for their successful consummation. Shri M. K. Jain, Senior Research Officer with the able assistance of Investigators, Shri R. K. Mehta 'and his colleagues did a commendable job in scrutinising the reports and communicating the comments thereon to the Directorates. I am grateful to all of them.
. The present report is the outcome of a study on Krishnapur town undertaken by the Dlrector of Census Operations, West Bengal. I am indebted to Shri Sukumar Sinha Joint Director and his colleagues in the Census Directorate for their painstaking efforts i~ bringing out this report.
New Delhi, V. S. VERMA The 1st of June, 1988 Registrar Geneml. India
The present monograph recounts the unadorned tale of the silent birth of an un known town without the trauma of a pang but strangely enough, without also any fanfare from the people all around. Everyone was then rapturously watching the future rise of a new rich city out of the salty waters of the marshy area beside. Dreamy eyes were glued on the foundation of the city to be born, tenderly hoping for a cosy nook there. But, people, more prosaic and realistic, calculating and materialistic, did not wait for the day to be rudely awakened from their dreams. Instead, they fixed their ravenous attention on the tiny village undergoing the metamorph03is into an urban entity long before the second area was consecrated as a township which again, one may not believe, had partially accelerated the birth and growth of the former one earlier.
The rendition about Krishnapur town on which the present monograph is based cannot ignore, on the one hand, the emergence of Bidhan Nagar Township, popularly known as Salt Lake City, and on the other, the history and background of the city of Calcutta and its sprawling urban continuum, which together in Census parlance go in the name of Calcutta Urban Agglomeration covering five (now six) districts including Calcutta and encompassing 107 towns of all sizes (area-wise and demographically) and of different status, statutory and non-statutory in 1981. Incidentally, both Krishnapur town and Bidhan Nagar Town ship, in the present North 24-Parganas district, constitute the suburbia of Calcutta City, being located in the Calcutta Urban Agglomeration. Both the non-municipal towns belong ing to' the category III size (with population ranging between 25,000 to 49,999) are each other's neighbours. While Bidhan Nagar Township with a planned origin under the nursing care of the State Government formally came into being in 1981 adjoining Calcutta, Krishnapur town adjoining Bidhan . Nagar Township had cast off its rural scales in 1971 and grew up unattended and uncared for. Ironically enough, the people from Calcutta and other urban areas rushed to both the towns but the inmigrants to the two were of different classes and breeds. Bidhan Nagar Township attracted the rich, the profes sionals and the higher income-groups and became the cynosure of people all over India and even of non-resident Indians abroad. Krishnapur with its core rural fishermen and farmers, middle and low income groups from Calcutta and other nearby towns scribbled the modest scroll of its humble beginning. \Vhy this happened is another story. The semina] question is why and how the new towns originated and also, what the relationship 9f these towns with each other and with the primate city of Calcutta is at present and wil1 be in the days to come.
To answer the questions one has to look back into the past history of Calcutta, once the diadem on the crown of British India and analyse the burgeoning growth of the levia than-like Calcutta Urban Agglomeration. Interestingly however, Calcutta City too grew from three marshy villages which had once been the abodes of tawny aboriginal fishers. 'hunters, wood-cutters and falconers'. According to Hamilton, the estimated' popUlation of Calcutta was 12,000 in 1710 and the same rose to 470,835 in 18911. Thereafter, the city never paused. It sheltered in course of ahout nine decades the prodigious population of 3,305.006 in 1981. The city had donned the distinctive cap of a metropolitan city with population of one million or more for the first time in 1911. Within three decades tht; city - - 1 Cenf'US of India, 1901, Vol. VII. Calcutta. Town and Suburbia. Part-I, ShQrt History of Calcut~a by J}, . .K. Ray. Bengal Secretariat Pre~s. Calc\ltta. 19021 pp. 59-60, - 9 Census/88-1! (x) attained the population size of two million plus and after three more decades reached the three million mark. But from 1961 onwards the decadal growth-rate substantially declined from 24.50 per cent in 1941-51 to 8.48 per cent in 1951-61, and from 7:5'':1 .per cent in 1961-71 to 4.96 per cent in 1971-81. In contrast, the Calcutta Urban Agglomeration did not only enlarge its area and population-size but also registered substantially much higher decadal growth-rate than that of Calcutta. It may logically lead to the .qJuestiion if 'the seat >of economic and social power 'of 'Calcutta .had shifted to some other f)1ace wi~hin the Calcutta Urban A·gglomenition so as to set in operation the phenomenon, .to unclerstand which 'one has to analyse the situation a Httle more deeply. 'iIlhe 'Seeds ·(!)f ·urbanisation .in the colonial model were broadcast by the British along the riV6fine cont:Be of the H l\gli ·on both the banks, though Caloutta ruled as the doyen not sim]!lly with its .ftalmting prestige as the capital of the British Raj in India till 1911, but also with its :pr.ime Ilm:p0rtance as a trading port-town through whioh the exports and imports succoured the ·ma.pttime British colonial trade and the mercantilist imperialist pGwer. Therefore, the advent .of It·he industrial towns in the immediate neighbourhood of 'Calcutta and the br..aohia:ti0ll of a number of administrative and trarnng towns beyond, articulating the v.ast I1U't411 hinterland to the urban frame-work, was a logical sequence of events emanating from British policy. The contours of the urhan areas around Calcutta had cast the die to u.ltimately provide the skeletal support to the Calcutta Urban Agglomeration of 1'971 and ,1'981. That Calcutta dominated the scene if, substantiated by the demograpbic '}!>roiile . iBut what sort of towns are born? Do -they have any ;intrinsic economic ,force ,to sustain themselves? If not, are they appendages to some big cities or large ·towns? Are ------_ • La Quedion Demographiaue-Les Movements Tendancizis bv f:llkumar Sinha in 'Cal£'utta' edite1 by Jean Racine. Editions de 1a Maison des Sciences de I'homme. Paris. 1986, DP. 157-173. 'Urbanisation in West Ben~al: An lntronllction r"v Biplab Dasgupta in ·Urbanisation. Migration and Rural Change' edited by Biplab Dasgupta, A Mukherjee Co. Pvt. Ltd., Calcuttp, 1988, p. 27. 'Ibid. p. 18. (xi) 1r.btse- tQWIlB ~nrlowec1 with, the. basic urban infrastFUcture& to support the residents and assure them the minimum civic, educational, cultUFal and social amenities and services? llhe- U1!EmIll canvass .0:fr West Bengal in 1971 has been examined illJ some details critically and ~ has been observed that the differential in· the quality of rural and urban life has been one on degr~ 0nly.5 Furthermore, despite the spurt in the rise of towns -in West ffiel11:gah illll the· post-ind-epend.en~ period, very few were born statutorily, that is, with an urban. civil; body· like;- a IDunicipality, corporation etc. r; 0f the 107' conStituent towns in 1981 in the C!:ltIA, aH the 3-1 towns were born in the period ff0m 19EH-31 0941 being a barrellJ )rear for To r.etUl:n to Kr.ishnapur, the study has ma~e an attempt to rive open many; such i6sues> w1.1illh 'ilemand careful policy decisions. In. the absence oE the decisions, the people in these towns with their economic, social, cultural and educati(:mal umt>ilical cords with Calcutta City or Bidhan Nagar Township or some such planned urban areas or some other indUstrrial' towns. still unsnapped will not only continue to grow in these dormitory commuters' settlements nursing linkages with the city of Calcutta indefinitely but will degenerate lut0 uu};an. satltllites of the metropolis. Krishnapur, basically a rural settlement, masquerades wi~ an urban. facade. Its wrban: transition notwithstanding, it looks in the baekdrop of salt I.,ake' eity like a rich. town's poor neighbour. 'Fhe' population growth of the town without? its; 0wn sel:e.sustaining institutions will not inv.est the: people with a, robust self confidence and a personality to solve their own problems. The journey of the people to CCalcut1a and 0ther big towns for economic pursuits, socio-cultura! fulfihn~nt willi: leave 0ft\1~ Lew. flOUt'S at!' night fotT a restful sleep. The residents wilt hardly strike- roots- in KFishnapuF and' wilt bask under the sunshine of Calcutta City or Bidhan Nagar Township f-011' many mm:e year,s to come. But what will be the future shape, forITh and" s-pirit ? II :tn a~c@rdance with. a programme in 1981 Censu~ sponsored, by the Registrar General, f-ndia., three- t0wns in West Etengal, namely, Krishnapur, Uttarpara-Kotrung: and MaIQia have been selected for the survey. The survey has been conducted in Krishnapur: in 1-9.$36-~~ by Sri Gour Chandra Bagchi, Investigator, assisted by Sri Samarendra Nath MondaI, Assis~ant' C0mpil'er. 'Fhe main survey with structured schedules on the tQwn anCi} house- 1i0Ms- was supplemented by a few more visits in ];98'8. The pres~nt mon0graph. is. based on the findings 0~ the survey. The opinions expresslld here or in the lllDnograpb., howeveF, de noe repFesem the views of p0lices of the government,. eitlier State on Central'. The objectives of the survey have been clearly enunciated by the Registrar (Jeneral, India in his 1to]jew.or~ preceding this dissertation. Suffice it to say, that to study and analyse. the life, of a town, ana its people is. not an easy task. A set of schedules is not • How l!Trban is Uroazt West Bengal by Sukumar Sinha in 'Urbanisation, Migration and, Rural Change' edited J)y, Biplab Dasgupta, op. cit. pp. 166-173, "Ibid. (xii ) enough to fathom the depths of the human mind in any place, fllm1 or urbah, when all area with its people is subjected to innumerable currents and cross-currents flowing fmm personal, social, psychological, cultural, economic and political factors. More often than once, data and information collected on the basis of schedules have been supplemented by t-he insight gained by observation of and participation in the drama of life in Krishnapur. In this respect the association of Sri Samarendra N ath Mondal who happens to be a Tesi<;lent. of the town, has added considerable value to the present investigation by fortifying our observations and analysis of data by an insider's intimate knowledge and experience about the town and its people. There may still remain some gaps here and there but they are mostly unintentional, partly due to human aberrations. The faults and blemishes, if any, it is apologetically hoped, will not detract from the monograph the merits that it may still have. III Since any study of the present kind cannot be conceived, far less consummated, with the cooperation, interest and assistance from the people, we owe a deep sense of gratitude to the residents of Krishnapur in general and to the respondents in particular. We sincerely thank the institutions in the town and outside agencies of the governments, botb State and Central, and many other voluntary organisations and associations inside the town and outside. Special mention must be made of two senior citizens of the town, Sri Khagendra Nath MondaI, a former M. L. A., and Sri Prafulla Mullick, a freedom-fighter. They enlightened us about the past history of Krishnapur and helped us whenever we approached them. We are grateful to them. Shri V. S. Verma, Registrar General, In~ia with the magical touch of his personality galvanised us into action and quickened the pace of 'Work by mildly nudging us with the issue of inspiring letters, whenever demands of other work slackened the progress. His gentle reminders to hasten the work however exhorted us not to lose sight of the quality of the report. The accomplishment of work, if with any quality, is but the outcome of his constant monitoring. I acknowledge his inspiring leadership in silent reverence. Dr. N. G. Nag, former Deputy Registrar General, India and Dr. K.. P. Ittaman, the p!~sent Deputy Registrar General, India, both in charge of Social Studies Diyision, Shri M. K. Jain, Senior Research Officer and Sm. Suman Prashar~ Asstt. Director, Office of the Registrar General, India, assisted us with critical suggestions and helpful comments from time to time to add to the value of the present monograph. I gratefully acknowledge their assistance. Dr: B. K. Roy, Deputy Registrar General, India, Map Division, In the Office of the Reg;istrar General, India, had technically scrutinized t~e two maps included in the pre- sent monograph. I recall his kind help thankfully. \ ., , My colleague, Shri A. K. Dutta, Deputy Director of Census Operat.ions, West Bengal, has added a new dimension to the study of, the town by kindly contributing a scholarly paper entitled, "Urban Potentials Arollnd Calcutta and Strategy For Planning-Study In Rural Continuum", included in the Appendix. Shri Dutta with his erudite knowledge offered his critical comments from time to time. I am indeed thankful to him for his scholarly contribution and help . . Shri Gour Chandra Bagchi, Investigator, enthusiastically took up the study of the town as a challenging task. Shri Bagchi was assisted in the field initially by Shri Sushanta Raye, lrivestigat0r, in covering the establishments in the town. Shri Bagchi was 'also assisted in the field by Shri Samarendra Nath MondaI, Asstt. Compiler, during the· canvassing of (xiii ) schedules and coiiection of data. Furthermore, S_hri Mondal prepared the tables included in the monograph. Shri Arunabha Datta, former investigator, and Sri Manas Kumar Mitra, Computor, enriched the report with their photographic coverage. Sri Swap an Kumar Guha, Investigator, helped us by providing many published Census tables and other Census papers for consultation before and during the investigation. Sm. Namita Roy, Librarian never ceased to quench our bibliographic thirst. Sri Dipankar Sen, Investigator, entrusted with the Handicrafts Studies, did not hesitate to offer his comments on the draft. Sri Subir Kr. Chatterjee, Draftsman, prepared two maps included in the monograph. Sm. Dipti Rudra, Senior Stenographer and Sri Dilip Banerjee, Junior Stenographer took down dictated notes covering some chapters of the monograph and also prepared portions of the typed copies from the manuscripts. Sri Sunil Kumar Patra, Typist, typed the major part of the manuscript and Sri Moti Lal Chakraborty, Typist, typed some of the tables included in the monograph. Sri Mohan Lal Chandra, Statistical Assistant had compared the typed sheets. Sri Nikhil Ch. Nag, Daftry, bound the manuscript into a neat volume. Sri Himangshu Saha Choudhury, Printing Inspector, press-edited the manuscript. Sri Arun Kumar Roy, Investigator, immensely helped us by kindly getting the cover design prepared by his friend Sri Jitend-ra Kumar Das, Artist, as a labour of love. Shri Jitendra Kumar Das had also drawn the cover design for the jacket of the Fairs and Festivals of West Bengal (Volume 2) in 1961 Census. I remain grateful to Shri Das for his artistic contribution. Any study of the present kind cannot be the handiwork of an individual. The present monograph is a living testimony to the combined efforts of all the colleagues men tioned earlier. The contribution of everyone is great in its own way. Being the captain of the team, I feel honoured to be associated with the study as an editor and a guide and pay my hearty regards and gratitude to all my colleagues here and in Delhi. I propose to thank Shri B. P. Jain, Deputy Director (Printing) in the Office of the Registrar General, India, and his colleagues for making this volume see the light of the day in a printed form. The birth of a book calls for dedicated involvement of the printer. The Government of India Press at Santragachi headed by Sri A. K. Ghatak, Manager, and assisted by B. K. Ghosh have done an excellent job in attending to the printing work with alacrity. But, I have been touched by the labour of love from among otherl' who spared no pains in attending to this work with dedication and sincerity. Sri Himangshu Saha Chow dhury, Printing Inspector, not only attended to the proof-reading work, preparation of lay outs, arrangement of blocks and so on and so forth, but also maintained a very warm and cordial relationship with the Press. Shri A. K. Dutta, Deputy Director of Census Opera tions, West Bengal, was also keen to see the progress. I pay my respect to all. Sukumar Siuha Calcutta, Joint Director of Census Operations, The 4th September, 1988. West Bengal Ca,N'fENTS Page FOREWORD (vii) PREFACE (ix) CHAPTER·I : Introduction (1-9) Prolegomenon-Location-T<.'1tai population --To pography .and physical, environment-Flora and fauna-climate-Communication with ather p1aces Morphology inc'ludirrg streets-Functional al'eas Residential area-Administrative .area-'Bus.iness and CommerCial area-InClustrial .area-Land use pattern-Important public places-Resiaen tial pattern-Slums and b1ighted .areas CHAPTER-II History of Growth of the Town (Ii-17) Myth, legend or history-Pre-urbanisation days Growth of J:he town-Partition of' india and its altermath-Birth of'Sah Lake City (Bidhan Nagar Township) -Opening of V. I. P. Road :(Kazi Nazrul Islam Sarani)-Changes in land-Utilization pattern-Changes in popUlation characteristics Variation in land price-Extent of speCUlation in land-History of inmigration and outmigration CHAPTER·III : Amenities and Services-History uf Growth and (19-28) the PreseRt PMitiQD Offices aned statnto>ry .booies-W,ater suppJy- ConservaIlc:y-'B@W01'-R0acJlightillg-'!['lfansport and ComInllriication-iBost ,ancJ 'felegrapns--Flre service--S CHAPTER·IV : Economic Lik 1)f tHe 'I'(MVD (29-49) Sources of data-'Me1ihodology Ifor survey~CGn0- my of the rt":wn-WoIlking :foroe--Wor.k:ers ~is.,a· vis industriial ,cmege:ries-Wiorking {0fce -vis-a-vis Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes-Workers by age-groups and Sex-Type of occupation vis-a vis age-groups and Sex-'i£'ype households and duration of residence-Workers Page and non-workers classified by place of last resi dence-Migrants classified by occupational division of the workers and place of- last residence Number of members by migration status and place of birth of head of households-Number of men bers by migration status and place of last residence of heads-Households by longest stay of any members-Last residence related to place of birth-Migration status of households hailing from outside-Characteristics of the place of origin of migration and reasons for migration Characteristics of the places of successive migra tions-Property at the place from where migrat ed--Close relations at the ,place from where migra ted-Unit of migration, Help received from various sources during migration-Problems faced d-uring or after migration (77-82) CHAPTER.VII : Neighbourhood Pattern Introduction-localities studied-Ethnic and Socio-economic background of the locqlities Problems faced by households-Identification of neighbourhoods and their characteristics-Socio cultural and religious activities inside and outside the neighbourhoods-Socio-economic linkage with in and outside the neighbo:urhood-The town and its constituent neighbourhoods (83-87) CHAPTER·VIII Family life in the town Introduction-Composition of households by num ber of members and age of heads-Households by relationship with heads-Households by number of members-Composition by age and 'lex-Type of households and correlates-Type of households and its correlation with Castes-Type of house holds correlated to levels of education and occupa tion of heads of households-Composition of house. holds by country, State, religion, caste and language-Members staying outside. reasons, nature of link with the households-Remittance received from and sent outside (89-96) CHAPTER·IX Housing and material culture Introduction-Relation of selected houses with ad, joining houses in space-Nature of use of houses-· Floor position of houses and problems-Holl;se-· types and predominant materials of houses~N:um· ber of rooms~Floor space_Amenities-Te'nur::l1 status-Furniture-Light and fuel-LuXury goods-Dress 9 Census/88_IIl xviii CHAPTER-X Slums, ,Blighted and other areas with sub~tandard Page living conditions . (89-102) Introduction-History and circumstances of growth and existence-Ethnic group-Settlement history and external linkage---Nature of pouseholds Distribution of households by number of members and size of family-Type of households-Type of occupations-'Percentage of . workers-Types of occupatiph- CHAPTER-XI Organisation of Power and Prestige (103-110) Political mobilization-Elite structure-Political mobilization and activities-Voting behaviour 'of the population-Voting behaviour in the last Pan chayat Election-Voting behaviour, in the .-last Assembly Election, 1987-Responses regarding persons considered prestigious and' influentia1- Influential per~ons-.Respected persons CHAPTER-XII Leisure and Recrea.tion, Soci~l Pat~cipatioil, (111-122) Social Awareness,. Religion and Ciit~le Introd'uction - Parks - Playgrounds - ClUbs - Ankur Recreation Club-Krishnapur sporting club-Milan Mandir-Yubak Samity-Sabujo daya Sangha-Iagrata Sangha-Mifan Samity_:_': Pallisree Sangha-Milan Sangha (Paschim Nara yanta1a)-PaUisr~ Sangha (Paschim Narayan tala)-Sporting Club-Udyan Sangha-l'ffl-rayan tala Byayam Samity-Masterda Smriti Sangha-· Swagatam Club-Swamiji .smriti Sangha-.Udaya. Sangha (BagjQla)-Siva-Kali Sa.ngha-.l:ibra- ries-Cinema-Theatre-Sports Tournarp.ent: Music Conference--rN~~spapers, Jo.urnal~. etc. Nature of leisure-time activities-Religious insti: ~ tutions and religious activities-Religious activities of the Hindus-Raj-l{ajeswari-Siva temple-. Nayapati Barimi tem!_Jl~ani temple Temple of Sitala-Karunamoyee Kali temple Prafulla Kanan Kali temple-Ghoshpara.!'Cali tem ple-Temple of Siva-Kali-Temple of Siva" and Radha-Kdshna Yagapith temple-Omkareswar temple-Janakalyan Sanghashram-H~ri sha bhas-Religious-institutions and ceremomes of the Christian~Emman}.lel-Ghurd.l-.A.ssembly of. God. Chw-ch-lIoly-Pamily Chur~h-CriJ!l~ stafisti.c~:-::-_ Social Awar~lTes~"_r\ttitude towards famIly. PlfJnnin~ . XIX. . CHAPTER-XIII Linkages and Continua Page Introduction-General demographie and economic (123-130) characteristics of North Eastern MetropoJitan Region-Urban centres-System of transport and communications-Main productive aeti-vities General demographic and economic characteristics of the Sub-region-Special Socio-economic and cultural relations with other towns ef the region- Marital Zone--Travel Index of the population-- . Particulars of places [mm/to wherefrom :md whereto people commute for earning livelihood Marketing- of commedities-PaFticipatibn in Ciue rna and other entertainments-Reading in Educa tional institutions-Obtaining medical facilities Particulars of f)laces outside the town for plying of rickshaws and vending of newspapers-Demo graphic and other char,!-cteristics of the villages in the periphery of the town CHAPTER-XIV Conclusion (131-135) Composite status Approach-Economic Categori zation of the Sample households A P PEN D I X-l (137-143) Urban Potential of the Rural Areas around Cal cutta and strategy for planning-study in Rural Urban continuum .by A. K. Dutta, Dy. DiFector of Census Operations, West Bengal APPENDIX-II (145-203) Tables numbering 1 to ~6 Table f Distribution of WGf.kers. and· nOB.-wor"keFs 9¥-Se1f 2 Distribution of workers by industrial categories 3 Distribution of workers by Sex and Industrial category in Sample households 4 Distribution of workers in different age-groups (197-1 Census) 5 Distribution of workers by age-groups and Sex (in Sample households) 6 Distribution of workers by type of 'occupatibns, Sex and age-groups in sample households . xx 7 Distribution of workers by type of occupatio_n and level' of education by Sex in sample households 8 Distribution of workers by Caste and Sex in Sample households 9 Distribution of households by employment Depths ] 0 Employment status of workers by locality and Sex 11 Types of occupation and distance from place of work by locality 12 Type of occupation, mode of transport of place of work and time 13 Number of persons seeking employment for the first time by age, sex and educational level 14 Persons seeking employment by age, sex, educational kvel and registered with Employment Exchange 15 Locations of other than household manufacturing establishments 16 Location of household manufacturing establishments 17 Distribution of manufacturing establishments by number of workers 18 'Other than household' manufacturing establishment classified by registered factories, unregistered workshops and size employment 19 Classification of establishments 20 Location of the trading and commercial establishments 21 Community, Social and Personal Services qnd other establishments, classified by number of workers 22 Duration of establishments 23 Distribution of establi~hments l}y language, religion and caste ot owners 24 Establishments by volume of transactions 25 Age, Sex and marital status (Sample households) 26 Distribution of population by age, sex and educational level (sample households) x~i Table Page 27 Age-at-marriage as related to educational level 28 Average age-at-marriage as related to educational level and time of marriage 29 Educational standard among individual Scheduled Castes (Sample households) 30 Knowledge of subsidiary language and educational score 31 Community-wise distribution of defaulting households 32 Distribution of households by locality and place of birth of heads of households 33 Migrants by l'lace of last residence and educational level 34 Classification of the Migrant Workers by Occupational Divisions and Last Residence 3S Distribution of households by number of members, migration and place of birth of head of households 36 Distribution of households by number of members, mi gration Status and last residence of head of households - 37 Distribution of households by migration status and duration of stay of any member who has stayed longest 38 Place of last residence of members related to place of birth 39 Migration Stages of households hailing from outside 40 Broad Category of place from where the household hai1s, time and reason for leaving the place of origin 41 Broad Category of place from where the household hails, time and reason of migration to the referrent town 42 Places of work of workers in Sample households 43 Relf!tionship with heads of households 44 Composition of households by age and sex status of mem bers vis-a-vis migration status and place of birth of head of households - 45 Distribution of households by Caste/Tribe/Community of head of households xxii T~e h~ 46 Distribution of households by locality .and Djs trict/State/Country of the origin of households 47 Particulars of family members staying outside by age and relation to heads of households 48 Relation of selected houses with adjoining houses b)' locality 49 Distribution of houses by predominant materials by locality 50 Households class.ified by number of members, No. of rooms and locality 51 Households classified. by No. Qf marriecl couples with aoo without other member aged five or more and No. of rooms occupied· by them~ 52 Households classified by locality and per capita floor space 53 Availability of amenities by locality 54 Existence of furnitute by locality and duration of stay in the present residence 55 Materials of Utensils for serving food by lo:cality 56 Presence of lux.ury and costly goods by locality 57 List of members of Mahisbathan Gram Panchayat-I (as per Election in August, 1983) 58 List of members of Mahisbathan -Gram Panchayat-II (as per Election in 1983) 59 Voting pattern in the last Panchayat iBlection:in 1~83 60 Influential Persons of the town 61 Respected Persons in the town 62 Demographic characteristics of the North Eastern Metro politan Region (1981 Census) 63 Economic characteristics of the North Eastern Metto politan Region (1981 Census) 64 Economic and DemographIc ..characterjstics of Dum~Dl1m Rajarhat Sub-Region 65 MarHaI Zone 66 Socio-Economic and Demographic characteristics of selected villages XKlll -tfsf of main Tables Page Table I. 1 Population of Krishnapur II. 1 Population of characteristics of'Krishnapur 1951-81 II. 2 Variation in land price Ill. 1 Consumption of electriCity (l9S5-"8fj) III. 2 Progress in electrification lIT. 3 Postal transactions in 1985 III. 4 Income of Mahishbathan Gram Panchayats for 1984-85 III. 5 Expenditures of the Panchayats during 1984J 85 III. 6 Details of Primary Schools III. 7 Kindergarten Schools IV. 1 Percentage distribution of workers in re-grouped indus trial categories IV. 2 Percentage of workers-1971 and 19R1 Census IV. 3 Participation in working force (Sample households) IV. 4 Percentage of workers 'in- different industrial categories- 1971 IV. 5 Percentage of workers -in different industrial categories (c;ample households) IV. 6 Statistics about professionals {V. 7 Workers having ~econdary occupations IV. 8 Occupational Mobility with reference to the occupations pursued by the Fathe:t: and Son IV. 9 Oc«upational diversity with reference to the occupations Pllfsued by the Husband ~nd the Wife ~... :'....." . IV.I0 Occupational diver~.ty between tno occupations pursued by Brother i IV.II LiRt m &tabliB.bments IV.12 Wo~ength in ~cturing establishments xxiv Table 1V.13 Trading establishments by size of employment 1V.14 Livestocks statistics V. 1 Distribution of population according to religion V. 2 Distribution of population by mother tongue V. 3 Distribution of population into Scheduled Castes an.i Scheduled Tribes V. 4 Break-up of the Scheduled Caste population (1971) V. 5 Distribution of Scheduled Caste population (sample households) V. 6 Age and Sex-wise population (l97I) V. 7 Literates in different Censuses V. 8 Age-at-marriage among the Caste Hindus and the Scheduled Castes V. 9 Detaile;; of Inter-caste marriage in the town V.lO Progress of literacy among the Scheduled Castes V.l1 Progress of literacy among the Scheduled Tribes V.12 Percentage of literates among individual Scheduled Castes (1971) V.13 Educational standard among Scheduled Castes and others V.14 Educational level by mother tongue V.15 Educational scores VI. 1 Distribution of population by places of birth (sample households) VI. 2 Migrants classified by place of last residence and dur:'iion of re!'idence in the town. VI. 3 Place of last residence of Heads and duration of r~sidence VI. 4 Two-stage migration VI. 5 Three-stage migration VI. 6 Four-stage migration xxv Table Page VI. 7 Close relations left behind VIII. 1 Composition of households by number of members VIII. 2 Households by number of persons VIII. 3 Correlation of type of households with type of occupation (If the heads of households IX. 1 Distribution of House-types in different localities IX. 2 Locality-wise persons per room IX. 3 Tenural status of households IX. 4 Possessions of costly items of furniture by households in different localities IX. 5 DHIerent items of light X. 1 Different ethnic groups in the blighted areas X. 2 Distribution of households by number of members and size of family X. 3 Type ot households X. 4 Percentage of workers in the shanties X. 5 Types of occupation in blighted areas X. 6 Ranges of rent XI. 1 Office-bearers of C.P.I.(M) (Unit 1) XI. 2 Office-bearers of C.P.I.(M) (Unit 2) XI. 3 List of members of the Rajarhat Panchayat Samity XI. 4 Percentage of votes polled by different political parties in 1987 Assembly Election XI. 5 Correlates of influential persons-Age and occupation XI. 6 Correlates of respected persons-Age and occupation XII. 1 Details of clubs XII. 2 Details of newspapers and periodicals XII. 3 Crime statistics 9 Census/88-IV :::rxvi 'f,a-ble Page xnI. 1 Travel Index XIV. 1 Economic classes of the people List o[ Maps 1 National Map of Krishnapur Town Facing page 2 North Eastern Metropolitan Re.gion .including Dum .Dum Facing !page Rajarhat Sub-Region Chapter XIII List of Photographs 1 KIishnapur comes into view 2 From atop a building a view of new Krishnapur 3 A view of Purba Narayantala 4 Part of Bagjola Refugee Camp --.I 5 The Pucca road separates Salt Lake City from Naya U>ati 6 The Najrul Islam Sarani (The V.I.P. tRoad) on way -to Dum Dum Airport . 7 Krjshnapur Road leading to Mission Bazar in the eastern extremity '8 Krishnapur Road near Rajbanshi Para '9 Kr lsnnapur Capal marks the great div.iding line b~tween the unplanned Krishnapur town and Salt Lake CIty 10 A wooden bridge over Bagjo1a Canal links ~agjola Refugee Camp with the back side of Rabindra .palll 11 Bus Terminus on V. I. P. Road at Baguihati serving Krishnapur too 12 Passengers waiting for the right bus at a stoppage on V.1. P. Road 13 Crowded thoroughfare on Baguihati Road-on the right hand side lies Krishnapur Town 14 A bullock cart lumbering along Baguihati Road ~xvii Page 15 DUSKY return of a cycle-rickshaw over the wooden bridge on Bagjola Canal 16 Ferrying back hpl11e from Salt L*e City 17 The calf and its keeper awaiting the boatman 18 Cycles can ply on roads but not on water 19 Not a junkyard but a garage for the bicycles 20 Office of the town-fathers----Mahi&hbathan Gram tPan chayat No. I 21 Seat of civic power-Office of ·~he ,Mahishbathan Gr<\J;11 Panchayat No. II 22 The sleepy canal-side toll office at -Kudghat 23 The Branch office of ~he united Bank of India 24 Prafulla Kanan Post Office 25 Houses of the nee-settlers of middle income group in Paschim Narayantala 26 A cluster of hutments of the Rajbanshi-Tiyars in Nayapati 27 A cluster of hutments 9f the Rajbanshi-Tiyars in Old Krishnapur 28&29 Two views of Bagjola Refugee Camps in Purba Narayan tala 30 A distant view of hutments of the displaced persons .jn Siddhartha Colony 31 Ownership flats on the rise in Rabindra palli 32 Ownership flats in the making in Paschim Narayantala for the affluent 33 A shanty on the V .1. P. Road 34 A modern house of the rich in ,Pasqh;m Narayaptq_la 35 A bouse-type of the uppe~-incom.e_groupjn,P.rafulla K~nan 36 A house-type qf the tp.iddle-~ncome gr0l!P in Ghosh Pam 37 The house of an old rkh fish-monger, )10~ in ruins 38 House-type of the di~pm.ced lpe~SPAS in Catpp Nl;lmber Three' xxviii Page: 39 A house-type of the Rajbanshi-Tiyart in Nayapati 40 A tank in Prafulla Kanan being used for bathing, washing and cooking 41 A tank in Mondal Para in use for a bath 42 Tubewell used for drinking water 43 Improvised latrines on canal side used by the displaced persons 44 Along the Bagjola Canal flow the sewerage waters of Calcutta 45 The abandoned Health Centre in Camp No. Three, now in occupation of Squatters 46 Factory of the Haneiman Laboratories Ltd.-Preparing homoeopathic medicines 47 A mosaic tile factory in Prafulla Kanan 48 A distant view of the old market in Mission Bazar 49&50 Two views of the grain markets of the town 51 A garage by the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority in the town for the repair of concrete mixers,. road-rollers, dumpers, etc. 52 Temple of Radha Krishna of Jana Kalyan Sanghasram in Purba Narayantala 53 The temple of Lord Siva in Paschim Narayantala 54 The temple of Sitala in Ghosh Para 55 The temple of Baruni in Nayapati 56 The temple of Kali at Prafulla KanaIl' 57 The Emmanuel Church at Mission Bazar 58 The Kshudiram Smrity Library in' Ghosh Para 59 Side view of the two High Schools-one for boys and another for girls in Praful1a Kanan 60 Uma Sankar Mission School in Paschim Narayantala 61 Primary School at Nayapati XXIX Page 62 Assembly of God Church School (Primary) in Christian Para 63 Krishnapur Yubak Samity, a club in Mondal Para 64 Uday Sangha, a club in Bagjola Camp 65 Masterda Smrity Sangha, a club in Prafulla Kanan 66 Playing of Cards on the wayside-mose favourite pastime of the people in the town 67 Another view of card-playing on the canal side 68 Children of Bagjola Camp at play 69 Children gathered round the grandfather for a storytelling session KRISHNAPUR TOWN TWENTYFOUR PARGANAS DISTRICT ..N / CHANDANBERIA (IS) r \ '\ < V LEGENDS '1 TOWN aOUNOARY " ROAD ...... '" --c::::::=:;:;:- CANAL...... - ---- .f COVERNMENT OFFICE ... I!J TOl OFFICE III POST ,OFFICE " IUNK • I!J ~CHOOL I!J HOSPITAL .. , CLUB. @J TEMPLE it CHURCH , ~ I PUMP HOUSE I!l MARKET .. ~ BURIAL CROUNO ~ [NOT TO SCALE) 8I.S[(lOlllTtoI(.Af'OrtAlCUTUMEUOPQ..IToUIIXVEloPM£r.1AIiEI;CY,Ul.tAOAHGA D",_I~OCl'tfI[LOWlWt'l 9 Census/88 CHAPTER·} INTRODUCTION PROLEGOMENON collar workers other than looking Qut for cheaper houses in the suburbs and neighbourhoods, irrespec The urban transformation by sheer accretion of tive of whether the place was rural or urban. These population, in .the course of the last two decades, pcople added momentume to the centrifugal spin-o~s of an erstwhile sleepy village, out and out rural in from the city of Calcutta. In the case of the dls character, quite 'far from the madding crowd's ignoble placed persons, the desire to. live in the peripher~ of strife' and almost within .the hearing range of the Calcutta so ilS to earn an easy living was the pn~e din of a bustling metropolitan city, marks the quin force, while the outmigrants from Calcutta were IlH?U tessence of the demographic saga of Krishnapur town. vated by the desire to own a house. ConstructlOn Krishnapur was classified as a town in 1971 Census of a modest building was considered a better long after having fulfilled the criteria fixed for determina term economic proposition than paying exorbitant tion of urban character of an area. Once christened rent eternally in a costly city. Spec~lative calcula as a town, Krishnapur never looked back and grew tions to purchase land at a cheaper pnce to be later rapidly in a 'chance-erected and chance-directed' way sold at a high premium also contributed substantially but with the ambivalent co-existence. of a society part to this process. ly rural and partly urban. The urban facade and consequent ingress of urban structures into the village The process of urbanisation in the village was not of Krishnapur have not yet totally obliterated or set in operation by forces from within Krishnapur but transformed the rural features of the place. The by factors from outside. The growth of. the town, occasional nocturnal howls of stray jackals in the lop-sided, haphazard and unplanned, as eVInced froI? rural interior of Krishnapur or the villages around the construction of the buildings, may partly be attn appear bizarrc to the infants of urban Krishnapur. buted to the mad rush of land-hungry urban immig The hooting of the siren of a factory or the honks rants from outside, out to grab a plot of land at mode of light and heavy vehicles ruffle the quiet tenor of rate price and hurriedly to build a house without any life of the middle-aged and superannuated populace regard for the future requirements of a nascent town of the rural segment of the town. To the majority like roads, drains, street-lighting, hospi~als, schools, of the residents, Krishnapur, despite its urban status colleges, shops, markets, cinemas, banks and a host ot symbolises abysmal darkness against the backdrop of infra-structures cafe ring for urban needs. The cons the dazzling Salt Lake City (known also as Bidhan truction of the V.I.P. Road (also known as Kazi Nagar), a well-planned township of sky-scrappers and Nazrul Islam Avenue) to facilitate fast movement of picturesque buildings testifying to the master minds of vehicular traffic from Calcutta to the Airport at Dum modern architects and builders. The contrast is apt Dum segmenting the erstwhile village into two parts to humble the pride and sentiments of even the afflu and the subsequent opening of several bus-routes also ent residents of Krishnapur owning the most modern added fillip to the exodus of people from outside and and costly buildings in the town under study. oriented the direction of human flow towards Krishna· pur and other villages around. The people who set· A casual visitor to Krishnapur is apt to be bewil tIed in Krishnapur were guided by the consideratior dered by the abject backwardness of a town, only 15 that once an urban habitat grew up, the infra-structu kilometres from the capital city of Calcutta and the ral facilities would automatically develop. The neighbour of a: modern township of Salt Lake. To immigration of urban population with a mix of varied traver~e Krishnapur from one end to the other, one economic and occupational characteristics from Cal has eIther to walk on foot or to pedal a bicycle or cutta and other towns into the village of Krishnapur else to hire a crude cycle-rickshaw. The emergence inevitably led to the increasing economic and ethnic of !he town is accounteo not so much by any morpho diversification and transformation of a rural fanning lOgIcal change, growth of urban infra-structures or rise and fishing SOCiety into a non-agricultural urban com· of institutions and start of establishments leading to munity. Now, in Krishnapur some people who haa the growth of secondary and tertiary economic acti earlier ploughed the land and cast the nets in swamps vities as much by the rapid influx of the displaced here and there are at present assembling tape-record. persons in the mid-fifties from the erstwhile East ers, television sets and handling some modem tools Pakistan and also of the hordes of the middle class and machines, and sophisticated electronic gadgets. population in the sixties from Calcutta who failed to Krishnapur also cradles a section of the rural people hold their property in the city against the gorging who have been uprooted from their agricultural fields economic prowess of the! nouveau-riche. BesiCles and forced to seek informal non-agricultural odd jobs the scarcity of residential accommodation and exorbi: of a casual labourer. Another section still desperately tant rentals for the available houses in Calcutta also clinches to their age-old occupation of fishing and left no option to the tenant white-collar and blue search, in vain, for fish in the shrinking marshy lands. S! Census/SS 1 2 In the other end of the spectrum, the neo-settler urban The sudden influx of endless streams of displaced immigrants commute to Calcutta, Salt Lake City, persons to Krishnapur in the fifties served as the ini South Dum Dum and other towns in more prestigious tial leavening force giving rise to ripples of change trades, professions and occupations. The present in the hitherto segregated society and as a catalytic monograph will unfold the story gradually in later agent for the phenomenal growth of population in chapters, shred by shred. the decade ( 1951-61 ) . In the sixties a couple of LOCATION significant events had taken place. First, the six lane wide V. I. P. Road through Krishnapur was Krishnapur, bifurcated by the prestigious V. I. P. opened to traffic and seconely, the master plan for Road linking the city of Calcutta with the Air Port at the development of Salt Lake City out of a vast stretch Dum Dum, lies at a distance of 15 kilometers from of swampy land encompassing a part of the referent the city centre of Calcutta and five kilometres from town was cleared by the Government of West Bengal. the Air Port to the north. Nearly one-eighth of the These two landmarks were epoch-making with far area of Krishnapur lies on the western side of the reaching possibilities for the future of the referent v. I. P. Road, the rest being on the eastern side. A town. For the first time, the hitherto unseen and visitor coming from Calcutta along the V. I. P. Road unknown village Krishnapur sprang up from the will face numerous hoardings and large posters exhi stupor of a faceless non-entity and drew the attention biting different consumer products of large multina of the residents of Calcutta. The growth in the de tional and trading companies of Calcutta, Bombay or cade 1961-71 was nearly 85 per cent and the neophyte Delhi at the Krishnapur bus-stop. Krishnapur town town of Krishnapur sallied out of its rural cocoon. covers the revenue mouza of namesake bearing No. The subsequent population growth followee the same 17 in the Juri<;diction List of Rajarhat Police Station, trend. the headquarters of which is situated at Rajarhat at a distance of 10 kilometres from Krishnapur in the district of North 24-Parganas with the district and TOPOGRAPHY AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT subdivisional headquarters at Barasat town (23 kilo metres from Krishnapur). The town resembles an irregular parallelogram in Declared a town in 1971, Krishnapur is girdled shape and extends from the west to the east. Ori by towns like Raghunathpur and J yangra in the ginally a part of Krishna.pur was studded with large north, Arjunpur in the north-west, city of South Dum marshes and swamps of aquatic leaves and grasses, Dum in the west and Salt Lake City (Bidhan Nagar willow weeds and reeds and formed part of a low Township) in the south, while the vast continuum of basin comprising the Dhapa and Salt Lake. It is villages spreads out further from the eastern and saie that in the early part of the 20th century, some north-eastern fringes of Krishnapur. Baguihati tributaries of the river Bidyadhari passed through the Bazar. the meeting point of all the three contiguous vicinity of Krishnapur and tidal flows of the Bidya towns of Jyangra, Arjunpur and Krishnapur and the dhari reached as far as Dum Dum Road, but the most important trading centre of the sub.,region tributaries have gradually been silted up with deposits also touches the town on its north-western periphery. of the tidal channels. The town is pierced, though diagonally, by the twin canals of the sub-region, viz., the Bagjola Canal The Salt Lake was also filled up in the sixties ane the Krishnapur Canal ..yhich also happen to ane the early seventies, giving rise to the present Salt serve as the drainage and sewerage canals for the Lake City (Bidhan Nagar Township). city of Calcutta leading to the river Bidyadhari at a distance of 18 kilometres from Krishnapur. Before the birth of Salt Lake City, Krishnapur TOTAL POPULA'IION mostly comprised low-lying lands. Even now in the The total population of the referent town since absence of proper sewerage and drainage facilities, a 1951 is shown in Table I. 1. few sharp showers in the rainy season usually inun TABLE 1.1 date part of the roads and submerge vacant lands. Population of Khisbnapur (1951-81) The eastern side of Krishngpur adjoining Salt Year Total popu- Average annual Remarks Lake City is predominantly rural in physical outlook lution growth rate with innumerable trees and plants, marshy swamps in per cent and ditches, while the western part of the town, 1951 3 fi7d Rural especially on both sides of V. J. P. Road, with schools 1961 Q .00'2 11.9 -do- :md buildings, small workshops and small factories, 1971 :4.905 8.5 Urban an uninterrupted flow of vehicular traffic along the 1981 25,277 7.0 -do- broad highway has assumed the outward appearance *1986 36,500 8.9 -do- of an urban area. *The fi~ures for 19'86 are estimated by local Panchayats. As pointed out earlier, the referent town has peckers and similar other common birds like crowS, been intersected by the Krishnapur Canal and the pigeons, kites and vultures are frequently sighted. Bagjola Canal. The Krishnapur Canal, 16 kilometres As pointed out earlier, Krishnapur along with the long, connects the New Cut Canal between Ultadanga adjoining areas of the Salt Water Lakes abounded in and Dhapa areas of Calcutta with the Bhangar Canal species of game birds locally called Bali Hans and (Khal). Excavated in 1909 to connect the river Native Sahibs from Calcutta used to visit the area Hugli with the river Ichhamati and to serve pri specially during holiday with coo try-made guns in marily as an hiland navigation waterway, Krishnapur search of games. Canal served the twin aims of saving boats from the eastern tracts and even from undivided East Bengal CLIMATE from having to pass through Dhapa and Bamanghata locks and also as a channel for outflow of storm Situated in close proximity of the Bay of water from Calcutta. With rapid increase in road Bengal on the one hand and the Hugli river on the traffic, the present day volume of riverine traffic along other, the climate of the referent town hardly differs Krishnapur Canal has dwindled into insignifican~e. from the overall humid mesothermal climatic pattern And since a substantial part of the area, through which of the entire region. The cIlmate of Krishnapur is it flows, is getting fast urbanized, the demand on this characterised by warm temperature and rainy climate Canal for drainage has now assumed an importance. with mild winters. Due to the nearness of the Bay, the temperature is, more or less, moderate with cold The Bagjola Canal, on the other hand, was ex weather averaging around 64°P, (18°C) and hot cavated in the mid-fifties of the present century. The weather averaging between 80°F and 85°F (26°C to basm consists of an area of about 158 sq. kilbmetres 28°C) only. This moderation is offset by oppres and stre.tches from the east to the west. The area sively high humidities all the year round, from March is bounded in the north by the Khardah Basin, in the till October and well distributed by moderate rain east by the Nowi Basin, in the west by the river fall. The period from March to May is summer, Hugli and in the south by Manicktala and north closely followed by the south-west monsoons lasting Salt Lake Basin. Primarily excavated as an out from June to September. The cold season starts fall channel for the storm water and sewage of the from the middle of November and lasts till February. city of Calcutta, the Canal also served the purpose of reclaiming a part of cultivable fallow. Both these There is no meteorological cenlire in Krishnapur. Canals meet and terminate at Kultiganj near Haroa The average amount of rainfall for the adjoining city Khal and discharge the sewage therein. of South Dum Dum, is around 1350 mm. and the annual.maximum and minimum temperatures for South Dum Dum vary from 43°C to 8°C. FLORA AND FAUNA With increasing inmigration of outside people into COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER PLACES Krishnapur, there has been a remarkable change in the local landscape; the green countryside of the ori Situated in the vicinity of Calcutta (15 kms.) and ginal inhabitants, and the sylvan retreat of the cow located on the V. I. P. Road (Kazi Nazrul Islam boys and the village urchins have been denuded of Avenue), the referent town is well-connected with shade-bearing trees. The marshy swamps and pools the outside world. The town is served by 14 bus have gradually been filled up and have given rise to routes including one ordinary and one more special buildings or sites for buildings. As a consequence, bus service run by the State Government Transport most of the herbs and shrubs, trees and plants have undertaking and seven mipi bus-routes. Of the 14 been axet! mercilessly. At present, some of the ordinary bus-routes, Krishnapur happens to be the imgortant trees that come to one's view are coconut, terminal point of two ordinary bus-routes and of palm, date-palm, banana, tamarind, guava, mango, one mini bus-route. Other buses only stop at three jackfruit, papaya, hogpluml and the horse raddish. fixed points on both up and down routes. The long distance Express bus-routes from Calcutta passing Likewise, the place that was once the happy along the V. I. P. Road do not ordinarily stop at breeding grounG of a number of game birds and Krishnapur. But, in spite of a number of bus-routes, some wild animals has now turned into abodes of the commuting passengers to Calcutta face over-<:row some stray foxes, jackals, squirrels, mongoose, pole ding and fino it extremely difficult to get iD!o any bus cats, otters and some other common beasts and during peak office hours. At times the passen animals. Snakes of both poisonous and non-poison gers from the towns ha,:e to hang precariously on ous varieties are still abundant, though the deadly the foot-boards of crowded buses. peiso,nous and venomous ones like the cobra and similar other species are very few. But birds of Krishnapur is a linear-shaped town and the axial different varieties like the herons, the nightingales, road from the east to the western part of the town is ipecies of parrots and finga, the Bulbul the wood- nearly five kilometers long. But, in the absence of 4 any intra-town bus service. the residents have to After the construction of the V. 1. P. Road from move from one end of the town to the other by foot the north to the south, the important role Krishnapur pedalled cycle-rickshaws or bicycles. As all the bus Road once played in the sub-region has been partially routes pass along the V. 1. P. Road, the resicents, taken oVvr by the V. 1. P. Roae. It is interesting either on both sides of the arterial road or in the that just as the Old Krishnapur Road happened and vicinity of one to two kilometers, arc fortunate stlll happe'1~ to be the starting or termin(!l points of enough to have a number of options regarding com most other alleys and roads in various settlements of munication with Calcutta or other pJ!lces. The the lOlWn since its pre-urban days, the V. I. P. Road residents in the far eastern end of the town, specially has givcn rise to all roads in the sprawling urban in Old Krishnapur, situated as far as three to four settlements that have mushroomed in the wake of kilometers from the V. 1. P. Road, are very much the construction of this important highway. handicapped with the availability of transport. Majority of the daily commuters to Calcutta avail The town comprises two segments, Old Krishna themselves of bicycles or cycle-rickshaws to reach the pur and New Krishnapur. New Krishnapur is res V. 1. P. Road to board a bus bound for Calcutta. tricted to the recently built-up areas on both sides of The residents in the far eastern part at Old Krishnapur the V. I P. Road and stretches along this road upto cross the Krishnapur Canal at three regular ferry a distance of one and half kilometres. Old Krishna points to Sale Lake City for commuting to different pur, on the other hand, the home-land of the original parts of the city by buses operating from there. settlers, starts from where New Krishnapur ends and The town is not connected by any railway line. stretches as far as the marshy swamps to the extreme BaguihatJ, the nodal point of the three adjoining eastern end. towns (Krishnapur, Jyangra and Arjunpur), was connected with Calcutta by the Barasat-Basirhat Light As one enters the town from Baguihati junction Railway of Martin Burn Company as far back as the of the V. I. P. Road, one does not fail to miss the fifties. But since the closure of the said narrow gauge outward appearance of the built:up settlements along railway service on grounds of financial loss, the in the V. 1. P. Road. The area is called Narayantala. mates of the town have to C()Iffie to the Railway The settlement of the western side is named Paschim Station either at Bidhan Nagar at a distance of (Western) Narayantala. A part of th~ Paschim three kilometres or at Dum Dum Junction (six kilo Narayantala is also locally known as Dwibhuj. The metres) on the Sealoah-Naihati Section of the Pasclzim Narayantala starting from the Old Martin Eastern Railways. The nearest airport at Dum Dum Railway Road serves the entire neighbourhood lead~ is situated at the terminal point of the V. 1. P. ing to V. 1. P. Road. Likewise, Purba Narayantala Road leading to National Highway No.- 34. Again Road, the main road in the locality of Purba with the gradual improvement in road transport, the Narayantala, connects the area with V. I. P. Road. riverine transport along Krishnapur Canal has also A part of Purba Narayantala is locally known as dwindled into insignificance and at present only Baguipara after the name of the Baguis, the original ~hree to four large boats, on an average, laden with inhabitants of the place. After getting past Narayan bamboos, earthern wares and other merchandise con tala along the V. I. P. Road, one comes across ;titute the riverine traffic along the Canal to Calcutta. Krishnapur-V. I. P. Road Junction. The linear settle ment on both sides of Krishnapur Road in the MORPHOLOGY INCLUDING STREETS immediate vicinity of the V. I. P. Road comprise The narrow linear-shaped town of Krishnapur is Prafulla Kanan named after' the name of Prafulla 3kirted in the east by a series of marshy swamps, Co-operative Society. ,hallow fisheries ano the Salt Lake City and on the west by towns and cities. Since very early times, The Bagjola Canal starting from the Krisbnapur- Krishnapur Road continues to be main highway cop V. I. P. Road Junction flows eastwards through the neeting Krishnapur and the surrounding rural hin town just parallel to Krishnapur Road. All along on terland with Calcutta viz., Calcutta-Jessore Road. two narroW strips of road on both sides of the canal The tarmacadaJIlised Krishnapur Road about seven are situated the camps of the di~placed persons from kilometers in length starts from the eastern end of the erstwhile East Pakistan. Just as one enters the the town at the Mission Bazar Ferry Ghat and meets town proper along Krishnapur Road eastwards from Jessore Road at Shyamnagar near Nager Bazar and the Krishnapur-V.I.P. Road Junction, the refuge@ Satgachhi, after crossing the V. I. P. Road at the settlements on the left hand side constitute Anurupa V.I.P. Road-Krishnapur Road Junction. In fact this Palli, and Udayan Palli, while the settlements on the road stretching from the east to the west has shaped right constitute Prafulla Kanan. After about 200 the morphology of the referent town and most of metres eastwards, one meets the most impressive long the residential areas and settlements have sprung array of bUildings on both si'des of Krishnapur Road up on both sides of this road. The road serves as and the area is known as Rabindra PaW,_ the newly the vertebral column from whieh all other roads, created residential settlement by the urban inmigrants $treets and lanes have brachiated. from Calcutta. There are several lanes and by-lanes 5 connecting Rabindra Palli with Krishnapur Road. ADMINISTRATIVE AREA Administrative areas are conspicuoul)ly absent in Rabindra PaW may bc h,lincd as the grand divid K.rishnapur on the gr !at mctropolitan fringe. The two ing range between Old Krishnapur and New K.rishna offices A tht local Gram Panc!zayats of which the pur, because beyond Rablfldra PaW ~e the various relerent town form5 constituent parts are situated in clusters of settlement of the original ,,,,(tiers compris the town, mc in Old .l~rishnapur and one in New ing the sons of the soil. The various clusters of Krishnapur ncar the Krishnapur Road-V.I.P. Jun~ settlement beyond Rabindra Paili are Hana Para tlOn. A sewerage treatmt:nt plant, a subsidiary Post which happens to be currently attracting the recent Olfice and a ,ection ollic('. nf the Irrigation and Water streams of inmigrants, Pal Para ano Kumar Para on \' J.)I Dentt. of the Govt. 01 West Bengal at Prafulla the Jeft and Sardar Para on the right, followed by Aa,Ian anu a branch of the United Bank of India at Ghosh Para and Barwaritala. A little beyond are Rabindl'a PaW and aToll Station at Kud Ghat are the settlements of the refugees :n Siddlzartha Colony Lhe only five )lIices in the town. and Camp Number 3. Beyond these are Christian Para, Rajbanshi Para and Patra Para. Krbhnapur BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL AREA Road terminates at the Mission Bazar f~:rry point on As .l'>.nshnapur hus a linear shape extemling mo~tly the Krishnapur Canal. Another road takes off from un oULh SIdes ot K -isnnapur Roao, all kinds of shops, the eastern - bank of the Can~l ~d pa~ .es through big a:ld sluall, fl.-lull aad wholesale, dealing in grocery, the narrow strips of land called Nuvapati and com SLa ,1Onery, textiles llI)u~.:hold uten~ils, medicin(.;s, hard prises the eastern end of the town touching Salt Lake wares, electrical goods, vegetables, fish, meat etc. are City. located on both Si,I"S at krishnapur Road. The shops bec1lme few and far betwecn as one gets past New j_~rit nua :Jur and el'lters Old Krishnapur. No distinct FUNCTIONAL AREAS l) compact area can be exclusively classified as I:rad- 11 P and coumercial. Still certain pockets can be iden A non-municipal town 01 10 years, Krbhnapur uh J as j..~lOg p' ~dominantly trading areas. Baguihati is neither a sub-divislOnal nor a distrH..l heaoquarters Bazar, at the JU.1cticn of V.I.P. Road and Satgachia town, even the Police Station bdng a~ far as ten Haliara R,}:Jd being the meetil).g place of all the ad- kilometres. In a town created by sheer accrctiolL of Jini:1g lOWns like Jyangra, Arjunpur, Krishnapur and population in the wake of the opening of V.I.P. SL J'.h Dum DUlll, has turned out to be the principal Road and the Salt Lake City without any com tr ·ding or comme:cial centre of the sub-region. Hence, mensurate or concomitant growth and development no parallel tr.. Hling centre, so close to the one at of urban infra-structures, well-defined functional Bub'Uihati, can be viable in Krishnapur. Still two or areas will br, hard to be found. In 'l town of un threc tin) trading pockets have grown. One rice planned growth, areas cannot be strictly defined be maft, ~'ho1e ,alc and retail, has grown at KrishnapHc cause residences as also non-residential estahlish ad: :nt.L Bagllihati BaZQ/. Nearly 50 traders an~ ments have sprouted up here and there on .ites on el1ga~cd in the busine~~. Besides, a second commer as and where available basis. CIal one IS in the formative stage around Rabindra PaW mark~t which bas turned out to be the com me ~cial centre for New Krishnapur area. The third RESIDENTIAL AREA cor: mercial centre, incidrnl~ll) the biggest of the tbree, lo1cated at MissLOn Bazar area of Old Krishnapur Krishnapur is basically a residential town of has long been thr lraditional marketing centre of fish erstwhile villagers, displaced persons from former raised from numerous fisheries of the Salt Water East Pakistan and inmigrants from metropolitan Lakes. Even though many of the fisheries of the past Calcutta and other towns. From the north to the have bf'rn fJIled up to prepare the site for Salt Lake south or from the east to the west, there are resi City Bidh~n Nagar Township), Krishnapur Mission dences althrough. According to 1981 Census, Baz:lr s:ill it ain in' its suplt:me importance as the there are 4,744 occupkd residential hou~es in the bi~ge~t fishing tlade-centre of thc sub-region. About town providing accommodation to an equal number 50 auctioncer., on an aVf!rage, are engaged in buying of households. They are spread all over tht' 'own. and s :lling fish mostly for the markets in Calcutta. It is a town with a high dens1ty of 520 residential Besides t~e fish market, there is a daily market with a houses per sq. km. ]an~e numh.:r of shoos, groceries and other establish r .:nts. There is also a milk-trading centre in Ghosh Para in Old Krishnapur where about 30 Goala house The older sections ot the people whe li\>cd in ho\.J q[C .:ngaged in wising milk and dairy products the village stay mostly in kutcha hlltments in the for Calcutta. Old Krishnapur area, two to three kilometres fur ther from the V.I.P. Road, the displaced persons INDUSTRIAL AREA live mostly in camps of tiled hutments on roth ;iJes of the Bagjola Canal, excavated by tlJem, while the Being devoid of even medium-sized industrial units. residences of the recent immigr~nts are mc.d~r PUCCr1 no industrial area can be distinctly identifierf in buildings in the vicinity of the V.I.P. Rvad. Krishnapur. Most of the industrial units that are found are run on small scale and as household indus IMPORTANT PUBLIC PLACES tries. But these too are scattered all over the town. In course of the last four or five years, there has been Important places of public interest in the town are a spurt in the growth of a number of small-scale and very few. Places of recreation like cinema hall, cottage industries mostly registered with the Small auditorium, parks etc. are also non-existent. Scale Industries Department of the Government of West Bengal. Most of these units, about forty in Temples and churches, clubs and playgrounds are number, have received assistance under the Self Em the only places of public interest catering for the polyment Programme, National Rural Employment religipus and recreational neecs of the urban residents, Programme and Integrated Rural Development Pro gramme of the Government of India. These indus apart from the few educational institutions and offices. tries.are mostly restricted to drugs, (homocopathic and There are seven play-grounds comprising four in New allopathic), printing presses, plastics, electronics, steel Krishnapur and three in Old Krishnapu_r. Of the articles, containers, several engineering goods, hosiery two playgrounds on V.I.P. Road, one is in Paschim products, wood and wooden products, soap and cos Narayantala and another is in Prafulla Kanan. Al metics. The units are located mostly in Purba most round the year annual sports, jatras, theatrical Narayantala and Paschim Narayantala. Interestingly and cinema shows and various sports and games are the transport facility along V.1.P. Road has, to a regularly organised there, drawing large number of large extent, dictated the location of the industrial people from the surrounding areas. In 1986 a child units in Narayantala and Pra/ttlla Kanan in New ren's park 0[ small size has been built in Vdayan PalJi Krishnapur OIl both sides of the road. Other indus for the children of the displaced persons under the trial units located near Rabindra Palli Market in New patronage of the Lion's Club of Calcutta. Krishnapur on Krishnapur Road, have also grown there beoause of closeness to V.I.P. Road. Of 12 temples and two churches in the tovin, seven temples are situated in New Krishnapur, while five o,ther temples and two churches are situated in No other locality in the town can be demarcated Old Krishnapur. The temple of Radha-Krishna of strictly as educational, cultural or other cistinctive the lana Kalyan Sanghasram on V. 1. P. Roao, just functional areas. Again, no area of the town can be opposite to the U. S. Mission School, ill the venue. of distinguished strictly as agricultural, since the land, regular religious functions including regular chanting hitherto put to agricultural uses, has been turned into of hymns in the evening drawing large numb~r ?f residential areas of the inmigrants. devotees in the town. The temple of Lord Szva ill Paschim Narayantala happens to be one of the oldest LAND-USE PATTERN temples in the town. Besides, two newly-constructed temples of Goddess Kali, one at Prafulla Kanan and In the absence of reliable data on land-use in another at Rabindra Palli built by the inmigrants, the town, it is difficult to hazard any discussion there also draw large number of devotees and are noteo for on. The constraints of time also have not enabled their architectural designs. Again, three small tem the present investigation to collect data on each plot ples dedicated to Lord Siva., Omkaraswar and Goddess of land accorCing to use. The two Panchayats also Sitala respectively, situated on Krishnapur Road in do not maintain any such data or records. A hurried Hana Para, also attract devotees on ceremonial occas glance thrdggh the paper in the local Land Records sions. Of the five temples located,in Old Krishnapur, Office reveals that about two-thirds of the land in the temple of Raj-Rajeswari in ruins at Barwaritala the town h~ve been pu.t to residential uses and include is said to have been constructed by the former the homestead lands too. Nearly 13 per cent of the Zaminder of Krishnapur in' the beginning of the T9th total ianded area have been merged with Salt Lake century, Raj-Rajeswari having been the household City where the Power Sub-station of the CalclItta deity of the Zaminder. The Zaminder has long left Electric Supply Corporation and the garage of the Cal the place of their temporary residence but the reli cutta State Transport Corporation have been construct gious worship initiated by the family still continues ed. About five per cent of the land account for the roads with the participation of the local people. Lastly, and another five per cent for the tanks, ditches and the temple of Baruni at Nayapati on Krishnapur canal canals. The remaining lO per cent of the lattded is the only religious place in Nayapati. area in the town are utilised for educational, commer cial, industrial, recreational and religious purposes. Quite some people in Old ~rishnapu~ are Christians. There are two churches 10 Old Krishna Agricultural land in the town is almost negligible pur viz. the Emmanuel Church at Mission Bazar and now. The land utilized for agricultural operations in the Assembly of God Church at Christian Para. Of the past has been sold out to the immigrants and is these the former church is housed in a beautiful now utilised for houses, buildings, shops and establish building with a grotesque structure and artistic archi ments, or earmarked as sites for buildings. By a.nd techtural design. Established in 1829, the Church large, the change in land-use has been from agricul is the oldest one in the locality. The Mission en tural to non-agricultural. trusted with the management of the church owns some land too. Krishnapur market accommodated in 'Calcutta and other towns around have pushed the the Mission's land has come to be known as limits of New Krishnapur after penetrating deep into Mission Bazar. The Assembly of God Church, estab the area of Old Krishnapur. Thus the inroads of the lished in 1975, is located on the left hand side of urban inmigrants by gobbling the available cultivable Krishnapur Road at the entrance of Christian Para. land and also homesteads in Old Krishnapur after effecting purchase at tempting fancy p~ices have As for cducational institutions, the U.S. Mission squeezed the living space of the older ~esIdents and College, the only college in the sub-region upto 1972 sometimes even elbowed them out of theIr spare land. and now converted into a Nursery-cum-K.G. School Curiously enough, the process under which the citi because of some litigation, is housed in a three-storey~ed zens of Calcutta have had to leave the city in search building in the picturesque surrounding facing the of new pastures in the outskirt like K.rishnapur has V .I.P. Road and is the most spacious building in the replicated itself in the case o~ the resIdents of Old referent town. There are two High Schools and Krishnapur too. The old resIdents have thus been seven Primary Schools and five Nursery Schools. 'Qle forced to huddle into ever-shrinking landed area of two High Schools, Desha Priya Boys' High School their erstwhile village yielding to the onrush of the and Desha Priya Girls' High School, are located at new settlers. the junction of V.I.P. Road and Krishnapur Road, Till 1960 New Krishnapur was restricted mostly while the third orre, known as Jadunath Madhab to Prafulla Kanan, a co-operative colony co~prising Chandra Institution, is situated in the north eastern the best available of land along the alIgnment extremity of the town adjacent to the mouza Tarulia. The Primar-}, Schools are spread all over the town of the proposed V.I.P. Roae. O.ld Krishnapu~ lay beyond. In the sixties and seventies hordes of m011- while all but one Nursery School are located in New grants purchased the second best plots of land, within Krishnapur. easy access from V.I.P .. R~a~ and set~led in Naray'an tala and Rabindra PaUl wIthm a radius of one kilo~ One Sub-Post Office is situated at Prafulla Kanan, metre and half of V.I.P. Road. Old Krishnapur while an auxiliary Post Office is situated at Ghosh shrank in area and started from Hana Para beyond Para, in Old Krishnapur. A branch of the United Rabindra Palli. But, now because most of the prized Bank of India, the only Bank in the town, is located plots near Krishnapur ~ave ?een sol? o~t, the most on Krishnapur Road, just at the meeting point Qf recent inmigrants, specIally m the eIghtIes, have no Hana Para and Rabindra Palli. other option than intruding into Hana Para. Hana Para today happens to be the buffer locality between The Hindus have no crematorium in the town two segments, the settlement of inmigrants and the while the Christians have their burial grounds near original habitat of the old residents. their respective churches. Residential lay-out in Old Krishnapur, in sharp RESIDENTIAL PATTERN contrast to that in New Krishnapur, has been shaped largely by ethnic considerations. Thus almost all the Though ethnically heterogeneous, Krishnapur is houses of old residents in Hana Para belong to the homogeneous linguistically as also on the basis of Poundras. Beyond Hana Para are the residential nationality. To the rural stock of Scheduled Caste hutments in the locality called Pal Para belonging to population of fishermen and cultivators were added twenty Kumbhakar (Earthen potmaker community) two different strata of population, the displaced households on the northern side of Krishnapur Road. Opposite to Pal Para on the western side, are the persons in the fifties and the me;tropolitan inmigrants very old kutcha Sardar Para in the subsequent decaces, restricted mostly to the hutments of inhabited by Bengali speakers. Neither a business centre nor a the Sardars or Kaoras. Then starts Majher Para, centre of much industrial activity, nor even a modest etymologically meaning the central area, comprising centre of learning, Krishnapur somehow failed to the residential enclave of the Mandals or the Poun attract people speaking a language other than Bengali dras, one of the earliest communities of the town in large numbers, even though nearly seventy-five owning most of the erstwhile agricultural land. per cent of the residents are outsiders and the inflow continues even to-day. Most of the residents here live in old pucca build ings indicating their better economic conditions in the palmy days of farming and cultivation. ~eyo~d The three divergent strata of population consti Majher Para stretches out Ghosh Para, the resIdentlal tuted by original residents in Old Krishnapur, the enclave of about 50 Goala (Milkmen) households displaced persons concentrated on both sides of still cepending on their traditio hal oc;cupation Mandai Para. Beyond Barwaritala some stretches of jointly and later built their houses on smaller plots vacant Khas land extending upto the canal have individually. Similarly in the case of relatively neVI provided the site for Camp No.' 3 of the displaced bettl~ments there are some pockets where members persons, while another group _of displaced persons of <;Jifferent ethnic groups but hailing from the same from outside Krishnapur encroached upon the vacant t~rntory, be it a village, a Police Station or a district, land and settled in improvised huts of tiled roofs. hve together in some kind of a sub-neighbourhood. This new settlement in 1974 was named Siddhartha The most interesting case of such old territorial Colony after Shri Sidddhartha Sank:.ir Roy, former affiliation motivating the present residential settle Chief Minister of West Bengal. ment is evinced in Prafulla Kanan where people mostly from Chittagang District of the-then East At Christian Para covering both sides of Krishna Pakistan (now BangIa Desh) regrouped under the pur Road and terminatin2 at Mission Bazar, a banner of a Co-operative Housing Society and built compact residential enclave of about 100 Christian a homogeneous colony. households, had sprawled out. The households of the place earlier belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Another distinctive mark of differentiation between other backward classes were convertec to Christianity the quality and nature of residences can be in the previous century. The residences here are an no~ed in the buildings of Old Krishnapur and New admixture of old kutcha huts and newly constructed Knshnapur. In contrast to majority of the outmod pucca buildings. Beyond Christian Para is located ed and old structures in Old Krishnapur, the buildings the Rajbanshi Para locating mostly kutcha huts of in New Krishnapur are arChitecturally modern. The the Rajbanshi Tiyars, the traditional fisherman com ~ousing in the former has deteriorated because of age, munity of the place. msolvency, lack of maintenance and other factors, while the same in the newer settlements has a better Across Krishnapur Canal, just opposite to Mission look and reflects economic prosperity. Obsolete Bazar, is the hamlet of Nayapati, just adjoining Salt hutments i~ 9ld .Krishnapur are dark and dingy, Lake City. The locality accommodates the kutcha whereas bUlldmgs III New Krishnapur are spacious hutments of the Rajbanshi Tiyars. This is a dis and airy, guaranteeing privacy to the owner, most tinctively rural hamlet of Old Krishnapur. A few of whom 'had long been in city pent'. old and dilapidated palatial buildings of the fishermen in the midst of tiled huts are reminiscent of the bygone affluent days of the profession when the surrounding SLUMS AND BLIGHTED AREAS areas, now turned into Salt Lake City, comprised only vast stretches of fisheries extending to the No arcas of the town have been classified as slums by the local Panchayats. But, various camps horizons. and settlements of the displaced persons characteris Various localities in Old Krishnapur like Sardar ed by blight, obsolete and dilapidated huts, squalor Para, Pal Para, Mondal Para or Rajbanshi Para, and stark poverty, sub-standard unhygienic livino are named after the predominant castes residing conditions, can b~ treatc? as slums and blighted arem~ there. This is quite in keeping with the traditional residential pattern in any other village ·in West Bengal. tn the early fifties, the displaced persons were accommodated in camps in various hurriedly-cons But in contrast, the residential enclaves of the structed kutcha huts on the vast' stretches of open newly-built houses of the inmigrants in New Krispn::J. Kllas lands. Incidentally the excavation work of pur do not evince any motivating factor of caste or Bagjola Canal, as a second line of channel for ~he communal feelings. Only one residential pocket in drainage of the sewage waters of Calcutta, was Purba Narayantala of the Baguis, one of the earliest undertaken in the early fifties and the displaced settlers in the area, is still known after the na!ne of persons were engaged in large numbers. On their the Baguis. refusal to move out elsewhere for rehabilitation and settlement nearly three thousand displaced families Nowhere else, caste-wise segregation of settle stayed on at their own risk and now live in the dilapi ments has been observed in any part of the residen dated huts on both sides of the canal 'llong which tial settlements in New Krishnapur. Whether in the unwholesome effiuen.t sewage of metropolitan Narayantala or Prafulla Kanan, Rabindra PaW or Calcutta flows. Hana Para, the inmigrants belonging to heterogene ous ethnic groups migrated from different plac;cs at The camps earlier accommodating officiallv the different points of time and constructed hous,es on displaced persons have been closed down. 'Even plots, whenever and wherever available. So, the though some were later offered rehabliItation in desire of any particular ethnic group to cluster around Camps outside West Bengal, they refused to move a locality of their own was hard enough to be fulfilled. out and stayed on in the camps in rooms of 10 to There are some isolated pockets where some house 12 sq. metres per household. Later, the displaced holds are bound to each other by kinship relation. people built and rebuilt the earthern hutment" with This has been possible because several members of tiled roofs. Even today, a particular refugee settle an extended family purchased a large plot of land ment is broadly known by the number, once assigned 9 to the camp. But the displaced people have shaken living in huts in Dum Dum Park area migrated to off their past affiliations and given a name to their the town around 1974, occupied the. vacant Khas settlements. Camps on the northern side of Bagjola land and built kutcha hutments, which are no better Canal have been named as Para Colony and Udayan than slums. Palli while those on the south are known as Anurupa Palli to commemorate the name of the noted lady Lastly, a few areas with almost sub-standard novelist Anurupa Debi who was once associated with living conditions have recently sprouted by the side an informal school here in the forties. of V. I. P. Road in Paschim Narayantala, one near the U. S. Mission School and the second one around The second concentration of the displaced per the temple of Siva in the same locality. Not only sons is in Old Krishnapur in between Barwaritala and the hutments are old and dilapidated, but provisiom Christian Para. The ole! camp refugees who were for drainage, sewerage and latrines also are almost not fortunate enough to have berths in the Bagjola absent. The occupants there belonging to the lowest Camps were later accommodated in Camp No. 3 socio-economic levels suffer from a sense of despon here. Another batch of displaced persons who were dency. CHAPTER-U mSTORY OF GROWTH' OF THE TOWN MYTH, LEGEND OR HISTORY Scheduled Castes, probably because of paucity of occupations other than sewage-water fisbing and In Krishnapur while memory holds a seat for all farming and also because of the otherwise unhealthy trivial fond records of the past in old people's minds, terrain. The Scheduled Castes alone accounted for there is no strange, eventful history because there are 66.5 per cent of total population of Krislmapur in very few materials. Nothing has been written for 1961 and in 1971 though they registered a fall, they the past here where the past was a sleep and unsigned still were in the majority (58.4 pl!t' cent (If the fOf. Bearing the original stamp of a humble village, population of the town). Krishnapur can hardly vaunt a lofty claim to the The local tradition claims that the Portuguese growing greatness or hoary-headed glory of a battle were the first European settlers to have reached the front, the site of a kingdom or of a royal dynast. If area along the course of the river Bidyadhari. The the past is obscure and sanctified by no memorable claim to link Krishnapur with the advent of the events, so has been the recent present. With no Portuguese on the scene cannot be nullified as altoge antiquity but the records of the ebb and :flow of com ther unfounded, as the Portuguese are mentioned to mon people's life, Krishnapur was no habitat for have occupied Tardaha on the river Bidyadhari at a the ~ods and goddesses that drew pilgrims from far place where Tolly's Nullah now joins that river, a and near. Merchants did not congregate to venture century before the foundation of Calcutta.2 trade here or abroad. The annals, therefore, are blank and the chronicles silent about the nameless Again Dum Dum Clive House, the great histori faces in the crowd of farmers and fishermen whose cal building where Lord Clive bad once lived for march from their cradles to their graves was beyond some time, was probably a Portuguese factory, as the pale of the civilised world. In such an eventua reported by R. C. Stemdale.3 In the light of the lity myths and legends, folk-tales and folk-songs come association of the Portuguese with Terdaha (20 as handy contraptions to trace the history of the km) to the south-east and Dum Dum (3 place. km) to the east, the claim of the old residents linking the Portuguese with Krishnapur cannot be struck. Local tradition, whether one believes it or not, down. Few elderly people recount the movemwts holds that Krishnapur along with other villages once of the Portuguese merchants in and arollDli the refer~ constituted the remote northennost edge of the Sundar ent town vividly, as if they had witnessed those days. bim forests where the Royal Bengal Tigers were The Portuguese merchants also moved about in these the proud denizens. Tardah Jungles, about 20 kilo places in their speed boats combining piracy with trade. metres to the south-east of the Salt Water Lakes, has Gradually in their bid to win over local supporten been shown in Major Rennell's Map (1781) as form here, the Portuguese seafaring traden established ing part of the Sundarban Forestsl. Krishnapur was rapport with the Mitra family, the-then local Zemin flanked in the south and south-east by a vast stretch der of the place, and placed canons and set up gun of swamps and hoggy fisheries which were located in nery near the Zemindary in the 17th Century. Even between numerous creeks of the river Bidyadhari. to-day, the Tope-Khana ground and Tope-Khana The tidal :flow in the river reached J essore Road Tank at Barwaritala bear association with the 4 and Dum Dum Road along the network of canals armoury here • Gradually, the supremacy of the sere. Portuguese was taken over by the English who got deeply entrenched in Bengal, specially after the Battle The sluggish creeks and low-lying morasses of Plassey. To reconnoitre enemy positions, the provided excellent opportunities for fishing in the English constructed earthen observation POStS at region. About three or four centuries back, a group various places. The raised mound, about 20 feet in of fishermen belonging to the Tiyar Community settl height at Mission Bazar on the bank of Krishnapur ed here and named the village Krishnapur after the Canal, is now the site for Emmanuel Church. The name of Lord Krishna of Hindu mythology. Later, site was locally called Damdama KrMmapur, report the Bagdis who also pursued fishing followed suit. edly used by the English to keep a watch over the Subsequently, other fishermen communities like the movements of the Portuguese I pirate:; across the Pods and the Kaoras joined them. Krislinapur for vast marshy areas of Dhapa ¥ld Salt Water Lake·. quite a long time continued to be predominantly In corrupt language too, Damdama means raised inhabited by the ethnic groups belonging to the mound. 1 District Handlbooks, 24 Parganas, 1951 Census, by A. Mitra, W.B. Govt. Press, Alipur, 1954, p. cxix. " Ibid, p. xxii. B Ibid, p. d. • Agnigarbha Mahishbathan in Bengali by B. K. Mondal, DUm Dum, 1983, p. 9. "Ibid, p. 11. 12 Even though the Portuguese. merchants .have long was brought under cultivation and occupied by indi vanished in tpe distant honzons of history, the viduals without payment of any revenue later. legendary romance of a Po~gues~ d'!-Illsel with ~e Hence arose the necessity of assessment by Govern son of a local Brahmin family still lingers fresh m ment to curb the move of the Zeminders for exor people's minds. According to a local legend, a bitant profit by extending their claims to large tracts group of Portuguese itinerant trading fal?ilies had a of land reclaimed from the Patit (waste). According briet sojourn in ! 7 Fina.l Report on the. ~urvey and Settlement Ope~tions in the :Qistrict of 24-Parganas for 1924-33. by Rai Saheb Ani! Chandra Lahirl, Bengal Govt. Preas. Ahpore. 1936. p. 108.109. pur where the fish market: at' Beliagaat:J (Calcutta) To cope with the endless streams of the displaced people earlier had to walk a distance of four to five families the Government of West Bengal set up Kilometres to reach the point at Shyamnagar to board camps all over West Bengal, the district of 24- a Calcutta-bound bus or else to travel by train from Parganas and for that matter, Krishnapur village in Baguihati Station of the Martin Light Railways to Rajarhat Police Station also having been no excep Calcutta. But Krishnapur Canal offered ~hem an tion. In 1953-54 Bagjola Workside Transit easy access to Calcutta by motor launch 011 payment Camps, nine in number, with 2,423 households were of a fare of 0.25 paise. A toll station was set up at set up on wasteland, mostly Khas (govt.-owned). Kudghat, one kilometre far from Mission Bazar with Subsequently, however, many households were reha the ostensible purpose of collecting cess for the bilitated in other camps outside Kri;shnapur. But Government from the plying boats (Calcutta-bound) the transit camps could not accommodate all the laden with wood, bamboo, fish, vegetables, cocoanuts families seeking shelter here. As an inevitable from Jessore and Khulna districts of undivided Ben consequence, a number of settlements of displaced gal and Assam. Kudghat today witll a skeletal staff families grew on trespassed lands. ln Krishnapur of three still now collects cess from the boats that about 2,000 non-camp households settled along the still sail but the number hardly exceeds five per day banks of Bagjola Canal. The influx of so many on an average. people within so shon a time into a village like Krishnapur was not without economic strain on the village. The sudden accretion of a large number of GROWFH OF THE TOWN: displaced persons without a gainful economic occu PARTITION OF INDIA AND ITS AFTERMATH pation was instrumental in causing a glut in the labour market in the village with its economy mainly "Among the many outstanding and significant subsisting on fishing and marginally on agriculture. events which had offered both glory and blemish But later, when the Salt Lake City came up and to the uprising growth of India in the later part of the V. I. P. Road was being constructed, the people the decade of 1941-50 few can compare in impor could find some means to earn their livelihood from tance with the Partition of this land of ancient the job of day labourer or from constructional civilization on August 15, 1947. On the long activities. The occupational diversification was road receding into the past of the country this date thus a factor to tilt the village economy, albeit slowly, is a 'milestone' which points out a 'critical cross-road'. towards a non-agricultural direction. Event of Partition was though a crucial develop ment on one particular day of a year, yet it directs BIRTH OF SALT LAKE CITY (BIDHAN NAGAR $0 a long drawn out and complicated process 'engrossing multiple vicissitudes of utmost impor TOWNSHIP) tance"8. 'By far the largest post-war Asian civilian population transfer occurred between India and Pakis- The birth of Salt Lake City was another im{lor tant landmark in the growth and development of tan. follo~ng p.artitio?- ...... in West Bengal in IndIa the mcommg Hmdus were three or four times Krishnapur town. To ease the pressure of the people on Calcutta and also to provide land and the number of emigrating Moslems ...... ' houses at moderate prices to the middle class people of Calcutta, Dr. B. C. Roy, former Chief Minister of West Bengal, mooted the plan for the reclamation of 'According to available official statistics, bet Salt Water Lake by filling it with silts from the ween 1951 and 1956 about 1.5 million Hindus mov river . HugH and construct. a modern township ed from Pakistan into eastern India, .... These here m 1959-60. The maSSlve work of construction movements affected mainly the partitioned States of continued for several years. The work of reclama Bengal and the Punjab.'9 According to a report of the tion and the construction of infra-structures like State Statistical Bureau, West Bengal, total number ro~ds, drainage etc., in Salt Lake City adjoining of refugee families which had immigrated between Knshnapur not only attracted the attention of inter 194? and 1951. into West Bengal wa~ 429,272 of ested buyers of land in the new township but also which 100,564 families were liviug in the district 10 made the land-speculators and dealers in real estates of 24-Parganas. 'The settlements that grew on tres aware of the future prospects of Krishnapur too, passed lands are generally known as trespassed consequent u~on the growth of Salt Lake City. colonies. This has' been largely due to delay in They were qUIck to discern the changes in the air. acquiring land on behalf of government and as the Scramble for land in Krishna pur began and thus displaced persons were in urgent need of setting starte<;l' the process of inmigration of residents from up houses, they cou1d not wait for the delays of the CIty of Calcutta and other towns and cities on law, but virtually took the law in their own hands. its fqQ.ge into the beart of Krishnapur village. The Thus'in Dum Dum and Rajarhat Police Station 'as s!age ~as now set for its transformation frDm a mallY,.as 35 colonies grew up by Qj:!cember 19s'Q.~1 village mto a town. "T;he Uprooted, by Klanti B. Pakras4, Editions Indian. Calou1ta 1971 1 "Th D . ' , p .. " P e .ete.rmb·dmantSl33,lVld Consequences of Populatiqn, Trends, Vol, 1, United Nations; New York, 197~, p. 233-234. a kraSl, I I ,p. . n District Census Handbooks, 24-Parganas, 1951, p. xJ.viii. 14 OPENING OF V.I.P. ROAD (KMI NAf:RUL ISLAM has effected changes in the non-migrants and mig AVENUE) rants and also in the proportion of Scheduled Castes to total popUlation over decades. The elderly sec The decision of the Government of West Bengal tions of the original settlers opine that the propor to co~struct a 300 feet. wide V. I. P. Road linkif!g tion of migrants to the total population of rural the .CIty of C~lcu~ta wIth Dum Dum Air Port by Krishnapur before 1951 was almost insignificant. passmg the CIrCUitous and congested roads within Krishnapur had a population of 3,674 in 1951 and Calcutta was indeed momentous and fraught with it may be safely assumed that they were non-mi great possibilities for the future growth and develop grants. Even at the decadal growth rate (1951-61) ment of Krishnapur. The road opened up facilities of 20.6 per cent for rural India, Krishnapur should for the residents of Krishnapur and other towns have a total population of 4,431. Assuming that around to commute to Calcutta within an hour. A this was the result of natural growth for 1951-61 of v~llage on the edge of the Salt Water Lake, otherwise the original non-migrant population of Krishnapur, hIdden from the eyes of the residents of Calcutta, it explains 55.0 per cent of the actual populatlon of now caught the lusty eyes of urban residents of 8,062 in Krishnapur in 1961. At the decadal growth the metropolitan areas around in need of land and rate (1961-71) of 21.9 per cent for rural India houses outside the city but in not-tao-distant a Krishnapur's non-migrant population should have place where the people find the urban ameni stood at 5,401 in 1971 (instead of 14,905) which ties of a city within easy reach. The transport line incidentally is 36.2 per cent of the actual 1971 appears in the present case to have acted as a population of Krishnapur as a town. Further, catalyst in the metamorphosis of a village into a applying the decadal growth rate (1971-81) of 19.7 town by 1971. per cent for rural India, to Krishnapur's computed non-migrant population of 1971 it is observed that CHANGES IN LAND·UTILISATION PATTERN the population in 1981 should have been 6,465 (instead of 1981 actual popUlation of 25,277 in The time-series data on land-use for Krishnapur Krishnapur) which is 25.6 per cent lof 1981 figures. having not been available from the concerned agen Since no precise figures are available for migrant cies, any statistical analysis is ruled out. The population in Krishnapur from 1951 till 1981, there immigration of outside people since the 1950's has been the need for a very crude estimate of the obviously had set in changes in the use of land from non-residential (agricultural and non-agricul non-migrant population. The trend indi'1ates how the tural) to residential purposes. Thus vast tracts of original residents of Krishnapur have been gradually vacant land in Narayantala (eastern and western outnumbered by the inmigrants. parts) , Prafulla Kanan (eastern and western sides) and Bagjola Canal side have been converted into resi The Scheduled Castes comprising the Rajbanshi dential areas by the displaced persons and other im Tiyars, the Poundras, the Bagdis and the Kaoras migrants. Likewise, agricultural and vacant lands in constituted the major components of the population Rabindra Palli, Hana Para and Siddhartha Colonies in 1951, though the exact number or any estimate have also been put to residential use. is available neither from 1951 Census nor from other sources. A statement showing the general CHANGES IN POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS population and Scheduled Castes' and Scheduled Tribes' population during 1951-81 is given in Table The enormous growth of population in Krishna ILL pur since 1951 largely as a consequence of migration TABLE 11.1 population Characteristics of Krlshnapur 1951-81 Percentage of Decadal Percentage of Decadal Total Scheduled Scheduled growth Scheduled sc;heduled growth Year population caste3 castes to rate in tribes tribes to rate in population general I percent population general per cent population popUlation 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 8 1951 3,674 1961 8,062 5,658 66.5 1971 14,905 8,702 58.4 62.4 28 0.2 1981 25,277 11,e14 45.9 33.5 17 0.1 -39.3 The statement clearly points to the gradual The participation-rate too has increased from decline in the proportion of population belonging to 2l.3 in 1961 to 22.3 in 1971 and 25.1 in 1981 (the the Scheduled Castes to the general population, des rate for 1981 includes marginal workers). The rate pite high growth-rate over the decades in the for 1951 cannot be computed because of absence Scheduled Castes population. It needs mention that of comparable data. among the displaced persons inmigrating to Krishna pur, numerically the most notable of the Scheduled VARIATION IN LAND PRICE Castes are the Namasudras. It has already been discussed that after the The average size of households in .the town rose construction of the V. I. P. Road and the iouudation from 5.1 in 1951 to 5.3 in 1961 and from 6.0 in of Bidhan Nagar Township (Salt Lake City), 1971 it declined to 5.3 again in 1981. The sex attention of outside people has been drawn to ratio rose from 871 females per thousand males Krishnapur and its surrounding areas, resulting in in 1961 to 917 in 1971 and 943 In 1981 (1951 the quick sale of the available plots of land in the figures being not available). The gradual rise in town within a radius of one to one kilometre and a the number of females per thousand males half from the V. I. P. Road. The most important over the Census decades indicates the fairly settled factor in determining the price of land has been the family life in a residential suburban town where proximity of the plot of land to V. I. P. Road and/ the inmigrant males have brought in other members or Krishnapur Road. The enquiry about price of of the family either at one time or in' stages. If the per land has been very difficult and as hazardous as an cerHagc;' of literat.,es in 1951, 1961,_ 1971 and 1~81 attempt to enquire about income. Group discus has been 19.0, 30.3, 43.7 and 58.0 respectively, sions in the town hiwe not been quite result-oriented it has hot been 'as much because of the spread df and attempts to collect figures from Registration literacy among the non-migrant population as be Offices have not proved successful. However, data cau~e pf the inmigration of literate population (rom about land-price have been collected from 27 outside to the town. The density of the town as households which indicated the price at which land a mail\festation of population growth on account was purchased. The ,figures, even if highly under of inmlgration has evinced an upward trend from rated, would help one understand the extent of 403 persons per sq. kilometre in 1951 to 884 in variation in land-price over years as given in Table 1961, 1,634 in 197.1 and 2,772 in 1981'.1 11.2 TABLE-II.2 .\1 Variation in land-price \ ' 81. Name of locality Distance Year of Purchase Approx. price Extent of No. 11 from VIP purchase price per in 1986 per appreciation ;Road Cottah of Cottah in value of (in Km.) land (67 (in Rs.) land sq. metres) (in Rs.) II 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 Rabindra Palli 1950 150.00 24,000.00 160 times. 125.00 20,000.00 160 2 -do- It 1956 " 250.00 20,000.00 80 3 -do- 1957 " 4 -do- 1960 500.00 10,000.00 20 5 -lio- 1 1964 500.00 16,000.00 32 6 r-dfl- 1968 2,500.00 20,000.,00 8 7 -do- 1970 2,500.00 18,000.00 7 over " 8 -do- 1978 3,500.00 20,000.00 6 nearly. " g -do...!- l 1978 5,000.00 25,000.00 5 22,000.00 2.75 10 -do- 1980 8,000.00 " 16 TABLE rI.2-colttd. Variation in land-price Sl. Name of locality Dislance Year of Purchase Approx. price Extent of No. from YIP purchase price per in 1986 per appreciation Road Cottah of Cottah in value of (inkrn.) land (in Rs.) land (67 sq. metres in Rs.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 Rabin4ra Palli Ii 1985 20,000.00 22,000.00 marginal increase 12 Pm/ulia Kanan 1955 175.00 30,000.00 171 times 13 Purba Narayantala li 1969 2,000.00 16,000.00 8 '" 14 -40- 1 1971 2,000.00 14,000.00 7 ...I 15 -40- 1 1975 3,000.00 20,000.00 7 ,,) nearly 16 -do- 1 1976 2,800.00 20,000.00 7 more 'than 17 1 2,200.00 25,000.00 11 " more than ... 11 1977 10:000.0{) 20,000.00. :2 ,,] 19 -40- 1981 12,000.00 18,000.00_; 1l- " 20 Ptlschim Narayantala 1970 2,500.00 25,000.00 10 21 -40- 1972 5,000.00 25,000.00 5 ., 22 -do- 1975 2,500.00 22,000.00 9 nearly " 23 -do- 1983 18,000.00 25,000.00 1.4 nearly " 24 HanaPara 1961 400.00 25,000.00 62} " 25 Old Krishnopllf 1970 2,000.00 22,000.00 2i 11 " -do- 26 3 1978 2,500.00 15,000.00 6 " 27 Nayapati 5 1980 1,000.00 18,000.00 18 " Over years with construction of more houses land at a cheap price, hold it for some time and and diminished availability of land, price of land sell it at a: very high price later, quite dispropor has soared up fantastically. Besides, tb6 price of tionate to thy cost price. The speculative purchase land has varied more Or less inversely with the dis of the prized plots of rand in close proximity to tance of the plot from any of the two arterial roads V. I. P. Road and Krishnapur Road was undertaken in Krishnapur. towards the end of the fifties and the early sixties by some professional outside speculators imd old EXTENT OF LAND SPECULATION residents of the neighbouring areas of Jyangra, Arjun pur and Krishnapur, synchronising with the cons Being on the metropolitan fringe and assuming truction of V. I. P. Road. Though land in small an urban status, Krinshnapur provided a fresh pas plots had been disposed of at a premium in course ture to the speculative dealers in land; the buyers of the last 15 years or so, land that is still left in have not all been motivated solely by the interest the vantage location with reference to the accessible in acquisition of a plot of land for personal use. roads has given rise to speculative price-hike. In But, the ult¢rior purpose has been to purchase a a few cases one cottah (67 sq. metres) of land 17 has been sold out for amounts varying between with the powers first to prepare registers and maps Rupees eighty thousand and one lakh. for existing landuse in respect of areas within Its jurisdiction, Krishnapur being its charge too. Bul Since land in. the immediate fringe of V. I. P. the landuse map and registers have not yet been Road and Krishnapur Road has been sold out, the prepared. The current landuse maps are finalised land-speculators' attention has now been drawn to in the light of objections received in response to the interior of Old Krishnapur beyond even three notifications. Detailed Development Plans are kilometres to the east of V. I. P. Road. Some specu f9rmulated thereafter for allocation of land according lators including a few from Calcutta have acquired to the Plan and control of landuse. The powers land with areas varying between 1 bigha (1350 sq. hav~ been delegated to the municipalities and Zilla metres) to one acre (4000 sq. metres) in the interior Panshads for control of landuse. But now precious little Krishnapur (where larid-price is still comparatively has been done for Krishnapur where constructiom cheap) on the plea of !letting up fa..:tories and of and use of land are made not according to any plan. constructing residential houses but with the ulterior ~.&.. f>. intension of selling out the plots later at a fantasti cally higher price when no more land will be avail HISTORY OF INMIGRATION AND OUTMIGRATION able for sale to a genuine purchaser. The growth of Krishnapur was initiated by the A few case studies of land-specula' ion are narrat inmigration of successive streams of population since ed here. (1) One Mr. X, Bagui by caste and an 1951. The original residents lived in various localities old resident of N arayantala area of Krishnapur town. in Old Krishnapur, namely, Hana Para, Sardar Para, had purchased land from his kinsmen and person' Mondal Para, Ghosh Para, Barwaritala, Christian belonging to his community in the sixties at the Para, Rajbanshi Para, Nayapati and Bagui Para (the rate of Rupees five hundred to Rupees fifteen hun· latter two areas in N arayantala) . In between Old dred per cottah (67 sq. metres). He sold out in Krishnapur and N arayantala lay vast stretches of 1985 a plot of land measuring three cottahs (202 sq. tallow land, Khas land and some agricultural land. metres) located in Paschim Narayan tala, 100 metres from V.I.P. Road, to a businessman from Calcutta, \ Saha by caste, for Rupees fifty thousand per cottah In the fifties displaced persons were accommodated (67 sq. metres). (2) Mr. Y, a Tiyar by caste and in transit camps on both sides of the present Bagjola an old resident of Old Krishnapur, had purchased Canal. The displaced persons inmigrating in the later land from the co-villagers in the sixties with the fifties, having failed to find any berth in the transit intention of gaining rich dividends later. Mr. Y, camps, encroached on land on the canal-side and sold out in 1986 four cottahs (268 sq. metres) of land built improvised make-shift hutments. Another group of displaced persons belonging to a higher socio on Krishnapur Road in Rabindra Palli to one Mr. C" a businessman and a rentier for Rupees sixty thou economic status settled on their own in Prafulla sand per cottah, though the same land had cost Mr. Kanan under the banner of a Cooperative Society. Y, Rupees two.__thousand per cottah in 1961. Mr. C , wants to construct a multi-storied house on the same Later inmigration in the sixties followed in the plot for rentals. (3) Mr. M, a Marwari business wake of the construction of V.I.P. Road and the man of Calcutta and a land-spculator, purchased a foundation of Bidhan Nagar Township. These people compact area of 2000 sq. metres of land on Krishna were drawn from other urban areas and belonged to pur Road in Barwaritala, at a distance ,)f .t~ree a distinctly higher socio-economic status. Most of kilometres from V. I. P. Road, from several ongmal them constructed houses of their own while some residents of Krishnapur in 1983 with the objective started living in rented houses. The new settlements of constructing a factory. But, agents of Mr. M grew in New Krishnapur area within a radius of one arc now arranging to sell out the land in sma~l plots kilometre of V.I.P. Road. The inflow of residents for Rupees ten thousand per cottah at the hme of from Calcutta and other urban areas is still continuing survey. unabated. There is no statute for the control of land-speci No remarkable outmigratiop: from Krishnapur eulation in the state. As such, there is consequent' has been observed except the settlement of 1000 ially no institution or organisation to effectively pre displaced households, earlier acc.o~~odated in t~e venting land-speculation. transit camps, to outsid~ rehabIlItatIOn centre~. In Dandakaranya. About 100 households con;pnsmg old residents are said to have sold out theIr land For the control of landuse, however, the State to the urban inmigrants and retreate? to the r;ou~try has passed the -Town and Country (Planning & sides in Chandiberia, Jagatpur, MahlshgQte Mahlsba Development) Act, 1979 unde.r which Calcutta 1 Metropolitan Development Authonty has been vested than and other villages around. I) ~ensusJ8g CHAPTER. Iti AMENITIES AND SERVICES OFFICES AND STATUTORY BODIES chayat II is the local statutory body for Old Krishna pur from Ghosh Para and the adjoining villages of A sleepy village, christened as a town in 1971, Mahishgot, Tarulia, Mahishbathan and Polenite. Krishnapur has not yet been endowed with the pri Detailed activities of the Gram Panchayats would be vileged status of any seat of administration. The discussed under B. sub-divisional office and the district headquarters are located at Barasat, other ancilliary offices including WATER SUPPLY the Police Stations and Block Development Office are located at Rajarhat. To mention a few offices The twin sources of water-supply in Krishnapur located in the referent town, there is one section are tubewells and protected tap-water. The number office at Prajulla Kanan under the sub-divisional of public tubewells sunk by the Gram Panchayats in office of Irrigation and Waterways Deptt., Govern the referent town is 97. Besides, most of the house ment of West Bengal, at Gouriberia, Calcutta. holds in the town have their own tube-wells. Tap The office, established since 1950, is entrusted with water bas not yet been provided to housebolds in the supervisory work of location of sites, digging of view of the fact that the protected water-supply canals, repairing of small bridges and embankments scheme for distribution of tap water was started only and gauging of water-level of tbe canals. Five in late 1984. The scheme for the supply of water to class N officials and a number of casual labourers Krishnapur was undertaken under the Rajarhat Fringe are attached to this office. Next, there is one toll Area Water Supply Scheme. The Scheme covers vari station of the Government of West Bengal with three OllS zones. The portion of Krishnapur lying to the officials including two of Class III and one of Class IV status at Kudghat. This station, established f>ince west of V .I.P. Road covering Prafulla Kanan and 1919, is entrusted with the collection of cess from Paschim Narayantala was covered under Zone II i.e-., the ongoing boats carrying cargo to and from Raghunathpur Water Supply Scheme, catering for the Calcutta. On an average,· three to five such boats needs of Raghunathpur, Arjunpur and a small part pass along Krishnapur Canal daily. of Krishnapur with approximately 79 road taps. Again, another establishment of Government of But the greater part of Krisbnapur to the east of West Bengal, namely, the Bagjola Sewerage Treat V.I.P. Road, excluding Purba Narayantala has been ment Plant was established in Krishnapur on an area covered under Zone IV, Krishnapur Water Supply of 12 acres of land to the soutb-west corner of the Scheme. Calcutta Metropolitan Planning Organisation referent town in 1966 by the Irrigation and Water prepared tbe engineering report for the scheme "The ways Deptt. of the Govt. of West Bengal and since Interim (Emergency) Water Supply Schem~" for 1979, it has been taken over by the Metropolitan supply of water by exploring groundwater sources. Division of the Public Works Department, Govern The Calcutta Metropolitan Development Agency ment of West Bengal. The B.S.T. Plant was set up (water-supply and engineering health sector) prepared with three-fold objectives, viz. pollution-control, con and implemented the project. The work was started trol of bacteria in the night soil from Salt Lake and in December, 1979 and completed in 1984. Distribu to derive a type of compost manure, named slush tion of water started from 1984. The scheme did not cake. As for other offices, there are two posLofijces, envisage the construction of overhead tank or reservoir. two offices of the local Gram Panchayat and one The scheme was implemented by sinking two tube branch office of the United Bank of India. wells up to a depth of 180 metres and setting up two pump houses on both sides of K~ishnapur Road in Krishnapur is a non-municipal town under the Rabindra PaW market under the Zone IV Krishnapur two Gram Panchayats covering two parts of Krishna Scheme. It is intended to cover 18'0 acres of area out pur and the adjoining villages. Mahishbathan Gram of the total area of 2,255 acres for Krishnapur as a Panchayats I and II were established in 1977-78. whole and to serve a population base of 22,700 witb Prior to establishment of the Gram Panchayats, the per capita estimated demand of 20 gallons per day. statutory bodies for Krishnapur and the adjoining One R.C.C. operated underground reservoir with a villages were first the Mahishbathan Anchal Pancha capacity of 75,000 gallons has also been constructed. yat which functioned till 1977-78. Mahishbathan Till the completion of survey in the middle of 1986 Gram Panchayat 1 is tbe local statutory body for 102 road-side taps operate at fixed times in th~ New Krishnapur upto Ghosh Para and the adjoining morning. noon and evening. The scheme after com mOllza Chandiberia, while Mahishbathan Gram Pan- pletion has since been handed. over to the Calcutta 20 Metropolitan Water and Sanitation Authority on 16th are kept open, most of the people in Old Krishnapur November, 1985. The CMWSA is planning to provide too have built up latrines for themselves. 2,000 more house connections by 1987, for which applications have already been invited. POWER The town has been electrified since 1969. The CONSERVANCY town does not generate its own electricity but gets its supply, mainly thermal, from Calcutta Electric Supply The Gram Panchayats are responsible for the Corporation. The electricity supplied is of A. C. type. sanitation and public water works of the referent There is no separate zonal office or call centre in town, but the duties are discharged more by non Krishnapur but the zonal office and the call centre at compliance than by compliance. There is no Baguihati Bazar area, under the West Bengal State arrangement for cleaning the roads, by-lanes Electricity Board, control the supply of electrical or busy centres nor have the Panchayats any staff for energy at low. and medium voltage for the entire sub doing the same. Again there are only upper-surface region viz., Krishnapur, Hatiara, Raghunatbpur, kutcha drains on both sides of the roads and there J yangra and Arjunpur. is no arrangement for cleaning tbe drains too. As and when the drains become completely choked, rC1Sulting There are seven transformers in the 'referent town in water-logging of the roads, the Panchayats employ with two transfonners having a capacity of 250 casual labourers, mostly under National Rural K.V.A. each and five mini transformers with 100 Employment Programme (NREP) and undertake the K.V.A. each. The estimated volume of daily consump clearance of the drains once every three or four tion for the referent town is 1000 K.V.A. but pro.. months. The frequency of clearance is increased in vision has been made for supply of another 300 the rainy season. K.V.A. According to the tentative estimates of the zonal office, about 40 per cent of the people and The latrines in use by most of the people are of nearly 50 per cen~ o~ the buildings in Krishnapur are the septic tank variety. There were 750 septic tank covered as a whole and 70 per cent of the town.·area latrines in 1971 and 4,456 in 1981. But there is no electrified. According to the Asstt. Engineer, Zonal service latrine in the town. In the blighted areas and Office, a large number of residents cannot afford to specially in. the refugee hutments, latrines are mostly use electricity because of the initial costs involved. water-borne and are very much inadequate. Majority The existing cost for erecting one electric pole is of the people residing there belong to lower income around rupees one thousand and in most cases, the groups. Many of them, specially the menfolk, use the intending consumer has to erect a number of· poles open space around the canals for defection. The for taking connections. Th~ refugee settlements as latrines in blighted areas are mostly water-borne also the blighted areas are, by and large, outside the types, constructed with split bamboo strips on the purview of power, because most of them belong to the canal-side and the night-soil usually rolls down the comparatively lower economic group as also because canal, reducing much of the responsibility of the their hutments are unsuitable for energisation. At the Panchayat authorities. time of survey, there are 1942 points for domes tie lighting, 10 power points, 69 industrial points, 221 One aspect that requires special mention here is points for commercial use and two connections to the remarkable change in the taste and temperament C.M.D.A. for operating pump for the Water Supply of the original residents in Krishnapur. Even a Scheme. The number of connection by type, rate for decade back, most of them used the open space all unit, volume of cons~mption', charges due, charges round for use of toilet. But now that very few spaces realised are given in Table III-!. TABLE ill (1) COllSumption of Electricity (.July '85-June' 86) ------.------Volume of No. of consumption in Charges Type of establishments connections units Charges due realised given (K.W.H.) (Rs.) (Rs.) 2 3 4 5 Domestic: (a) Lighting J,942 1,688,136 11,27,677.32 7,98,540.63" (b) Power 10 9,600 18,271.11 12,789.18 Industrial. 69 6,62,820 1,23,899.77 86,728.90 Pump for Water Supply Scheme (CMDA) 2 18,000 6,000.00 Commercial 221 3,03,708 2,48,989.40 2,16,723.25 Road Lighting . Nil 2:1 In July '86, 700 applications for domestic lighting, the ever-increasing work-load 1 with the· existing staff 10 for power line, 15 for industrial connections, and attached to one single ronal office and one single call 50 for commercial connections were pending for centre and tentative- proposals' had been put forward necessary action. The ronal office had kept a pro vision of 200 street connections for the referent town, for the creation of four more call-centres under two but negotiation with the concerned Panchayats was separate, zones. Provision had been made for one going on for immediate connection of about 60 road zonal office at KIishnaRuI. lighting points. A comparative picture of, the graduaL pace of It was pointed out by the Assistant Engineer that electrification for the referent town can be had they were finding it increasingly difficult to cope with from the Table III,2. TABLE III (2) Progress in Electrification Year No. of No. of No. of No. of domestic connections industrial connections. commer.eial~connections road lighting points 2 3 4 S 1971 6 Nil S Nil 1981 350 12 6S Nil 1986 1942 69 221 Nil The progress of electrification is quite in keep transport. The bus-routes terminate either in ing with the process of urbanization of Krishnapur Calcutta or Haora at one end and Dum Dum Air since 1971. The progress, though outwardly im Port, Raj arh at, Barasat, Kharibari, Pathuriaghata, pressive, does not however, cover the whole of the Narayanpur, Hitiara, Habra and Birati at the other. town, as the vast majority of the people of lower There is no town bus service, and the residents have socio-economic strata are still living with kerosene to come to V.l:P. Road either by bicychh ox; cycle~ lamps. "A lot is done, but the undone vast." rickshaw or on foot for availing themselves of bus services. There ar-e about 29 private cars, 1,63. ROAD LIGHTING scooters or motor cycles, 500 bicycles, 315 cycle There are about 30 road-lighting points of mercury rickshaws and 57 animal-driven carts, operating vapour lamp set up by the P.W.D. (Roads) of the mostly within the town. For transport of goods, the Govt. of West Bengal on the stretch of V.I.P. Road town is entirely dependent on automobiles like trucks, passing through Krishnapur. There are also some 14 tempos, mini trucks and also cycle-rickshaw vans. ligrting points around the two C.M.D.A. store depots Trucks are mostly engaged in the movement of food which illumine portions of the road. But Krishnapur grains, vegetables, building· materia.Js., rice, medicines, Road is without any street light even though it is the chemicals, engineering goods, furniture, fish, milk, vital road in Krishnapur. The Gram Panchayats, res and kerosene oil. Needless ta mention, bicycle is the ponsible for lighting of the roads, expressed their most popular personal means pf internal transport in helplessness in making much headway with the the' town. scheme of road-lighting because of enormous costs involved. The installation of one road-lighting point Apart from- road transport, there is also scope of would, according to a rough estimate, entail an riverine transport along the navigable Krishnapur expenditure of rupees one to two thousand. Steps, Canall Even two 'decades back;., a part of the goods however, have been taken for the immediate installa tion of about 60 road-lighting points. OD the- town was transportedt 'through water transport, mostly by boats. But because of the rapid improve TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION ment in automobile transport as also because of As mentioned earlier, the town is not connected cheapness, the water transport has almost gone into by Railways. Hence, roads are the only media of disuse. PoST AND TELEGRAPH The second Post Office viz. the Prafulla Kanan Post Office was established in 1972 in Prafulla Kanan The first Post Office in Krislmapur was opened of New Krishnapur, near v.I.P. Road and Krishnapur in 1953. Earlier the nearest Post Office was located Road crossing. It is an extra departmental sub-Post at Shyamnagar and people had to cover a distance Office and is housed in a rented room. Besides the of about seven kilometres for postal service. No tele Post Master, there are two post-men and a mail-man graphic facility has been extended to the town even attached to the post office. This Post Office was set today. At present there are two post offices located up to cope with the increasing demand for postal in two parts of Krishnapur, Old and New Krishnapur. services fre>m the new inmigrants to New Krishnapur. The Post Office at Old Krishnapur established in The Cash Office of both the Post Offices functions 1953 is a branch Post Office and was originally from Deshbandhunagar Post Office at Baguihati Bazar, located in a separate structure in Mission Bazar at Krishnapur till 1982 when the structure gave way to while the Head Post Office is at Belghoria. All the a violent storm and since that time, it was shifted to postal transactions, such as savings deposits, registra the home of the Post Master in Ghosh Para of Old tion of articles, issue of postal stationery etc. are Krishnapur. The Post Master incidentally is a pri made from here. Both the Post Offices accept money mary school teacher and performs duties of the Post orders from the public and distribute the incoming Master in his spare time in the morning and even ing. Besides, there are two other members of staff, money orders too. The approximate value of postal one a fuV-time postman and another an extra-depart transactions in the two Post Offices in 1985 are indi mental agent. ci\ted in Table III-3. TABLE III (3) Postal Transactions in 1985 Sale of No. of registered Money Orders Money Orders postal letters/parcels issued received Name of Post-Office stationeries r--..A..-.-~ r----.A...... ----, r------"--~ (in Rs.) Received Delivered No. Amount No. Amount (in Rs.) (in Rs.) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1. Prafulla Kanan Post Office 10,500.00 2,250 3,100 941 64,541.00 942 2,66,027.00 2. Krishnapur Post Office 1,950.00 360 618 635 12,550.00 595 14,585.00 So far as issue and receipt of money orders are Rabindra PaW. The exact number of private tele concerned, the referent town is at the receiving end. phones cannot be ascertained from the concerned, T~e town receives more money from outside for Exchange which covers an extensive area besides delivery than it remits outside. The Prafulla Kanan Krishnapur. However, a rpugh estimate by local Post Office handles about 598 Savings Bank accounts officer of concerned exchange places the number of as in September 1985 while the Krishnapur Branch private connections in 1987 at, not more than fifteen. Post Office h~ndles about 250 Savings Bank Accounts. FIRE SERVICE As pointed out earlier, neither of the Post Offices has any telegraphic facility and the residents of the There is no fire-fighting station in Krishnapur. town have to go to Deshbandhu Nagar Post & Tele The nearest unit of the Fire Brigade is located on graphic Office for despatching telegrams. Again, the Dum Dum Road in Nager Bazar, at a distance of Prafulla Kanan Post Office has a telephone connec five kilometres. The unit has two firy service engines. tion which is also used for public calls. There is also In case of extreme emergencies, the town also gat a public telephone booth on Krishnapur Road in the help of fire-fighting units of Calcutta. 23 SOURCE OF FINANCE FOR THE AMENITIES AND school buildings and looking after the non-formal SERVICES schools. Mahishbathan Gram Panchayat-I is the local civic The sanction of building plans has turned out to agency for New Krishnapur and the adjoining village be o?e of. the main functions of the Gram Panchayats of Chandiberia. The Panchayat has 25 elected mem specIally III the wake of substantial influx. of people. bers, 22 from New Krisbnapur and three from About 2,825 building plans in Krishnapur have been Chandiberia. Again the Mahishbathan Gra,m pancha sanctioned by the two Panchayats from 1977-78 to yat-I1 is the civic body for Old Krishnapur and four 1984-85; of these about 2,341 building plans were other adjoining villages of Mahishgote, Tarulia, sa~ctioned in New Krishnapur area. Again in New Mahishbathan and Polenite. The Panchayat has 14 Knshnapur. area,. about 200 buildings plans have elected members of which six are from Old Krishna been s~nctlOned ill 198~-86. The following are the pur and remaining eight from the adjoining mouzas. regulatIons for the sanctIon of a plan of building by the Panchayats: The main activities of the Gram Panchayats are: 1. Attested certified copy of the documents relating to the ownership of the applicant is 1. Construction and maintenance of roads, other to be submitted. than those maintained by the State P.W.D. 2. Building plan is to be submitted. and also maintenance of culverts. 3. A sanction fee of Rs. 25.00 is to be deposited. 2. Provision of street lights. 4. An undertaking is to be given that the aerial 3. Conservancy. constructiop will not exceed 40 feet. 4. Drainage and sewerage. 5. A space of three feet is to be kept vacant on 5. Water-supply. all sides. . ' 6. Educational, cultural and social activitises. 7. Sanction of building plans. The two Pani:hayats have several commissioned 8. Collection of Panchayat tax and trade' license agents for the collection of Panchayat fees license and other fees. fee.s etc .. f?~ which they are paid commissions. The 9. Relief activities. relIef actlVltIes. of the Panchaydts assume special im 1O. ~ther misce.llaneous activities including the portance dunng natural calamities like floods Impleme~t~~on and supervision of develop cyclones, epidemic diseases etc. while the routin~ ment activIties under National Rural Employ relief activities of the Panchayat~ include payment of ment Programme (NREP) and District Rural cash relief and gratuitous relief to the very poor old Development Agency (DRDA). and the disabled. ' . Most of ~he amenities and services like construc . ~oming to the Panchayat bu.dget, the twin sources tIon and l?amtenance of roads, street lights, conser of lllcomes of the Panchayats are the grants from the vancy, dr~nage. and s~we.rage, water-supply etc. have qovernment a~d the .realization of tax, fees and been descnbed m detaIls III the foregoing section. The lIcenses. The mcomes of the two Pp,nchayats for educati~nal activities of the Panchayats are confined 1984-85, as ~evea!ed from the concerned audit to makmg grants for construction and renovation of reports, are gIven III Table IIl.4. TABLE III (4) Income of Mahishbat'han Gram Panchayats for 1984-85 Gram Panchayat-I Income by source Gram Panchayat-II r--,.A..-~~ r-~...... _.,.A,,-~_ 1984-85 1984-85 (in Rs.) «in Rs.) ----_.------'-- 2 3 Opening Balance. .. . 1,09,961.17 15,215.25 Grant for salari~s of Chowkidar and 'Dafadar . 7,660.05 Grant for Salanes of Secretaries and Work Asstt91 7,979.00 Grant for N.R.B.P. . " . 19,951.80 21,438.20 29,000.00 29,000.00 Grant from Govt. of West Bengal . 1,950.00 Honorarium. . . . 1,950.00 2,625.00 3,675.00 Allowances for members 360.00 Tax, license and fees 1,050.00 97,267.25 12,889.50 Building sanction fees 4,829.00 Development fees . 1,046.00 Lease of tanks 250.00 850.00 Bank Interest ...... 1,"560.00 1,608.00 Income from misc. ~ourc~s like'writi~g of 'Ration-Ca;ds saie of ~ld p;;' s . I f'b k" ·676.04 Govt. Text b ooks advertiesment and others ' 'I!e , sa e 0 00 S, Total: The.sources of income of,the two Gr.am P.anchayats plan sanctions fees are considerably higher than those are very similar so far as grants from Government of the Panchayat-II. are concerned. But it is interesting that incomes of Gram Panchayat-l coml"rising New Krishnapur (the urbanized segment) as a whole from· 0wn· sources like The expenditures of the Panchayats during 1984-&5 incomes from taNes, fees, licen~s ,etc., and building are given in Table III-5. TABLE III (5) Expenditures of M3hishbathan Gram pancbayats for 1984-85 Expenditure-by item Gram Panchayat-I Gram-Panchayat-ll 1984-85 1984-85 (irrRs.) (in. Rs.) 1 2 3 Salary & P.F. ofStllff 26,153.20 21,698.20.,j :Salary, P,F., dress of T tA. (Office Staff &; Members) 1,039.55 2,415.50.. Honoraria 2,625.00 3,675.00j Tax'eollection commission 14,812.80 1,157.72 Office rent 1,440.00 , Fitting·of,pipelor road 7,834.75J Sinking and Re-sinking of tube-wells. 12,970.94. 5,138.32 N.R.E.P. 5<1,420.00 .. 40,289.45 Excavation work of Canal 465.00..J House repairing for the PQor 1,000.00J Cementing of tank-side 1,870.00.... Improvement of culvert 2,756.50 j Public health and miscellaneous 106.00 ~ Repail'ing'oflFrimary School 'Buildiq, 20,226.001 Oearing of canal water 244.00J Repairing of roads . 44,283.00J 1,267.00 Gratuitous relief 1,040.00~ 623.00 Relief Work . 1,594.00 Purchase-of furniture 775.00 Transport charges . 453.00 Improvoment of temple , 324.45 Miscellaneous 840,43 1,274.09 Surplus .. 66,334.28 4,851.31 Total 2,77,698.31 97,655.69 25 EVALUATION OF PANCHAYAT ~ not only from Krishnapur but also from Salt Lake, Lake Town, South Dum Dum, Jyangra and Arjunpur For a vast area of one town and five adjoining attend the school, staffed by 12 teachers. The main villages the paltry sum of less than 'three lakhs of problem confronted by the school is a long-drawn rupees' for a whole year seems ~o be ~o? inadequate litigation over the ownership of the school land to cope ~ith the ever-incre~smg CIV~c. demands between the Prafulla Kanan Co-operative Society and specially 10 the wake of groWlI:g urbamzatlOn and the Government of West Bengal. The school cannot increasing influx of people to, thIS area. expand in response to the growing demand while the litigation is pending. The grants for National Rural Employment Programme (N.R.E.P.) constitute a lion's share of The Deshapriya Vidyamandir for Girls, also the Pancl!ayat budget and much of the activities of housed in an impressive pucCa structure, just by the the Panchayats in recent years centre round the side of the Deshapriya Boys' Scliool, has been N.R.E.P. functioning as a secondary school since 1965, but earlier the school conducted four classes, from V to VIII since 1958. There are 18 teachers' in the school It is also striking to note that in both t!J.e budgets with a roll strength of 503 in 1986. Students from of Panchajats-I and II, routine administrative expen Krishnapur and adjoining areas like Salt Lake, diture takes away nearly one-third of the total expen Beliaghata, UItadanga~ Manicktala, Lake Town, diture; the same constitutes 30 per cent and 40 per Bangur and South D4m Dum, Nager Bazar, 'Teghoria, cent respectively of the expenditures of Panchayats I Jyangra, Arjunpur and Baguihati attend the school. and II. Approximately 25 per cent of the students come' from outside the town. A~ain the budgets of the Panchayats are, as a rule, rural-onented and hardly touch the fringe of The existing school building was completed in the urban civic problems specially relating to drain 1975. The school had functioned before in the adjoin age, sewerage, conservation and public health. Of the ing Boys' School building in the morning session. two Panchayats, ~he Gram Panchayat I, in charge of Both the buildings of the Boys' and Girls' Schools the urbanized segment of New Krishnapur and having greater resources to ·tap, is able to divert a good part have been constructed out of contributions from the of the expenditure to development purposes. generous public, specially the new inmigrants, who had' appreciated the need of schools here. Students of Krishnapur, specially New Krishnapur, are generally C. EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES enrolled in the Deshapriya Vidyamandir. But there are two other schools outside in Dum Dum Park, The educati(jnal facilities in Krishnapur town are just on the boundary of the town with South Dum much short of requiremepts specially in the context Dum, the adjoining city; they are Krishnapur Adarsha of its growing size. Till 'the fifties, ,there was not a Vidyamandir for Boys, established' in r954, and single pttmar)l ~chool in the erstwhile village and Krishnapur Ada_TI;ha Vidyamandir for Girls establish students had to go as far as Nager Bazer at a dis ed as a secondary school in 1963. tance of six kilometres on foot for getting school education. Krishnapur had three primary schools in 1961, four in '71 and has seven at present. The two As mentioned earlier, some segments of Old secondary schools in the town viz., Deshapriya Kri'shnapur viz., Nayapati, Chrlstian Para, Mission Vidyamandir for Boys and Deshapriya Vidyamandir Bazar area, Rajbansi Para are located at a distance of for Girls were set up in 1965 and 1964 respectively three to four kilometres from Deshapriya Vidyaman and till date these two continue to be the only dir. Hence, students in those areas find it difficult to secondary schools in the town cover such a distance regularly. Students of Old Krishnapur, as a rule, attend two schools, located in the adjoining' mauza Tarulia. Of the two, Krishnapur Prafulla Kanan Deshapriya Vidyamandir for Boys J adunath ~adhab Chandra $gh School for Boys, was established in 1965. It is now a Boys Secondary established in a pucca building,in 1957, is located on School and was originally started from Class V to the boundary of' Krishnapur ajld Tarulia. The school VIn in 1958. The school building is a very impres has 18 teachers and a roll strength of 560 in 1986. sive two-storeyed pucca structure and is located at A little away is the Krishnapur Chanchal Kumari the junction of V.I.P. Road and Krishnapur Road. Balika Vidyalaya, established as a High School in The school was founded mainly under the initiative of Tarulia in 1973. The school has 11 teachers and a the organisers of the Prafulla Kanan Co-operative roll strength of 506 in 1986. The details of primary Society. The roll strength in 1986 is 500 and students schools are given in Table III,6. 9 Census/88 , ,26 TABLE-flI.6 Details of Primary Schools Nature of Date of No. of No. of students r ____..A-. _ __.,..._.,..---...~ N arne Df School Location building estabhsh- teachers ment Total Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ------Narayantala (West) F~P. Paschim Narayantala Pucca 1961 7 200 105 95 School : Bagjola Camp G.S.F.P. -do- -do- 1974 12 400 225 175 School 3 Rabindra Palli F.P. School, Rabindra Palli (adjoin- -do- 1975 8 450 225 225 8 No. (£arl).p (not affiliated) ing Bagjola Canal) 4 Deshapriya Vidyarnandir Prafulla Kanan -do- 1953 12 356 164 192 Pix. SchoDI, Prafplla Kanan Refugee Pry. School No. 402 5 Krishnapur Majher Para Majher Para in Old -do- 1955 5 298 145 153 F.P. School Krishnapur 6 Krishnapur Basic Primary Mission Bazar area of -do- 1939 8 520 270 250 School Old Krishnapur 7 Nayapati, F.P. School Nayapati in Old Krishna- -do- 1958 4 200 125 75 pur Prima facie the number of Primary Schools for a there is no Engli~h-medium secondary school in growing town with an estimated population of nearly Krishnapur or III the immediate vicinity, the 35,000 may be far below the actual requirements. But guardians nevertheless send their children to the few 1n recent years there is a great craze for English kindergarten schools that have sprouted up in recent medium schools, specially among the people of the years in Krishnapur. Details of kindargarten schools comparatively higher socia-economic status. Though in the town are indicated in 'fable IlL? below. TABLE-ill.7 Kindergarten Schools Class upto Nature of Date of Rate Remarks which building establish No. of No .. of ,of Name of School taught Location ment teallhers students fees r-"A,---, r--oA.---, per month M F M F in R~pees 1 2 3 4 S, 6 7 8 9 ·10 11 I 1 Uma Sankar Mission Nursery Paschim Pucca 1980 6 93 82 50/- 'Ihe School to IV Naryan- school tala (New has own Krishna- bus. pur). I 2 Assembly of God Nursery Christian -'-do- 1976 3 7 14'3 117 4/- Free Church School (affi- tD V para of lunch is Jiated to Assembly of Old Kri- provided. God Church, Cal- shnapur cutta) 3 Nibedita Kindergar- Nursery Prafulla ....-do- 1976 11 150 150 18/- ten School to IV Kanan 4 Deshapriya Balika -do~ -do- -do- 1979 14 250 150 -do- Vidyamandir (K.G. Section) 5 Sishu Malancha K.G. -do- -do- -do- 1974 10 110 70 22/- ----School N.te :-"M" i_liicatell Male a_d 'F' Fe.ale . /' 275 Of the' five kindergarten Schoolsl the Asse~bly of Development Office. Most of these non-formal 'schools God Church School is a missionary school and IS very are located near the settlements of the displaced popular among the poor people because of nO~J?-al persons and also near other blighted areas. The main school fees charged and also because of the facilIties objective of these non-formal schools is to net those of free lunch. But the other four schools charging tui students who would otherwise have not attended any tion fees from Rs. 181- to Rs. 501- per ~onth c~ter for school. The average attendance of each such school the educational needs of the people belongmg to varies from 10 to 25 and the schools are usually held comparatively well-off sections who prefer the Kinder in the afternoon. garten schools to free Primary Schools not only because of the status symbol of these schools but also On a resume, in a town with an estimated popula because of the preference of guardians for elementary tion of over 35,000 at present, only two Secondary English education to their children. Schools and seven primary schools cannot deliver the goods. True, the educational institutions in the peri There is no facility for higher education in the phery of the referent town fill up the vacuum to town or in its immediate vicinity. The nearest Degree some extent. But what is most striking is llie fact that College the Dum Dum Motijheel College, is located for getting collegiate education, students have to cover at Nag~r Bazar at a distance of approximately five a distance of at least five kilometres. But in a grow kilometres. About fifty per cent of the students of ing urban centre willi the percentage of literates as Krishnapur attend this college while the rest have high as 58 (1981), a lot more educational institutions been admitted to various colleges in Calcutta. The including professional and vocational institutes are nearest Medical College is located at Belgachhia in the immediate needs of the town. Calcutta at a distance of about nine kilometres, the nearest Engineering College is located at J adavpur (17 kilometres), the nearest Polytechnic is also D. MEDICAL FACILITIES located at Nagerbazar (four kilometres), while the nearest University is located in Calcutta (12 kilo If educational facilities in Krishnapur are far short metres). There is again no recognised shorthand, of requirements, institutional medical facilities in the typewriting and other vocational training institute in town are cOillspicuous by their absence. There is, on the town and the intending learners have either to record, a Health Centre in the town, but in fact the visit Nagerbazar or Calcutta for undergoing building, still there in Barawaritala of Old Krishnapur. any such training. A recognised Arts and Commerce has long been reduced to a happy meeting ground of Degree College named, Uma Sankar Mission College, the urchins and men of deviant behaviour. The was started in a spacious buildings on V.I.P. Road in Primary Health Centre is located at Rajarhat at a Krishnapur in 1966-67 and continued functioning till distance of about ten kilometres and no patient from 1972. The institution in question was the only college Krishnapur ever turns up there for treatment. The in the sub-region and aroused high hopes in the area nearest Government Hospital is the R. G. Kar Medical in meeting the long-felt demand but because of some College and Hospital, Calcutta, at a distance of about internal conflicts and dissensions culminating in a seven kilometres. In course of canvassing the house litigation, the college has since been closed down. hold schedules among the respondents, it appeared that this Government Hospital is most popular among Lastly, mention may be made of several non the people of comparatively lower socio-economic formal schools in the town. The Emmanuel Church status, and in most cases the residents visit the same in Krishnapur Mission Bazar runs an informal school hospital, while some others go to Nil Ratan Sarkar which is said to be as old as the Church itself. In the Medical College and Hospital and Calcutta Medical past when there was not a single educational institu College and Hospital, both in Calcutta. tion in Krishnapur or in its immediate neighbourhood, this school is said to have kindled the light of learning But in view of the fact that treatment in the in the obscure village of fishermen and taught them hospital is a long-drawn process necessitating long the three R's. Even at present, the Mission is running queues and prolonged waiting, the well-off people, the school with a staff strength of three teachers and and specially those who can afford, visit private an enrolment of 150 students belonging to the poorest medical practitioners of their own preference. There sections of the people who are otherwise too shy and are about seven registered allopathic medical practi reluctant to send their children to the nearby primary tioners, eleven homeopathic practitioners, thirteen schools. quacks, and five Hakims in the town. The usual fees for consulting im allopathic practitioner varies from Rs. 4 to Rs. 6 while that for a homoeopath varies from Besides, there are six non-formal schools, three in Rs. 2 to Rs. 4. The chambers of the four registered New Krishnapur within Gram Panchayat 1 and three allopathic practitioners are located in New Krishna in Old Krishnapur in Gram Panchayat 11. Two pur and of three others in Old Krishnapur. For teachers getting a monthly salary of Rs. 120.00 perl consultation with specialists, the residents have to visit month are attached to each such school, which getsl' Calcutta mostly and Baguihati Bazar and Nager Bazar the grant on salary account from the local Block occasionally. 2& 'There is no Maternity and Child Welfare Centre are mostly akin. to the bare-foot~d doctors, who meet in tbe town, but there is one private Nursing Home the peripheral medical needs of. the. less affluent at. Hana Para, near R,abindra Paili. where maternity people. About 1b such Health Vjsitors,. each gettiJ:}g cases and normal surgical cases like appendicitis a monthly honorarium of Rs. 50.00, are earmarked and gall-bladder operations are referred. for ~rishnapur. They haye to undergo a three-month training course under the Sanitary Inspector of Rajar Even though there is no. Health Centre, or Mater hat Block and their main functions are to distribute nity and Child Welfare Centre, or Government Hos some common dmgs and to guide and advise the pital in Krishnapur, there are about 25 Community people on family-planning. The, dmgs are supplied by Health Visitors allotted to the two Panchayats. They the Primary Health Centre. CHAPTER· IV ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE TOWN SOURCE OF DATA was rejected. Once the random start was decided, the first selected sample household bore that random Two sets of data are available for the study of number and the other samples were selected at an the economic lIfe of the town, namely, (a) Census mterval of 27. data and (b) data based on survey. Next to 20Q sample households, all the establish The Census Tabulation Plan of 1981 does not ments in the town~ viz., manufactupng: trading and provide vanous census tables for each and every cOmnlercial and other establikhments have b'een enu town. Most of the tables are tabulated for the merated in a rap~d survey. It is estimate? th~~ more district as a whole and for cities and urban agglo than 95 per cent of t~e establi&hments In the town merations with population of one lakh and above. have been enumerated' and 'ther6 is a 'chanc~ of The dIstrict has break-up figures for urban and rural omission in resped j '01 5 per cent of thr establish components. Hence, except for the data on PriIllary ments for non-availability of the owners of the es Census Abstract, the various census tables are. hardly tablishments. Apart from rapid enumeration, detail available for the town of Krishnapur. Agam, the ed informations relating to severat items were collected Primary Census Abstract figures of 1981 are not for most but not all the establishments, because of comparable to those of 1971 and 1961 first because limitations of time: . , of the change in the concept of working force .and secondly, because of the regrouping of the varIOUS ECONOMY OF THE TOWN industrial categories in 1981 Census where all the seven categories, viz., III, IV, V (b), VI, VII, VIII The economy o~ the, to~n, as i reve!lled ffotp th.e and IX of 1971 have been clubbed together. In such participation of the workrog force, IS largety tn a situation one can search in vain for any trend from dimensional in nature witl;t manufactUJ;ing, servic~ and Census data of different decades. trade beilfg the main pillars of the econqmy and agricultural and fishing ac.tivi~es, providing II).argjDal METHODOLOGY FOR THE SURVEY support to th.e people. As poroted out ~arli~r, land, formerly utilised in cultivation, has been changed into Regarding the survey, 200 households hll:ve homesteads, the marshy swamps in the sal~ water been surveyed very intensively. For selectmg lakes, accounting for the fishing activities oJ the ~rst the households, the 19.81 Census house-list con while village, providing the land, after reclamatIon, taining 4,744 househ.olds in 33 census blocks we~e to Bidhan Nagar township. In, a tqwn where the consulted. In selecting the households, systematic wave of inmigration started fro~ th~ ea~ly fifties and, sampling method was adopted, the relevant rap~om where the inmigrants accolJnt for nearl~ sev~nty five number being picked up after consulting Statistical per cent of the total p and non-workers only, mutually exclusive of each constructional sector. The sex-wise distribution of other, the Cen~us of 1981 replaced this dichotomy by the workers shows that womenfolk are, in general, a trichotomy with three categories, mutually exclusive non-participants in gainful economic activities. Parti of each other, viz., main workers, marginal workers cipation of females in economic pursuits is not en and non-workers. Any worker having worked for couraged, specially by the original residents. But with 283 days or more in a year was treated as a fuiltjrne the increasing urbanisation of Krishnapur, the harden worker and others as marginal. The present discus ed attitude is gradually wearing out, as reflected by sion on working force is based on aggregating the the slow but perceptible rise in the percentage of main and marginal workers of 1981 Census into one women workers from 4.6 in 1961 to 5.3 in 1971 and group. 8.8 in 1981. The table showing workers and n9n-workers for the distIict (urban), sub-divisiol]l (urban) and the WORKERS VIS-A-VIS ~NDUSTRIAL c;ATEGORIES referent town is rurnished in Appendix. Table No.1. The distribution of workers among various in It appears that the percentage of total workers in dustrial categories (vide Appendix Table No.2) the referent town has been consistently lower com shows that the workers are mostly engaged in the pared to the same in the sub-division (urban) and industrial, trading and service sectors. In 1961 the district (urban) in all the three preceding Censuses. Census, the three categories accounted for 73.5 per This trend is more prominent in the case of male cent and in 1971 Census for 56.S per cent of the workers. Only in 1981 Census, the percentage of total workers. The steep fall in 1971 in the percent male workers is slightly higher than that of the sub age of labourers in this category can be accounted for division. How('vl!r, the perceatagc of workers in the by a fall in the percentage of workers in the service referent town, has risen consistently in the last three sectors anp a spectacular rise in the percentage of decades, even though there has been a steep fall in agricultural labourers. This can partly be explained the percentage of workers frtlm 1961 to 1971 be by the fact that the bulk of the-inmigrant displaced cause of conceptual differences in the case of the persons with agri~u1tural background in the erstwhile sub!division (urban) and the district. East Pakistan got themselves engaged as agricultural labourers in the adjoining villages, after discontinua Thus compared to a'decadal growth rate of work tion of doles and othw benefits ip the camps. That ers by 29 per cent for the urban component of the the labourers engaged in agricultural pursuits belong district in 1961.1.71, there has been a growth rate of to the inmigrating dispJa€ed persons can be confirmed workers by 93.6 per cent in the referent town. Like by the absence of any female agricultural labourer wise in the preceding decade of 1971-81, the growth in 1961 Census, because of the stigma against the rate of workers in Krishnapur has been 90.8 per cent employment of female labourers in agricultural ope compared, to 42.9 per cent for the district urban. In rations among the original residents, specially among absolute terms, the growth of workers in the referent the Poundras and the Rajbanshi-Tiyars. But in 1')71, town has beep. from 1,716 in 1961 to 3,323 in 1971 as many as 61 female agricultur~ labourers have been and 6,340 I (including marginal workers)'in 1981. This returned. fantastic growth of workers in the referent town can be attributed to twin factors viz., the transformation of village Krishnapur into a town with concomitant In the light of the regrouping of various industrial cHanges in popUlation and growth in trade, transport categories in 1~81 Census, the Table IN.l emerges and and m'anufacturiJ;lg facilities and secondly to the one may have a look at the percentage of tha.workers. growth of Salt Lake City in 1981 creating thereby in the re-grouped categories in I the three preceding ever-increasing demand for labour, specially in the censuses. j TABLE-IVIl Percentage Distribution of Workers in R~ grouped Industriai' Categorie~ Cehsus Cultivation Agricultural Household Other WorKers Total Year Lagour Industry (resid~a\ per- categofles ----centage I 2 3 4 5 6 1961 5.9 7.6 0.6 85.9 100.0 1971 2.4 25.6 4:.5 67.5 100.0 1981* 0.9 4.7 1.5 92.9 100.0 ----- ;while working out the perceQ.tage distribution as workers only main workers have been considered. '131 The transformation of a village into a growirlg construction, trade and commerce, transport and town. can be amply demonstr~!ed by t~e steady other services, engage more than 10 per cent of the tapenng-off of the farming sector and the sImultane workers. The growing preeminence of the service and ous emergence of the non-agricultural 'other work' manufacturing sectors, in so far as these two categories sector. As pointed out earlier, the steep rise in the account for more than half the workers in the sample percentage of agricultural workers in' 1971 can be households, is explicable in the light of the growth accounted for by the absorption of the inmigrating history of the town by inmigrants, mostly from the displaced persons with farming know-how into farm adjoining cities and towns. The village Krishnapur did ing avocations and can be termed as more or less a not spontaneously grow into a tOWD. Rather, the temporary phenomenon. Likewise, the opening up urban inmigrants with their non-agricultural occupa of the ,Salt Lake Cjty in 1~79~80 in the vicinity of tions transformed the village Krishnapur into a town. Krishnapur gave rise to hitherto unknown opportuni Again, the remarkable growth of the category of cons ties of employment, sparked off by a spurt 'in endless truction can be related not only to the development'of constructional activities connected with the rise of the city of Salt Lake but aifso to the phenomenal rise various urban infrastructures and weaned a large in constructional activities in the said town itself. number of agricultural labourers and persons engaged in traditional household industry into regular From the standpoint of sex-wise distribution of employment with ready cash payments. Hence, there workers in the sample Households, more than '50 per has been a fall in the percentage of workers in these cent of the female workers ,are engaged in other two categories in 1981 Census. And about the trend services, mostly 'as teachers in educational institutions in respect of various categories clubbed together under and as office assistants. Other Work in 1981 Census, one has to grope in the dark. Of course, Appendix Table No. 3 of divi sion of workers according to industrial categories in WORKING FORCE VIS-A-VIS SCHEDULED CASTES sample households would give some idea. AND SCHEDULED TRIBES . A look at the percentage of workers engaged in The number of population belonging to the dIfferent industrial categories in the sample households Scheduled Tribes in the town is almost insignificant; ·in Appendix; Table No. 3 confirms, once again, the 28 persons in 1971 and only 17 persons in 1981 complete unImportance of the agricultural sector, less belong to the Scheduled Tribes and hence, any th~n one per cent of the workers being engaged in separate presentation of data on the Scheduled Tribes thiS sector. The increasing diversification of the eco may not be very useful. Table IV.2 would show the nomy, in keeping with the growing urbanisation of extent of participation of members of the Scheduled the town, is supported by the fact that each of the Castes and Scheduled Tribes in gainful economic five non-agricultural categories, viz., manufacturing, activity. TABLE-IV. 2 Percentage of Workers iii 1971 and 1981 Census Category of population Census year Total Male Fema1e Population 1 2 3 4 Non-Scheduled Castes and Tribes . 1971 23.0 41.1 2.8 1981 25.4 44.7 4.9 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes . 1971 21.8 40.0 2.2 1981 24.3 43.5 4.0 -I _-L It appears that the extent of participation in eco the residual population in higher than those of the nomic activity, whether in the case of the Scheduled Scheduled Casts and Scheduled Tribes. The percentage Castes and Scheduled Tribes or in the case of the of workers in the sample households, so far as parti residual population, has increased in the last two cipation of the Scheduled Castes and non-Scheduled censuses, not only in'the case of the total popUlation Castes is concerned, indicate, more or less, the same h\lt also ill the case of the male and female workers: trend, as evident from the 'Table IV.3. . . But, the extent of participation in working force of 32 TABLE IV. 3 Participation in working force (Sample Households) ------Category of population Total population Total workels ,_~ ____.A.., ___~ __~-, r------,-"-_____, -, Persons Males Females Persons Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ------Sc1iealiled c'astes 479 248 231 149 119 30 (31.1) (48.0 (13.0) No~.ScheClu(~ Castes 588 303 285 180 159 21 (30.6) (52.5) (7.4) Note: Fi~res in brackrt~ indicate 'percentage. A -gtance ~t ttie table reV~als that exqept the higher aJ}1ong the Scheduled Castes in 1981 census, 69.7 pe:rcentage of workers ~mong both the Scheduled per cent of the total population and 75.2 per cent of Castes iiid residual potiulhtion in the sample bouse the males among the residual population are literates. holds compared'to 1981 census, tbere is no significant difference between the two segments of population, INDUSTRIAL CATEGORIES OF WORKERS AMONG so far as participation in working force of the sample S~HEDULED CASTES & TRIBES VIS·A·VIS RESIDUAL households is concerned. As in 1981 census, the POPULATION ;pe'icentage of 'tnale wofJsers among the residual population is much higber 'than 'aindng"tbe Scheduled In the context of non-availability of individual Caste populatio1\ in the sample households. This is industrial category-wise data for 1981 census, it is 'pr9tiably ~ on .~tCdUnt· of "the &tucational dm:erential proposed to examine the same for 1971 census for between the two segm~~ts of the populatlOn. As the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and the residual 'against 44.2 per cent ,and 54.6 per cent of literates popUlation of Krishnapur in Tables IVA and IV.5 among "the total popUlation and males respectively respectively. TABLE IV. 4 Percentage of Workers engaged in different Industrial Categbries- 1971 ------...._ . Agricul· Live· Mining House· Manu· Cons· Trade Trans· Other tural stock, an" hold fae- truc- and port & services Category of population Cultiva- labourer fares· quarry· indus· turing tion com·' commu· tion :~y ing try merce nica- s!{ing tion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Scheduled. Castes and 2.9 34.7 1.8 6.1 15.1 5.1 13.4 8.3 12.6 Scheduled Tribes Residual Population 1.8 13.4 2.6 2.3 25.1 2.7 20.2 10.4 21.5 TABLE IV. 5 Percentage of Workers engaged in different Industrial Categories (Sample HOUSeholds) -. .---,r----- Live· Trans· Agricul stock, Mining House· Manu· Cons· Trade port & Category of population Cultiva· tural fores· and hold factur· true- and commu· Other tivn labourer try. quarry· indus· ing tion comm· niea- services fish· ing try eree tion lng 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ·Scheduled Cas~es . 1.3 5.3 0.7 2.7 19.5 21.5 16.1 12.1 20.8 Residual population 0.6 2.7 0.6 '0.6 29.4 11.1 14.4 10.1 30,9 33 TIle industrial category-wise Ji<;tribution of households bas come down to 4.6. This is probably workers in 1971 census among the Scheduled Castel because of the fact that the bulk of the inmigrants in and Tribes on the one hand and the residual popula the town in recent years belong to the service category tion on the other reveals that the former category was where the elderly people have to retire at the age of engaged in higher proportions as agricultural and 60 years or so. construction workers and also in household industry compared to the residual population, presumably because these categories did not require any edu TYPE OF OCCUPATION ViS-A-VIS AGE·GROUPS AND cational attainments. Likewise, higher proportion of SEX (SAMPLE HOUSEHOLD) workers among the residual popUlation was engaged in manufacturing, trade and commerce and other Appendix Table No. 6 shows that in the sample services, as these categories required higher standards households, 56.8 per cent of the total workers arc of education and some amount of initiative. In the manual ones, skilled or unskilled. The skilled and sample households too, the Scheduled Caste workers unskilled workers are evenly balanced, but while only are engaged in higher proportion in the categories of ] 7 per cent of the female manual workers are skilled, livestock and fishing, household industry, constructioIl the residual 83 per cent are unskilled. Again, while and transport. Both in 1971 census and in the sample 52.5 per cent of the total male workers are skilled households in 1986, there are significant differences in or unskilled manuals, more than 80 per cent of the the percentages of workers engaged in the categories total female workers belong to this category. Diversity of manufacturing and other service~ between the two of occupations is more pronounced among the male segments of population. workers. Among the 30 teenaged-workers, all but six are engaged as manual workers. WORKERS BY AGE-GROUPS AND SEX No age-group-wise trend is noticeable from the The popUlation of the town can be broadly table. As most of the occupations other than the divided into three age-groups i.e., 0-14, 15-59 and 60 manual workers require acquisition of some expertise and above. As a rule, the largest number of eco and educational attainment, all but 15 workers, nomically active persons comes from the age-group engaged in the residual occupations, belong to the of 15-59. Normally, the persons below this age-group age-group of 25 or more. There is not a single female are mostly students and dependants while the persons ~orker aged 25 or less engaged in tl1e residual occupa- above this age-group are generally superannuated or 11011. retired people and both these age-groups are generally expected to be non-workers. The analytical frames for the present discussion are the age-group table of TYPE OF OCCUPATION VIS-A-ViS EDUCATIONAL 1971 census for the entire town (Appendix Table LEVEL AND SEX No.4) and the age-group table on the sample house holds (Appendix Table No.5). According to 1971 Nearly 24 per cent of the total workers in the census, 43.4 per cent of the population are below 15 sample households (Appendix Table No.7) are illi years and 5.9 per cent are above 59 years. In the terah~ and more than two-fifths of the total workers former age-group there were only 36 child-labours are either illiterate or literate without any level. (1.1 per cent), while there were as many as 186 Again, nearly 25 per cent of the total workers are elderly workers (5.6 per cent). In the sample house matriculates or above. Among the literate skilled or holds in 1986, the percentage of child-workers has unskilled manuals, all but nine have educational risen to 2.4 per cent. The rise in child labour is on attainments below the School Final level. Among the account of inueasing inmigration of people of relative persons engaged in lowest professional work, all but ly higher socio-economic status employing a number two are matriculates and above. But in small business, of child-labourers, mostly females in domestic 'service !Ill but seven are literates. Among all the categories of and also because of the setting up of a number of occupations, the persons engaged as clerks and assis manufacturing units in the town, engaging child tants have higher educational attainments compared labourers. On the basis of the field survey of establish to those engaged in other occupations. Of the 41 ments in the referent town, a number of establish persons engaged in this occupation, all but two are ments in the town have been identified (e.g. battery literates and among the literates, there is a pre cap manufacturing units, tea-stalls, restaurants, etc.) ponderance of persons who have passed school finals where there is a preponderance of workers of minor or are graduates,-the former being 39 per cent age. against 36.6 per cent being graduates. But, there ha<; been a fall in the percentage of Of the seven fema1e workers who have passed elderly workers in the town. In 197] census, the School Finals or above; four are engaged as Primary e1derly workers constituted 5.6 per cent of the total Teachers, two as Clerks and one as a Secondary Workers, whereas in 1986 the percentage in the sample School Teacher. , Cen'lus/88 5 34 DISTRIBUTION OF WORKERS BY CASTE AND SEX nomic pursuits. Among the Scheduled Castes, the lK SAMPLE HOUSEHOLDS highest percentage of female workers is found among the N:Imasudras, the inmigrants from East Pakistan, 30.8 pcr cent of the persons in the sample house wher;: about 20 per cent of the women-folk share holds (Appendix Table No.8) are workers. The work with their husbnnds either as construction wor Karmakars, the Napits, the Baidyas, the Tantis, the kers or as maid servants. The Poundras, the Tiyars Kumbhakars, the Ranias, among the Caste Hindus and the Kaoras, (he other Scheduled Castes belonging and the Namasudras and the Tiyars among the to the original residents, were, till very recently, much Scheduled Castes appear to have higher participation strict about not sending their women-folk to ,work, rate, while the Goalas, the Gandha Baniks, the Jl!gis, but recently some of them have undergone a change the Telis, the Sadgopes, the Sankharis among the in their attitude. Caste Hindus and the Poundras, the Kaoras and the J alia Kaibartas among the Scheduled Castes have PROFESSIONAL AND PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS comparatively lower percentages of workers. Apart f rom the Hindus, the Christians have higher participa According to the list of people engaged in medical, tIon ratc. Among the Caste Hindus, except the engineering and legal vocations supplied by the two Brahmans, the Baidyas, the Kayasthas and the Goalas, Gram Panchayats, people living in the referent town where the female workers are mostly educated and and engaged in various professions are few in number. work as tcachers or office assistants, the other castes The following is the list of professionals and private do not encourage participation of womenfolk in eco- practitioners. TABLE IV. 6 Statistics about Professionals No. of registered Allopathic Medical Practitioners No. of registered Homoeopathic Medical Practitioners No. of registered Lawyers and I\dvocates No. of registered Engineers HOUSEHOLDS WITH MULTIPLICITY OF OCCUPA business, are mostly employed in either offices or TIONS factories, there is hardly any scope for pursuing a secondary occupation. Again, the manual workers In the referent town, only 11 of the 329 workers numbering about 56.8 per cent of the total workers in the sample households (3.3 per cent) returned a who have to work from morning till evening as secondary occupation, in addition to the primary labourers, carpenters and mason,s have no know-how occupations they followed. In an urban area like or expertise to pursue a secondary occupation. Table Kri(mapur where the workers, other than the daily IV.7 shows the distribution of the 11 workers having manual workers and those engaged in trade and returned a secondary occupation. TABLE IV. 7 Workers having Secondary Occupations SI. Caste rrilnaryoccupation Secondary occupation No. 2 3 4 1 Namasudla. Tea-stall owner Petty contractor 2 do Rlckshaw-van-puller Tube-well mcrhanic 3 do Mechanic in factory Owner of a cloth shop 4 do Carpenter S()J1er of mats 5 do Grocer Cultivator 6 Tiyar. Cultivator Milk-seller 7 Poundra Tea-stall-owner Broker of land 8 do Ricksh::tw-van-nuller Mason fir c_) Cowdung cake-sdler M~'id-~crvant 10·,ffi Brahman '/111 1 'H' Clerk in Corporation of Calcutti1 Mu~ic tutor tl do Order-supplier of arnliances Driver of private cars 35 OCCUPATIONAL DIVERSITY thirdly with reference to the occupations pursued by dlffelent brothers. In all, some diversity in occupation In studying the occupational diversity-cltn~-mobility haS been found in the occupations returned by 12.8 the diwrsity of occupations has been exammed first pt:r cent of the total workers. It may be interesting with reterence to the occupations pursued by the to present the extent of diversity in Tables IV.S, IV.9 father and the son, secondly, with reference ~o the and IV.I0. occupations pursued by the husband and wife and TABLE IV. 8 TABLE IV. 10 Occllpational mobility with reference to the occupations pursued Occupational diversity between the occupations pursued by bro thers. by the father and s )n. S1. Occupation of Occupation of S1. Occupation of father Occup~tion of son No. one brother another brother No. _----- 123 1 2 3 1. Clerk Worker in if file-making 1. Oil-mill-owner Type-setter in press a workshop 2. Manufacturer of Designer in Govt. Office 2. Clerk Order-supplier machinery parts 3. Inspector of Peerless Primary teacher 3. Carpenter Seller of vegetables Insurance 4. Mosaic setter Domestic servant 4. Petty contractor Clerk 5. Mason Domestic servant 5. Peon Petty contractor 6. Day labourer Mason 6. Clerk Librarian 7. Maker of paper packet Shop assistant 7. Wayside tea-stall Day labour 8. Duftry Physical Instructor owner 9. Cultivator Shopkeeper 8. Welder Sub-contractor 10. Clerk Medical Representative 9. Welder Fisherman 11. Fitter Trader 10. Clerk Teacher 12. Goldsmith Seller of Newspaper [1 . Seller of milk Peon 13. Postman Electlical mechanic ]2. Clerk Loader 14.l_ 13. Peon Worker in plastic work 15. f Day labourer Shop assistant shop 16. Seller of milk Worker in factory 14. Clerk Interior decorator 17. Sharecropper Orchard worker 15. Teacher Asstt. Supervisor in Zoo 18. Mechanical supervisor Cultivator 19. Rickshaw-puller Hawker In analysing the extent of diversity of occupations 20. Maid servant Carpenter as evident from the Table IV.8, it may be pointed (Mother) out that the extent of mobility from the father to the son is, more or less, hdrizontal and no vertical mobility, in the true sense of the term, is revealed. Thus, the sons of three persons working as labourers are working as masons or assistants in shops engaged in weighing the merchandise. The son of the carpenter TABLE IV. 9 father is a seller of vegetables, the son of the mason Occupational diversity with reference to the occupation pursued by is a domestic servant, the son of the rickshaw-puller the husband and the wife. is a hawker of scraps, while the son of the maid servant mother is a carpenter. SI. Occupation of Occupation of wife No. husband In the case of the diversity of occupations pursued by the husband and the wife; the husbands with 1 2 3 white collar occupations as in S1. Nos. 2 to 4 of - - Table IV.9' have their wives also pursuing white I. Pert) COlllractor Maid servant collar occupations, though of different category. 2. I "tructor Telephone operator Teacher 3. Steno-typist But the wives of the husbands pursuing blue Tutor in coaching class 4 Clerk collar occupations are also engaged in similar occupa Bidi-b;nder 5. Carpenter tions. Eyen in the case of thl' occupations pursued 6. Windf'r of thread Tea stall-owner by different brothers, the mobility from a blue collar 7. Mason Day labourer job to a white collar job can hardly be found. All ~his. i~ a po~tet to the very limit~ scope of an average most of the skilled or unskilled manual workers work IOdlVldual m the present socio-economic set-up to within a radius of three to five kilometres (Appendix come out of the vicious circle of indigence, occupation Table No. 11), because most of the manual workers al immobility and lack of opportunitieb for a vertical are associated with various stages of constructional rise. work in the adjoining city of Bidhan Nagar (Salt Lake). The lower professionals, mostly teachers in EMPLOYMENT DEPTH primary schools, also work within a narrow orbit. The persons engaged in sman and medium businesses Appendix Table No. 9 indicates the employment have also their places of business in and around the depth (number of workers in the household). referent town, while in a number of cases, they have EIght households are without a single worker. to work in Calcutta and beyond. In one extreme There is only one worker each in more than half case, an owner of a large shop at Dhanbad in Bihar ot thc households (51.5 per cent). As many as (265 kms), usually commutes there twice or thrice 26 households (13 per cent) with four or more a week. It may also be noted that workers engaged adults have only one worker each. On the whole, as clerks and assistants and those engaged as inter cach worker has to maintain 2.2 adults on an mediate or higher professionals have their places of average. It appears that the single-worker house work in Calcutta, at an average distance of 13 to 14 holds have to bear the main burnt in the sense that kilometres. each worker has to maintain three adults on an average, while the two-worker households are placed Again, if one relates the place of one's work with rather conveniently with 110 workers having the adult the locality that one lives in, some interesting features load of 103 only. also emerge. So far as the refugee settlements of Bagjola Camp and Siddhartha Nagar Colony are con EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF WORKERS cerned, mosl of the workers have their places of work Appendix Table No. 10 shows the distribution of withi~ a narrow orbit of three to five kilometres, mostly the 329 workers in the sample households according covenng the referent town and Bidhan Nagar town to their status viz., employer, employee, single worker, ship. So also is the case of the workers in Old family worker, cultivator and agricultural labour. Krishnapur who too traverse a distance of three or Employees constitute more than half of the workers four kilometres to reach their places of work. (50.2 per cent), followed by the single workers (37.7 per. cent) and the employers (8.8 per cent). The In contrast, the places of work of the workers, family workers (2.4 per cent) and the cultivators belonging to higher professions in the four segments (0.9 per ceht) constitute rather an insignificant seg of New Krishnapur, viz., Prafulla Kanan, Rabindra ment of workers while the agricultural worker is con falli, PlIrba and Paschim Narayantala are mostly spicuous by its absence. located in or around Calcutta at an average distance of 12 to 15 kilometres. Among the various groups of workers, the single workers comprise mostly the daily wage-earners work TRANSPORT TO PLACE OF WORK ing as masons, carpenters and construction labourers and shop-keepers. Interestingly, the majority of the In relating the type of occupations of a worker single workers come from the refugee settlements of to the transport used for reaching the place of work, Old Krishnapur. More than 70 per cent of the wor (vide Appendix Table No. 12) it is found that 41.9 kers in the New Krishnapur (Rabindra Palli, Purba per cent of the workers reach their place of work on and Paschim Narayantala and Pra/ulla Kanan) area foot, 37.4 per cent by bus, 7.6 per cent on bicycle constituting the in migrants from Calcutta and sur Or cycle-rickshaw and 2.4 per cent travel by both rounding cities and towns are employees mostly in bus and train. In the case of 20 workers, the place offices and factories. Again, so far as the workers in or residence synchronises with the place of work, the refugee settlements in Bagjola Camp and Sid while 14 rickshaw-pullers have not to bother about dhartha Nagar Colony arc concerned, more than 70 any transport. Only one person, owner of a· hosiery per cent of them work either as single workers or as workshop in Calcutta, drives his own scooter. family workers. ' Among the manual workers, just one-half of the Among the 18 female workers in New Krishnapur, workers reach 'their place of work on foot, a little as many as 16 are employees, mostly working as more than one-fourth travel by bus, while about 15 teachers or office assistants. Out of 25 workers in per cent of the workers are not concerned, because the refugee settlements, 11 are single workers, six the place of residence of some of them happens to be are family workers, while eight are employees. the place of their work and others pedal their own cycle-rickshaws. In the case of persons engaged in TYPE OF OCCUPATION AND DISTANCE FROM PLACE small business, 58 per cent reach their trading place OF WORK on foot while nearly 26 per cent travel by bus. In the case of persons engaged as clerks and. assistant~ Tn relating the type of occupation with the dis for more than 80 per cent bus is the conveyance, as ~ance that the worker has to cover, it appears that their p13ces of work are located mostly in Calcutta. Out of the 22 persons engaged in medium business, of the females in the sample households are seeking nine cover the distance on foot, six ride on their employment. Again 22.4 per cent of the seekers of bicycles, five travel by bus while in the case of two employment are teen-aged, while another eight per others, place of trade is located in their place of resi cent are aged 30 years and above. It is also worth dence. noting that whlIe none of the unemployed males is more than 29 years of age, there are four females, HOURS Or WORK aged 30 years and above, who are looking for jobs. Only two of the 49 job-seekers are illiterate. Nearly The hours of work vary from occupation to occu 70 per cent of them have passed School Final Exami pation. The daily rated manual workers have usually nation or above and nearly one third of them are to work from 8 a.m. in the morning to 5 p.m. in the graduates or above. It is also significant that among afternoon, with a recess for one hour. The teachers, the graduate job-~eekers, the majority are females. attached to Primary or Secondary Schools, have their working hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workers, Again among the 49 job-seekers in the sample attached to factory otr worksh,op, usually work in shift households, two-thirds are registered with Employ system on a rotational basis, each shift extending to ment Exchange. About 73 per cent of the male and eIght hours from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. 60.9 per cent of the female job-seekers are registered. and 6 a.m. tp 2 p.m. The white-collar workers Level of literacy is directly connected to registration attached to various offices and establishments work in Employment Exchange i.e. the higher the level of usually from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The businessmen education, the higher the percentage of registration. attached to various shops and trading marts usually Thus, two illiterates, one literate without any educa keep their shops open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with tional level and seven (out of 12) non-matriculates some recess. The local shops have recess from 12 are not registered, while all but two of the matri noon to 4 p.m. culates and undergraduates, all but three of the gra duates or post-graduates and the single diploma-holder UNEMPLOYMENT AND RELEVANT PARTICULARS are registered with Employment Exchange. Other details of the job-seekers can be had from the con cerned Appendix Table No. 14. The study of the 200 sample households in 1986 reveals (Appendix Table No. 13) tha~ there are 49 Classifying the non-workers in the sample house unemployed persons constituted by 26 males and 23 holds according to the type of activity they are en females. Hence rate of male unemployment is 4.7 gaged in, it is found that 43 per cent of the non per cent of the total sample male population against workers are students, 34 per cent are engaged in 3.8 per cent in 1971. The rate of male unemployment household activity, 11 per cent are infants, 3.2 per in the age-group of 15-59 in the sample households cent are dependants, 1.5 per cent are disabled, 3 is 7.3 per cent. It may be surmised that in the wake per cent are retired while 4.3 per cent are seeking of multifarious constructional activities in and around jobs. 17 more job-seekers are engaged ill studies and the referent town and specially in Bidhan Nagar have been shown as students. Township and start of various small-scale and cottage industries, aided by the various schemes of the Gov Among the male non-workers, 65.5 per cent are ernment, the employment position in the referent full-time students, 15.3 per cent are infants, 2.1 per town has definitely improved. Among the 49 un cent are engaged in household duty, 3.2 per cent are employed persons in the sample households, 13 reside dependants, 1.7 per cent are disabled, 6.1 per cent in Old Krishnapur, nine in Pra/lIl1a Kanan, seven each are retired, while another 6. I per cent are currently in Rabindra Palli, Purba and Paschim Narayantala, looking for jobs. six in the refugee settlements in Bagjola Camp and Siddhartha Nagar Colony. Among the non-working females, 29.7 per cent are students, 52.7 per cent are engaged in household Regarding age-group distribution of the persons duty, 3.2 per cent are dependants 8.6 per cent are seeking employment, it is ob~erved that all but three infants, 1.3 per cent are disabled, 1.3 per cent are belong to the age-group of 15-34. A little over 65 retired, while 3.2 per cent are looking for jobs. So, per cent belong to the age-group of 15-24, while among the male non-working population excluding the 28.6 per cent to the age-group of 25-34. Among infants, the teen-aged dependants and the disabled, the three other seekers of job, only one male is below the rest arc either students or retired or looking for the age of 15 while two females arc above 34. jobs, while among the female population, excluding the babies and infants and dependants, the bulk of Appendix Table No. 14 shows the distribution of them are engaged in household duties and in studies. persons seeking employment for the first time by age, sex and educational levels and registrations in any ESTABLlSHMENTS Employment Exchange. In the absence of any available data on establish Aboul 4.6 p~r cent of the total population com ments in the town, a very rapid survey has been prising 4.7 per cent of the males and 4.5 per cent undertaken durin~ the present study to arrive at the number of establishments in the town with their have been found in the town as in February, 1986. present strength of employment and locational partI The break-up of the establishments is shown in culars and ruel used. In all, 1, ll5 establishments Table IV.II. TABLE IV. 11 Nature of Establishments Nature of establIshments Number 2 Manufactunng 388 Trading and conuncrcIaI 520 Others 507 Total: 1,115 MANUFACTLfRING ESTABLISHMENT workers, engaged in the food-manufacturing units, are mostly found in the bakeries and sweetmeat shops. Most of the manufacturing establi:,hments cov TABLE IV. 12 Working Strength in Manufacturing Establishments No. of manufactunng establishments r----.--.- _0-__ • _____, Size of employment Total Other than Household household mdustry mdustry 2 3 4 1 Person 156 90 66 2--4 Persons 193 155 38 5~-9 Persons 34 34 10 and above 5 5 - -- -- Total: 388 284 104 ------ Nearly 50 per cent of the establishments have very the concerned Gram Panchayat before starting their restricted employment potentiality limited to 2-4 per business. In all 87 establishments (30.6 per cent) of sons, 40 per cent are single-worker establishments, the total establishments are registered with the Small while only 10 per cent engage 5 or more persons. Of Scale Industry Department of the Government of the household industries nearly two-thirds are single West Bengal as S.S.I. Units and the bulk of them have worker establishments while the rest are establishments received loans from the same organisation. Only two with two workers. Among the other than household of the establishments, viz., Mekado Engineering Works manufacturing establishments, more than 50 per cent at Prafulla Kanan engaged in the manufacture of hand are establishments with 2-4 persons, while nearly tools such as dies, jaws, punch etc.~and the Rapgo 31. 7 per cent are single-worker establishments. Only Private Limited at Paschim Narayantala, engaged in 13.7 per cent of the other than household manufactur the production of G.L.S. lamps, are registered with the ing establishments employ 5 persons or more. On National Small Scale Industries Corporation, Govern the whole, the manufacturing estdblishments do not ment of India, have much employment potential, so far as the present town is concerned and there are only 39 establish The very small-sized establishments (2-4 persons) ments with employment of 5 persons or more and constitute 54.6 per cent of the establishments but only five e<;tablishments employing 10 persons employ 51.6 per cent of the total manufacturing or more. workers. The small-sized establishments (5-9 persons) constitute 12 per cent of the establishments but engage 23.2 per cent of the work force, while the medium [NDUSTRIES BY REGISTERED FACTORIES, UN· sized establishments (10 & above) constitute 1.8 per cent of the establishments but engage 14.7 per cent of REGISTFRED WORKSHOP AND SIZE OF EMPLOY· MENT the work-force. In other words, employment poten tiality of an establishment varies directly with the size of the establishment; that is why, medium and com I\ppendix Table No. 18 would show the po~ition paratively large-sized establishments are so very vital of the different non-household manufacturing establish for boosting up the potentiality of employment in the ments with regard to registration and <;ize of employ referent town. ment. Coming to the size of the establishments, it appears 1\11 but one of the manufacturing establishments that the bulk of the single-worker establishments are in the town are unregistered factories, the single regis· the various repairing establishments engaged in petty tered factory is the Raneiman Laboratory, located at repairing job, the jewelleries and silversmithies, tailor Paschim Narayamala and employing 80 persons. All ing and food-manufacturing establishments. Likewise, the establishments have to coUect trade licences from the small establishments employing 5-9 persons, of 40 course quite larger in the context of the size of the both sides of the two arterial roads in the town, establishments in the town, are the swcetmc'at shops Krishnapur Road and V.I.P. Road. (major group 20), the hosiery (26), the log-cutting and furniture making establishments, plastic factories While more than 70 per cent of the manufacturing (30), the drug-making establishments (31), the tool establishments are located in New Krishnapur because making establishments (35), the establishments of its locational advantage in regard to road and other engaged in assembling or manufacturing electronic infrastructures, the corresponding share of New sets (36) and the larger jewelleries (38). Krishnapur in regard to trading and commercial establishments is just 52.8 per cent, against 36.3 in ESTABLISHMENTS BY FUEL/POWER OR MANUAL Old Krishnapur. The not-too preeminent position USE of New Krishnapur in regard to location of trading Appendix Table No. 19 shows the distribution of and commercial centres can be explained partly by establishments by nature of power used. the adjoining marketing centres at Baguihati, which happens to be very near to New Krishnapur com Nearly 50 per cent of the other than household pared to Old Krishnapur, and also because of the manufacturing units are manually operated, nearly commutirig nature of the office-goers in New Krishna· one-fourth are run by fucllike coal, wood, etc., while pur, who. happen to make their daily purchases from a little over one-fourth are operated by. power. ,Calcutta in the belief that 'price in Calcutta market is Among the household establishments, all but six are 'much cheaper.' manually operated. Among the four constituents, of New Kr\shnapur, Of the other than household manufacturinl: es Rahindra Palli, happens to top the number of com tablishments, fuel like coal and wood are most common mercial establishments, closely followed by Paschim among the establishments manufacturing food (20-21) Narayantala. The other two constituents have just like sweetmeat, salty mixture, papad, sauce and the 10 per cent share of the trading establishments. Like confectioneries, among the establishments engaged in wise, the two refugee settlements at Bagjola Camp manufacturing jewelleries (38) and also amoni the and Siddhartha Nagar also have just 10.9 per cent various repairing establishments. Human power is of the establishments. The importance of Old still the universal mode of motif force in establishments Krishnapur in regard to trading and commercial estab manufacturing beverages and tobaco products (27), lishments can partly be attributed to the erstwhile several drug and chemical manufacturing units (31), functiol1 of Old Krishnapur as a trading mart, specially establishments engaged in the manufacture of non in relation to the fish market which even to-day, metallic mineral products (32), and also various re notwithstanding the loss of the fishing grounds to the pairing establishments (39). Electrical power is present Salt Lake City, handles 40 to 50 quintals of universally used by all the establishments engaged in fish per day. manufacturing electric and electronic sets and parts, several repairing establishments, establishments manu One of the reasons for the· concentration of trad facturing steel furniture and fixtures (34) and also ing establishments in two of the constituents of the several establishments manufacturing plastic products town viz., Old Krishnapur and Rabindra Palli is the (30) and engaged in log-cutting operations (27). location of the twin markets of the town in the above two constituents. Needless to add, many establish· ments there cover the shops and stalls in the market. TRADING AND COMMERCIAL EST,ABLISHMENTS With regard to the location of the different types of trading establishments in different parts of town, Krishnapur is not a thriving trading centre with it appears that the groceries are, more or less, evenly a wide-spread commercial hinterland. Besides, the distributed throughout the length and breadth of the metropolitan trading mart in Calcutta and the nearby referent town, with major, concentration in the market commercial centres at Nagerbazar (four kms.) and at Old Krishnapur. The grilln-stores, mainly dealing Baguihati also deter the growth of Krishnapur as an in rice, are located chiefly in the rice-mart at Baguihati important commercial centre. Therefore, the, trading a constituent of the referent town, and in Old Krishna establishments in the referent .town are just mini es pur market. The vegetable and fish stalls in the tablishments, satisfying the local needs of the custo town are also located in the two markets at Old mers, many of whom make bulk purchases of mer Krishnapur and Rabindra Palli. Like the groceries chandise and daily necessities from the numerous the shops selling pan, bidi and cigarette, the coal and marketing centres in the metropolitan city of Calcutta. firewood, the shops dealing in hardware and building In the context of such Inhibiting influences from the materials and the cafes and tea-stalls are distributed view-point of the buyers, the' location and distribution more or less evenly in the town, in so far as each of the various commercial establishments in the town such establishment seeks to satisfy the demand of the are given in the Appendix Table No. 20 with the sub-locality where it is stituated. It is interesting to initial observation that the majority of the trading and observe that most of the modem well-decorated commercial establishments in the town are located on shops and stalls in the town, specially the shops deal- 41 ing in clothes and garments, electrical goods, hard two of the establishments are run on retail basis. The ware and stationery articles, medicines and pharma two establishments run on wholesale basis are dealing ceuticals are located in Rabindra Palli, the home of in rice and food grains in Narayan/ala, but they also the recent inmigrants from the adjoining metropolis of operate on retail basis. Calcutta and other suburbs. TYPE OF TRADING ESTABLISHMENTS-RETAIL AND SIZE OF EMPLOYMENT WHOLESALE The Table IV.13 shows the distribution of the From the nature of transactions of the trading establishments with reference to the size of employ establishments in the town, it is observed that all but ment. TABLE IV. 13 Trading establishments by size of employmellc 1 Person 2-3 Persons 4-5 Persons ,~ __,_A.. ___-. ,~ _ __A._~_--, Nature of establishment (NIC) Total No. No. of ,---- _.....' ... - ---~ major group of estab- workers No. of Persons No. of Persons No. of Persons lishments establish- engaged establish- engaged establish- engaged ments ments ments 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 65 Retail trade in food, food arti- 306 399 236 236 65 143 5 20 cles and beverages 66 Retail trade in textiles 25 38 15 15 10 23 67 Retail trade in fuel and other 61 102 27 27 34 75 household utilities 68 Retail trade in others 76 131 35 35 37 80 4 16 69 Restaurants and tea-stalls . 52 82 23 23 29 59 ----- Total: . 520 752 336 336 175 380 9 36 As mentioned earlier, most of the trading concerns OTHER FSTABLISHMENTS in the town are very sma.ll-sized retail trading establish ments catering for the peripheral needs of the consu Apart from the manufacturing and commercial mers in the town. Large-sized trading or commercial establishments in the town, there are other multifari establishments are conspicuously absent. As a con ous establishments, details of which are shown in sequence, the employment potentialities of the trading the Appendix Table No. 21. establishments in the town are very limited. In all, 749 workers are engaged in 520 trading establish There are 507 other establishments in the town ments, each trading establishments employing, on an employing as many as 814 persons (employing 1.6 average 1.4 persons. There are only eight trading persons, on an average, per establishment). There establishments in the town employing four persons is one pump house in the town under the Calcutta each, two of them are grain-stores, one is a fish-stall, Metropolitan Development Authority where two per two are dealers in pan, bidi and cigarettes, one is a sons are employed. In the major group under con pharmaceutical shop, while three others are dealers struction {50), there are one section office of the in building materials. Roughly, two-thirds of the Irrigation and Water Works Deptt., Govt. of West establishments are single-worker establishments while Bengal and two road-side maintenance denots of the one-third are establishments employing 2-3 persons Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority, Govt. on an avera[Ie. of West Bengal. Under land transport (70) have 9 Census/88 6 42 been includep the rickshaws, vans and hand-carts an average worker earning daily from Rs. 10 to and bullock carts. The toll station at Kudghat em Rs. 281-. The approximate volume of production ploying three persons constitutes the single establish in 1985-86 was 36,000 pair of gloves. The volume ment under water transport, while two post offices of transactions is said to be around Rs. two lakhs in the town comprise the two establishments under and a half in 1985-86. The total capital invested communications (75) . The Krishnapur branch of was around Rs. 50,000. The problems faced by the United Bank of India employing eight persons the company are three-fold in nature. constitutes the only banking establishment in the town. The 42 commissioned agents engaged in buy (a) Shortage of supply of leather in Calcutta ing and selling of fish on commission basis at the market as per specifications of the export fish market in Old Krishnapur, employing as many ing companies; as 92 persons comprise the establishments under real estate and business services (82) . The two local (b) Irregular order from exporters whereupon offices of the Gram Panchayat employing 7 persons the establishment has to face some lean constitute the offices under Public Administration periods in a year ; (90). The lJagjola Sewerage Treatment Plant, at Prajulla Kanan and employing 26 persons, comprises (c) Non~availability of partiCUlar brands of the lone office under sanitary services. The educa needle and thread. tional institutions comprise two high schools, seven primary schools and five kindergarten schools. The owner is a new entrant in this trade. His father runs a sweetmeat shop. MANAGEMENT, ACfMTY, PHYSlOAL STRUCfURE SHYMA METAL WORKS AND ENVIRONMENT, CAPITAL, MANPOWER STRUC TURE, PRODUCTIONS, VOLUME OF TRANSACTION. This establishment, engaged in manufacturing and ETC. fabricating metal containers from metal and tin plate, is located at Majherpara in Old Krishnapur and was established in It is run on partnership basis Krishnapur is a neophyte town with little indus~ 1982. trialisation. Various factors like shortage of capital, by the sons of Sri Nilmoni Mondal, aJ son of the lack of skilled personnel, lack of sufficient electrical soil, and belonging to the Poundra Kshatriya, a sche power highly competitive market stand in the way duled caste. The establishment has not yet received of further progress and growth. Cru~ial deficienci~s the power line, even though it had applied for the same in 1982. It is run by power generated by a of capital, labour and management. skIlls .an~ <:rgam sation are impediments to further mdustnallsatlon. diesel-set. The factory-shed, about 167 sq. metres in covered area, is constructed on a plot of land Out of 284 manufacturing establishments, only owned by the partners. The establishment uses power one the Haneiman Laboratories Ltd., is a registered press, sheathing, rolling, folding and scissoring machines as also a generator. The total capital invested on while most of the remaining fact~ry, ~stablis~merits land, building and machines is said to De around are very small~sized manufacturing umts, registered Rs. three to four 1akhs. The total number of work as G.S.I. Units, and are run on loan from the Small ers is six, of which three are skilled and three are Industries Directorate of the Government of West semi-skilled. All the workers reside in the referent Bengal. The details of some of the manufacturing units, collected at the time of survey, would throw tOWll,. A worker is :paid Rs. 400.00' per month on an average plus one month's pay as bonus during the come light on the organisational and physical struc PUjas. The annual ";'olume of production in ture, manpower structure, volume of production, etc. 1985~ 86 was three lakhs of tin containers, each of 200 rnl JOy INTERNATIONAL capacity. The profit earned in 1984-85 was said to be Rs. 24,000 approximately. The establishment engaged in the manufacture and fabrication of hand gloves and located in a hired The problems fac~ by the establisments are as follows: building (space about 34 sq. metres) in Rabindra Palli was established in July, 1963. It is owned by (a) The owners find it very difficult to get license, Sri N. R. Kannakar, a resident of Calcutta. Hand permit or quota for tin plates from the con gloves are manufactured out of hide as per order of cerned departments. The price, stipulated the various exporting companies which supply the by the Government of India, for each ton raw materials including leather to the establishment. of tin plate is Rs. 7,4001-, but the manu Sometim~s, the establiShment also receive orders on facturer has to purchasQ the same @ piece-IDe al basis at a price varying from Rs. 6 to Rs. 10,000 per ton from the open market. Rs. 30 per pair. No power is required. Out of 12 workers including the manager, 10 workers live (b) No power-line has been supplied in spite of in the referent town. There are four female workers repeated efforts. too. The manager is paid a monthly salary while the workers are paid according to contractual terms, (c) Stiff competition in the market. 43 G. K. INDUSTRIES power (440 volts). The volume of tum-over in 1985-86 was around rupees three lakhs and the Established in 1981 this establishment, engaged approximate profit earned during the year veered in the production of bush, sockets, bolts, etc., is owned round Rs. 30,000. The estalJJ.ishment has secured by Sri A. K. Sarkar, a resident of Cal~utta. It is a loan of rupees three lakhs from the United Commer a S.S.I. registered unit and is located III a rented cial Bank of India. Free School Street Branch in room of 13 sq. metres at a monthly rent gf Rs. 150 Calcutta. in Prafulla Kanan. AKAY VISIONS Three skilled workers work in the establishment at an average monthly salary of Rs. 4001-. All the Located at Prafulla Kanan since 1985 in a rented workers are residents in the town. The machines, space of 244 sq. metres on a monthly rental of operated on 440 volt power ~ine, consist o~ ~o Rs. 3,000, the establishment owned by four Mar lathe machines, one drill machme and one gnndmg waris on partnership basis (Sarvasree Arun Nopany machine. The total capital invested is around Rs. and Alok Nopany, Sm. R. Kedia and Km. K. Kedia) 10,000. The proqtem faced by the establishment is engaged in complete assembly of B.C. Television is that of 'acute load-shedding. (Black and White) and final testing thereof, after the kits are initially assembled in Calcutta. The total BRIGHT BAKERY AND BISCUITS COMPANY number of workers in 1986 has been 10 including one Supervisor, one Production Manager and eight It is owned by one Mr. R. Shaw, hailing from technical hands. All but two of them commute to Bihar, and his brother and was establIshed in January, the referent town from outside. At the time of 1984. The establishment is located in an area around survey in 1986, about 60 television sets were being 334 sq. metres at a monthly rental of Rs. 1,500. tested out from this establishment, which had started There are two big ovens. The main products com production from October, 1985. The establishment prise different varieties of biscuits. The ovens are has secured orders from the E.C. Television Co. for run by fuels of wood and coal. The machines used the supply of black and white televisions sets for the are of many types, namely for kneading, flattening Eastern Zone. The establishment has already secured and piece-cutting. The total workers are 15, of whom a loan of rupees five 1akhs from the State Bank of five are females. Thirteen workers including all the India. The problem faced by the establishment is females reside in the town. The workers are paid the non-availability of power line and the unsatis OIl! an average Rs. 50 to Rs. 250 per month de factory condition of the approach road. pending on the nature of job. The initial investment of the establishment was to the tune of Rs. 50,000. MEKADO ENGINEERING WORKS The raw materials used are flour, sugar and butter. The establishment has one van in which the products Founded in 1965 and located at Prafulla Kanan are sent to markets in Calcutta and Barasat. The in a covered shade of about 133 sq. metres at a volume of production of the establishment varies from monthly rental of Rs. 450 and owned by Sri N. 70 to 80 kilograms of biscuits per day and the volume Chakraborty, a resident of Calcutta. this establish of transaction in 1985-86 was around Rupees four ment manufactures different types of hand tools like lakhs. The volume of profit earned in 1985-86 was die-punch, shear blades, grips, jaws, dice, spanners around Rs. 30,000. and different other tools as per specification of the customers. The establishment is registered with the The problems faced by the establishment is in . National Small Industries Corporation, Calcutta, respect of non-availability and high price of firewood Director General of Supplies and Disposals, Govern required as fuel. ment of India, Calcutta and also with the Small Scale Industries D~partmen~, Government of West Bengal. It also supplIes machIne parts and tools and different SVREKA'S PRINT-O-PUBLICITIES varieties of dice to the Defence Department, Govern ment of India. Of the machinery used by the estab Located at Prafulla Kanan in a rented space lishments, mention may be made of the three lathe (about 39 sq. metres of covered area) at a monthly machines, two sharpening machines, two- milling rental of Rs. 800 and owned by Sri Sureka a machines, one tool and cutter grinding machine one Marwari hailing from Rajasthan, the establishm'ent cylindrical grinding machine, oije surface gri~ding registered with the S.S.I., runs a printing press with machine, one generating machine and one decel head office in Calcutta. All sorts of printing work milling machine. are undertaken here. The machinery includes print ing ma~hines and l?inding machines for stitching, Eight workers including one manager are em perforating and cutting. In all, seven workers work ployed. The workers are paid weekly wages of in this press, in addition to two workers in the head Rs. 100 each. It has also secured a bank loan of office. The monthly salary of a worker varies from ~s. 50,000 on cash-credit basis. It has a power Rs. 400 to Rs. 500. Four workers reside in line (440 volts). The volume of transaCition in Krishnapur. The establishment is run on electrical 1985-86 was around rupees four lakhs and in the 44 said year, the establishment earned a quantum of various cutting and stamping machines. No power profit of Rs. 30,000. The problems faced by the is .required. The total investment includes a fixed establishment are : capital of rupees six to eight lakhs including land, bUIlding and machinery, while the circulating capital (a) Even though the establishment had shifted is around rupees one lakh. Six workers include an to the present work-site from the original accountant-cum-manager and one skilled worker. The site nearby, the old electrical power line total capacity of the establishment is the production installed has not yet been shifted to the of two tons of soap, but at present because of the present site. falling demand for soap cakes and soap bars, the present daily output is about 500 kgs. The annual (b) Quality steel is not available in local profit in 1984-85 is said to have been around rupees market; price thereof is exorbitant result 30,000. The establishment faces the problem of ing in demurrage and loss. stiff competition from the soap market specially from the corners producing detergent powders, to the pro (c) Frequent load-shedding. duction of which this establishment is also planning to switch over. PERFECT MINIATURE LAMP INDUSTRIES RAPGO PRIVATE LIMITED The establishment, engaged in manufacturing varieties of electrical bulbs including automobile lamps, A private limited company run by a Board of is located in a pucca structure of 122 sq. metres of Directors comprising Sarvasree R. Ghose, A. Bhatta covered areas, owned by Sri S. Bose who is a Licen charya and T. Samaddar, the unit is located at Paschim tiate in Mechanical Engineering from Calcutta Tech Narayantala. The factory site encompasses a covered nical School. Established in January 1983, it is regis area of 56 sq. metres at a monthly rental of rupees tered with the S.S.I. The complete production of each 1,200. The main product of the company is electri electrical bulb is said to involve 43 operations. It is cal lamps. It is registered with both S.S.I. and also connected to 220 volts line and is awaiting the instal National Small Industries Corporation. The company lation of 440 volts power-line. The machinery, ins has applied to Allahabad Bank for loan against hypo talled of a rough estimate of rupees one lakh includes thecation of its assets, but still it has not been able water pumps, vacuum pumps, air-boosters, sealing to secure any loan. The total investment is said to machines, electric ovens and various other testing be around Rs. It lakhs and the machinery comprises equipments. It has also a generator of its own. The various indigenous lamp-producing machines. Nine total investment including capital, machinery and workers, four skilled and five unskilled, constitute the buildings comes to approximately rupees four lakhs. work force. The annual tum-over in 1984-85 has The volume of annual production in 1984-85 has been been around rupees one lakh and the annual volume 60,000 pieces of electrical bulbs and at the time of of production has been four lakh pieces of lamps. survey till the middle of 1986, ten to twelve thousand Because of lack of orders, the establishment has been pieces have been produced. The establishment is said able to utilise only 50 per cent of its installed capa to run at its optimum capacity. The total number of city. It has a 440 volt power line and a generator. workers is nine including six skilled and three non skilled workers. The company has already applied The establishment faces the problem o( securing for bank and Government loans, which have not yet orders, marketing of products as also procurement of been sanctioned. The establishment makes regular raw materials including liquid petroleum gas. supply of bulbs to TELCO., Premier Automobiles and Kirlosker Co. Ltd. The problems faced by the estab lishment include pressure from political parties for RESUME OF THE n{DUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS recruitment of their cadres, procurement of raw mate rials like caps (from Punjab), quality glass and chemi The case studies of the ten industrial establish cals like chloroform and also dearth of skilled ments in the town reveal that most of them have labourers. started operation in course of last five years and are quite new. Again, mli>~t of all estab~~hment~ are KIRAN SOAP AND CHEMICAL WORKS engaged in the producuon of non-traditional ltel?s, like electrical and electronic,sets, hand gloves, electncal Located at the junction of VIP Road ana Krishna bulbs and lamps, mosaic tiles, plastic products, etc. pur Road and established in 1970, the establishment is owned by Sri A. B. Chowdhury on sole proprietor About the physical structure and environment, it ship basis. The owner hails from erstwhile East is observed that in the absence of any Clearly demar Pakistan. The site of the establishment, owned by cated industrial zone in the town, most of the estab Sri Chowdhury, includes covered space of 133 sq. lishments are located in densely populated areas and metres with asbestos roof. The unit manufactures even in residential enclaves. So, problems, like health varieties of soaps like washing soap, soap cakes, bars. hazards and environmental pollution are in the offing. Registeted with S.S.I., it has not yet applied for any There are also concomitant problems of drainage of loan fwm any quarter. The machinery inclUdes industrial waste and effluents and hazardous smoke. 4$ The industrial establishments ,are mostly located in where around 1970 since when new shops and es pucca structures. Again, most of the young industrial tablishment have been sprouting up in the town. establishments are beset with the most crucial and universal problem of power-supply. It has been The last five years have ushered in a new phase observed that many establishments notwithstanding in the history of growth and development ot the their applications for connection of power-line about town, since atleast 157 establishments have started three to five years back, have yet to be provided with their operations during this period. The new com any power connections. Only ten establishments are mercial establishments are interested in grocery, medi supplIed with power-line, whlle the rest have to carry cines, stationery items, food, electronic goods, stainless on their operations with domestic power-line of 220 steel utensils, furniture, etc. If this tempo of growth volts. More serious is the problem of frequent power is maintained, the future augurs well for this growing failure and some of the viable establishments have town. arranged for their own power-supply through own generators. But the less viable ones and the more ESTABLISHMENTS CLASSIFIED BY CASTE, recently established concerns have to helplessly depend LANGUAGE, ETC. OF THE OWNERS entirely on the vagaries of erratic power-supply. ~ppendix Table No. 23 shows the distribution of Finance and raw materiall\ are two other bottle the establishments by the language, religion and caste necks. Some of the establishments, specially those of the owners. engaged in the production of chemical products and drugs, are hard pressed in procuring raw materials like Linguistically, all but 11 of the owners of the chloroform, ether, spirit, alcohol, liquid petroleum establishments are Bengalees. As pointed out earlier, gas, while some others complain about the variance the non-Bengalees specially the Biharis and Marwaris of rates between stipulated price and actual price. As have not found the prevailing market structure of for instance, in the case of procuring a ton of tin plate, the referent town much to their liking. In recent the owner of one establishment has to pay an en years, a few Biharis, Marwaris and Punjabis have set hanced price and pay rupees two to, three thousand up a few manufacturing establishments. in addition to the stipulated market price. Finance is ano~her hurdle, Most of the units registered with So far as religion is concerned, all but 10 owners S.S.I. complain about the delay in getting loans. Like of the 288 surveyed establishments are Hindus. wise, mflny others complain about the rigorous forma Among the three Muslims, two are owners of meat lities in securing loan from banks against hypothe stalls and one is the owner of a fruit-stall. Among the cation of property. seven Christian owners, two are grocers, two are stationers and three others are owners of other Mention may also be made of the difficulty of establishments. some of the establishments in securing orders for thcir products and as a result, some of the establish About 45.6 per cent of the owners of the sur ments have failed to utilise their installed capacity to veyed establishments belong to the scheduled castes quite in consonance with the percentage of sched:ued the full and have to rest content with 50 per cent castes in the town (45.9 per cent). Among vanous utilisation resulting in financial problems. other Caste Hindus, the Kayasthas, the Sahas (the traditional trading caste of Bengal), the Goalas, the SOME ANOLLJARY DATA ON ESTABLISHMENTS Benias the Mahisyas and the Brahmans own 83 per cent of the establishments owned by the Caste Hindus. In course of the present survey some detailed The Kayasthas mainly dominate as grocers, station information collected in respect of 298 commercial ers and druggists, the Sahas seem to explore all pos and other establishments are touched upon. sible trading avenues as they are uniformly asso ciated with most of the establishments, the Goalas DURATION OF ESTABLISHMENTS here mainly deal in grocery items, grains, and fish while the Benias (another traditional trading caste) Appendix Table No. 22 shows the duration of seem to exhaust all trading channels like the Sahas, different establishments by types. while the Brahmans are engaged only in some selec I ted trading areas like medical stores, stationery shops, It is observed that only 9.4 per cent of the es eating houses, etc. Interestingly, 13 of the 14 hair tablishments had existed for more than 20 years, cutting saloons in the town are run by owners be whereas more than half of the establishments were longing to Napit or Paramanik (barber) caste. open eo in course of last five years or so. Looking back to the old history of the establishments it Among the scheduled caste owners of establish appears that in the pre-urban days of Krishn~pur ments, 57 are Rajbanshi-Tiyars, 36 are Namasudras, more than two decades back, there were about eight 32 are Poundra-Kshatriyas, five are Kaoras, five are groceries, three stationery shops, a few stalls selling Rajaks and one is a Bagdi. The Rajbanshi-Tiyars, fiSh, vegetables and meat. These establishments exist the' traditional fishing caste of Bengal, still appear to even today. The cut-off year seems to be some- adhere to their age-old occupations because of their 46 continuing influence in the fish markets in Mission INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Bazar at Old Krishnapur and Rabindra PaW at New Krishnapur. Besides there are grocers, stationers and The town has only five establishments each with owners of eating houses. The Namasudras, almost 10 or more workers, (the Haneiman Laboratories all of whom are inmigrants to the town as displaced Limited employing 80 employees being an exception). persons from the erstwhile East Pakistan, are mostly As the majority of the establishments employ workers engaged in ventures requiring neither much capital between two to four, two factors operate in prevent nor much entrepreneurial skill of a businessman. ing any major labour dispute. From the employees' Mostly they run tea-stalls, shops selling pan and bidi side, it is very difficult for such a small group of or grocery in implovised shanties built on encroached employees in an establishment to organise themselves land on road-sides. The Poundra-Kashtriyas, an to form a trade union in the absence of which any agricultural caste of Bengal, are grocers, owners of such establishment can hire and fire their workers at hardware shops and ,eating-houses. It is indeed will. In such a situation the employees suffer inter unique that four of the eight laundries surveyed in nally from a psychological sense of insecurity, and the town are owned by the Rajaks, the traditional the tiny number never dares to screw up enough washerman caste of Bengal. courage to voice any grievance in the fear of losing their job. Such small-scale establishments find it Most of the way-side tea-stalls and shops selling easy to settle a dispute, if any at all, rather by mutual pan and bidi in parts of Prafulla Kanan and Rabindra discussion than by aggressive bargaining. The em Palli are housed in improvised structures on Krishna ployer obviously is in a favourable position to dictate pur Road, built by the inmigrant displaced persons, his own terms. But the Haneiman Laboratories Ltd. mostly belonging to the Namasudra community. with 80 employees does not always have a smooth sailing. There was one large-scale industrial dispute Likewise, in Old Krishnapur, most of the shops and in 1982-83 when the authorities, unwilling to accede establishments are owned by the scheduled castes, to a charter of demands from the Employees' Vnion, namely, the Poundra-Kshatriyas and the Rajbanshi declared' a lock-out which lasted from March, 1983 Tiyars. to April, 1984. The workers there are organized ESTABLISHMEN'TS CLASSIFIED BY VOLUME OF under the banner of the Mercantile Federation affiliated TRANSACTIONS to C.l.T.V. (trade union wing of the C.P.M.). The relation between the employers and the employees at the time of survey is found to be satisfactory. Appendix Table No. 24 indicates the distribution of various establishments by volume of transaction. The rickshaw-pullers in the town, numbering more than 300 at the time of survey, have one trade union It is observed that 20.8 per cent of the establish of their own, affiliated to C.I.T.V. (trade union wing ments have their annual 'transactions within Rs. of c.P .M.) . The union looks after various inte 25,000, another 22.8 per cent have transactions rests of the rickshaw-pullers including the problem varying from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000. 32.2 per of revision of fare-structure from time to time. It cent have their annual transactions varying between also solves problems arising from any grave dispute Rs. 50,000 to rupees one lakh, while 24.2 per cent between the rickshaw-pullers land the customers as of the establishments have transacted business worth also the owners. more than rupees one lakh. The comparatively lower quanta of annual transactions are restricted to establish The fishermen of Krishnapur and several surround ments selling vegetables and fruits, pan, bidi and ing villages have one Association named Krishnapur cigarettes, ready-made garments, coal, and other types Anchal Matsojibi Union, also affiliated to C.LT.V. of fuel, foot-wears. Most of the tea-stalls and restau The Union, apart from politicising the fishermen, helps rants, laundries, hair-cutting saloons and photographic in the matter of bargaining on various grounds includ studios also belong to this category of establishments. ing terms and conditions of fishing with the owners of the bheris (Shallow water-fishing tanks), Annual transactions varying between rupees fifty th~usand to rul?ees one lakh are made by the gro BANKlNG ES"ij<\BLlSHMENTS cenes, stalls selling fish and meat, shops selling items of stationery and house-decorating establishments. Strictly speaking, there is only one bank viz., the E$tablishments having moderate to brisk annual tran Krishnapur Branch of the United Bank of India located sactions, varying between rupees one to rupees two in the town. ~t was opened ,in a rented building on lakhs are also covered by some groceries and grain 30th December, 1981 on Krishnapur Road, at the stores, dealers in furniture, the establishments dealing meeting point of Rabindra Palli and Hana Para. The in hardwares (Others 679) while the establishments branch mostly caters for the needs of the residents having comparatively larger volume of transactions of the town, as it is located in the heart of the town. are the few larger groceries and grain-stores the But there is another branch of the State Bank of establishmeJ?ts dealing in cattle feeds, two shops ;elling India, opened in March, 1985 in a hired building at pharmaceutIcals, three large shops selling stationery Mahisgote, a little more than one kilometre away items and toilets and five dealers in building mater,ials. from Krishnapur Mission Bazar and outside the limits 47 of the town. Originally, the Bank was set up osten located outside the boundary of the referent town. sibly to carry its business in the Mission Bazar area There is no plot of cultivated or cultivable land in of Old Krishnapur, but due to non-availability of a the different constituents of New Krishnapur. Only suitable building there, it had been shifted to Mahisgote some plots of land, approximately 20 to 30 acres in outside the town. In the opinion of the Manager of area, are cultivated in Old Krishnapur but those too the Bank, the branch is patronised mostly by the have the possibility of being converted into home business community of the Mission Bazar of Old stead land any time in view of the ceaseless inflow Krishnapur. Besides, the customers reportedly belong of inmigrants. At the moment, some thirty cultivators to Krishnapur. have been identified at most, with most of the land being located in the villages around Krishnapur. So, as it stands today, the United Bank of In,dia It is, however, relevant to note that out of 57 at Rabindra PaUi serves largely the residents of cultivators returned in 1981 Census, as many as 41 Rabindra Palli, PrafuUa Kanan and part of Old persons and 217 out of 298 agricultural labourers, Krishnapur. The State Bank of India's Branch office belong to the scheduled castes. So, the cultivators at Mahlsgote outside the limits of the town is patro and agricultural labours in Old Krishnapur belong nised largely by the residents of Old Krishnapur. The mostly to the scheduled castes, the Poundra residents of Purba and Paschim Narayantala, two Kshatriyas and the Rajbanshi-Tiy'ars. Among the other constituents of Krishnapur, generally avail 200 sample households, only six own some cultivated them~elves of the banking services at two branches land; three at them are Tiyars, two are Poundra of State Bank of India and Bank of India in the Kshatriyas while one is a Namasudra. Only two of adjoining Baguihati market area, said to be much them have land in the referent town and four outside. nearer than either of the above mentioned brancltes. LIVESTOCK As on 28th February, 1986, the Krishnapur Branch of the United Bank of India had 173 fixed According to the latest available statistics with deposits amounting to Rs. 14,52,000, 3009 savings the Panchayats, the livestock in the town is described accounts amounting to Rs. 55,28,000, 29 current in the Table below : accounts amounting to Rs 88,000 and 866 other deposits amounting to Rs. 29,31,000. During the TABLE IV. 14 year the bank had sponsored 11 Small Employment Livestock Statistits Projects amounting to Rs. 2,13,000, five smaill-scale industries, 16 retail trading establishments and 18 road transport establishments (mostly ricksh!l.ws) Nature of livestock Number ------amounting to Rs. 4,11,000 and 21 other miscellane Bullocks 37 ous projects amounting to Rs. 72,000. Milch cows 569 Milch buffaloes 103 The Mahisgote Branch of the State Bank of lndia Calves 727 located just outside the town had on 31st March, 1986 Goats 959 (within the very first year of its operation), 63 fixed Fowls 1,850 deposits amounting to Rs. 4,84,000, 500 savings Ducks 657 accounts amounting to Rs. 10,77,000, eight current accounts amounting to Rs. 55,000 and 54 other depOsits amounting to Rs. 34,000. Besides, the There are 672 milch cattle in the town including branch had granted loan of Rs. 12,000 under D.R.L. 103 buffaloes. About 27 Khatals (dairies) ) are Scheme to six rickshaw-pullers, loan of Rs. 5,000 located in the town where milch cattle are reared to one small business firm dealing in ready-lllade commercially. Nine of the Khatals are located in clothes and another loan, of the amount not finalized Dwibhuj Ghosh Para (mostly owned by the Ahirs of at the time of the report, had been sanctioned for a Bih~r), six in Bagui Para or Purba Narayantala and candle-making unit under the S.E.E.U.Y. Scheme. J2 In Ghosh Para of Old Krishnapur. All the dairies In Purba N a~ayantala and Old Krishnapur are owned LAND, LIVESTOCK AND OTHER RESOURCES- by the _BagUls and the Ooalas, both being original settlers m the referent town. LAND FISHING GROUNDS OR BHERIS As pointed out earlier, the former fishing and -:{9:5 ") ~ ~ .. farming village of Krishnapur has been metamor Fis~ing, ~nc~ the oldest traditional occupation of phosed into a town with variegated economic activities, the ~aJbanshl-':r:lyars and the Bagdis, had earlier farming as an economic activity having been relegated prOVIded the mam prop of the economy of Krishnapur. to an insignificant position because of the change in As far back ~s the fifties, most of the fishing grounds land-use from agricultural to residential purposes. were located. In parts of marshy _lands in Krishnapur, There were 102 cultivators in 1961, 80 in 1971 and (now occuplcd by Salt Lake Clty) and in the vast 57 in 1981 Census. In course of the present sttrvey st~et~hes of swamps of the Salt Water Lakes. But of 200 sample households, only three persons have thIS IS an event of the past. The old fisheries and been identified as cultivators, with the cultivated land marshy swamps have now yielded to the foundation 4.8 of Salt Lake City leading to a large-scale occupational estimates about 320 Htres of milk are collected. daily displacement of the fishermen, most. of whom have in the four bigger sheds while in the remaining 23 now switohed over to other occupations like trade I-.hatals 690 litres of milk are produced daily. In all, and commerce and manufacturing and the rest to odd these 27 khatals raise, on an average, approximately constructional activities in Salt Lake City. 1,000 litres of milk. Some other households, each rearing one or two milch cattle, also produce some Still there are about five comparatively large milk, mainly for domestic consumption. The khatals fisheries within a radius of eight kilometres from the mostly supply the milk to the different sweetmeat referent town. These are enumerated below: shops in or around the town, while a part is diverted (a) Munshir bheri (approximately 200 acres) to the whole-sale milk market at Calcutta. A portion owned by a Rajbanshi-Tiyar of Mahisbathan of the milk is also sold to retail customers. village. MARKETS AND FAIRS (b) Nalben bheri (approximately 400 acres) owned by a person in Calcutta. The referent town, as mentioned earlier, is served (c) Sardar bheri (approximately 300 acres) by three markets, the premier of which is inciden owned by a Rajbanshi-Tiyar of Mahisbathan tally the oldest one and located in Mission Bazar village. at Krishnapur. The second market, emerging as the (d) Narkeltala bheri (approximately 225 acres) most important of the three, is situated in Baguihati, owned. by a Rajbanshi-Tiyar of Mahisbathan while the third and the most recent one is in Rabindra village. Palli. The first and third markets are located in (e) Gopeswar bheri (approximately 225 acres) Krishnapur proper, while the second one, the Baguihati owned by a Rajbanshi-Tiyar of Mahisbathan market, touches a fringe of Paschim Narayantala. In village. fact, a part of the rice-mart in Baguihati market has extended to Paschim Narayantala. In most of these fisheries, fish is cultivated by the owners by first rearing the seedlings in a hatchery The Mission Bazar market at Krishnapur is as and then releasing them in the main fisheries. Most old as Krishnapur itself. The market area covering of these fishes, after they attain the desired size and approximately two acres is owned by the adjoining weight, are sold out in the main fishing marts such Emmanuel Church. The market was said to have as Krishnapur, Chingrihata in Beliaghata (Calcutta) been started in 1850, by the-then Mission authorities and Chowbhaga market. to boost up local trade and commerce. The Mission has leased out the market to the lessees at varying LAND REVENUE AND LAND TAX monthly rates of Rs. 16, Rs. 12 and Rs. 7 where Land upto three acres is exempted from any tax. each lessee has set up a structure of his own. The Among the 200 sample households, no such house rates vary according to varying areas. Apart from hold owning more than three acres of land and paying the permanent lessees, the daily vendors have to pay land tax as such has been identified. fees at the rate 0.50 paise per day. The Church has In assessing taxation on land and home PJoperty on 'record 67" lessees, but in practice some of them by the Gram Pancha;yat, the valuation of the house have sub-let a part of their structure at monthly rates property including the land is first made, and then varyJing from Rs. 50 to Rs. 100. At the time tax is levied @ Rs. 1.20 for every thousand rupees of of survey in 1986, about 90 lessees, the permanent valuation. stall-holders, and about 60 daily vendors have been located in the daily market. Among the manufac OPERATIONAL DETAILS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF turing establishments in or near Mission Bazar are ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES seven food shops, three bidi-binders, eight tailors, three furniture manufacturers, two electrical establishments, As mentioned earlier, there are only some plots two jewellery-manufacturing units and about 14 units of agricultural land in the north-eastern periphery of repairing watches, cycles, shoes etc. The trading old Krishnapur touching the adjoining village Tarulia, establishments in Mission Bazar include 19 groceries, where only aman paddy is cultivated. The plots are 15 grain stores, 10 to 15 vegetable and fruit-stalls, very small, mostly 0.10 to 0.15 acre in size. The old agricultural implements are used. The limited five stationery shops, 12 tea-stalls and seven stalls selling pan and bidi, two Dasha Karma shops dealing scale of marginal cultivation does not ,warrant any detailed description of the various agricultural opera in wares required for ritual purposes, three shops selling utensils, besides a' number of other establish tion. ments. Next to cultivation, livestock is another source of economic activity in the referent town. There are The fish market at Krishnapur is a reputed 27 khatals in the town where milk is raised commer one. On an average 15 to 25 fish-stalls operate in cially. In all these cow-sheds both buffaloes and cows the market. Over and above, there are about 42 are reared. About four of the khatals have milch commissioned agents (dealing in fish) who act more cows varying between 20 to 25, while in the .rest 9 or less as brokers and middlemen and are instru to 10 milch cattles are raised. According to reliable mental in buying and selling different varieties of 49 fish on a fixed commISSIon. Some of the agents of Raj-Rajeswari Puja and the second on the worship already make some payment in advance to the fisher of Charak on the last day of the Bengali month of men supplying the fish and the latter are thus obliged Chaitra. The Raj-Rajeswari fair is held along with to supply fish on a fixed rate, the total quantity vary the worship of the goddess, the traditional deity of ing from 40 to ·50 quintals daily (mostly of the Rohi the Mitras, the former zeminder of the place. With and Katla variety) for export to the Calcutta market the abolition of the zemindary, the once-impressive through the fish-mart at Mission Bazar. Needless to temple of the deity has also been in decay. But, the mention, the overwhelming number of persons engag traditional worship along with the accompanying fair ed in the fish-mart belongs to the Rajbanshi-Tiyar still persists. The fair is organised in the open space caste. in front of the temple in Barwaritala for a week. About fifty stalls, dealing mostly in fancy tinsel articles like The Baguihati market is the most important com ribbons, bangles, toys and ready-made garments, saris, mercial distribution centre of the sub-region with a sweet-meats and fried snacks, and a number of stalls well spread-out rural hinterland. The stalls, selling dealing in household articles of utility like kitchen fish and vegetables, and the rice-marts are most im utensils, tools and implements, axes, spades, etc., portant. There are about 80 rice-stalls in the rice carry on commerce in conjunction with the festivity mart. Further details in respect of the market have of the occasion. About 10,000 people are reported not been collected as it is outside the limit of the to take part in the fair for all the seven days, even referent town. Rabindra Palli market, a small trading though the gathering at any particular point of time centre in the process of development, is located at the does not exceed five hundred. Residents from Krishna junction of Krishnapur Road and Sushil J yoti Avenue pur and adjoining villages of Tarulia, J agatpur, Mahis in Rabindra Palli. It was started in 1975 under the gote, Mahisbathan, Thakdari participate in the fair. initiative of the recent inmigrant settlers, rather out of necessity. Earlier, prior to the establishment of The next fair that takes place in the referent town this market, the residents had to frequent Mission is on the occasion of Charak ceremony (on the last Market at a distance of nearly three kms. or the day of the Bengali Year) in the open space in Old Baguihati market at a distance of two kms. Krishnapur, just by the side of the Milan Sangha and Kshudiram Smriti Library. The Charak festival is The market is managed by the Rabindra PaW associa1led with the worship of Lord Siva. As the Marketing Committee, elected from the local people. second fair follows closely on the heels of the first The market extends over an area of 0.50 acre. It one at Barwaritala, most of the stalls organised during is a daily market assembling both in the morning and the first fair continue till the second one. About 500 in the evening, the attendance in the evening being to 1000 people participate in the fair, the participants much thinner. About 15 stalls selling vegetables and mostly being the residents of the locality. fruits, 14 dealers in fish, meat and poultry, four stalls dealing in eggs and dairy products and ten other stalls Another fair of much celebrity, known as Dharma dealing in other food items including spices operate Cnarak Mela, is held regularly at Dharma Charak in the market. The market is girdled by a number of ground of Mahisbathan on the occasion of the wor permanent roadside shops dealing in groceries, sta ship of Dharma Charak. About 25 goats are sacrificed tionery items and other articles. Two fairs are held on the occasion. People in large numbers from Old in the market, the first on the occasion of the worship Krishnapur participate in that fair· 9 CensusjSS CHAPTER .. 'V ETHNIC AND SELECTED SOClO·DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION ETHNIC COMPOSITION local population and the camp refugees in Krishnapur. Slowly and steadily, the local Bengali residents were . From the linguistic and religious points, Krishnapur olltnumb~red by the inmigrants. As it stands today, IS more or less homogeneous, as more than 98 per cent the local people, the original settlers, have been of the people are Bengali-speakers and Hindus by reduced to 25 to.30 per cent of the population. religion. Predominantly inhabited by people belong AREAS OF ORIGIN ing to the Scheduled Castes, Krishnapur retnained a placid vill~ till the fifties of the present century, when the displaced persons from erstwhile East According to the Census of 1971, more than 98 Pakistan (now Bangladesh) came here and settled pe,: cent of the residents of Krishnapur are Bengalis. in the refugee colonies. By 1960, Krishnapur became Knshnapur, in the context of its limited trading and polariseq as it were into two segments, Old Krishna commercial potentialities, has not yet attracteQ many pur being inhabited by the old resident Bengalis and people of different other States. The Marwari com ~ew .Krishnapur with the refugee colonies being munity, the traditional ~ntrepfeneurial trading class mhabited by the uProote9 Bengalis. Lingui&tically of !ndi~, is conspicuous by its absence. No separate h?mogeneo.us though, thes~ two segments of Bengalis residentlal enclave other than that of the BeHgalis has beell , observed. No specialisation in any p.articql~' diff~red I Widely not only m their accents ,wld into nations, but also in their socia-religious beliefs and branch of trade' by people of other States has also been found, exc«pt some Ahirs and Gaps from BiIlar practicelt, cuSto~s ~nd traditions. The local Bengalis e~&.a&ed in dairy establishments producing milk Of ~n~ th~J~engalI~ dIsplace? from former Eas.t Pakistan hvmg .m two WIdely separated geopraghical areas for milk products. ce~tun~lh together, marked the two social groups of Knshnapur, where the llprooted inmigrant Bengalis According to a modest estimate, there are apprqxi were irt the beginning shown a rather unwelcome mately 50 households hailing .from Bihar, 10 to 2& attitude by the resident local Bengali population. from Uttar Pradesh and five from the Punjab. Of the 200 sample households covered by the present I But since the sixties, after the opening of V.I.P. survey, four hail from Bihar and one from Uttar Road and the construction of the Salt Lake City Pradesh. Most of the people in these households Krishnapur attracted outsiders, specially the peopl~ are engaged in manufacturing and trading establish of Calcutta,. too long pent up in the city and gasping ment$. for fresh rur and empty space. The Bengalis from RELI.QION former East Pakistan and living in Calcutta and other urban areas began to settle in Krishnapur, thus tilting The rel~gion-wise break-up of the population is to a large ext~nt, the delicate balance between the given below : 52 Relig{on-wise Krishnapur is predominantly popu in 1981. Among the 200 sample Households, 196 lated by the Hindus, constituting more than 97 per are Hindus while the rest are Christians. cent of the population in both 1971 and 1981 Census. The Christians constitute 2.8 per cent and 2.2 per MOTHER TONGUE cent of the total population in the last two Census. The Muslims, as a community, are almost negligible. Table V.2 shows the distribution of the popula The Sikhs, as a religious group, have been found only tion by mother tongues according to 1971 Census. TABLE V.2 Distribution of population by moij1er tongue Percentage Mother tongue Persons Males Females of speakers to total population 1 2 3 4 5 Bengali 14,700 7,626 7,074 98.7 Hindi. 186 138 48 1.2 Punjabi 1 Negligible Telegu 3 2 do Gurkhali 2 2 do Santali 13 6 I 7 0.1 Total 14,905 7,775 7,130 100.0 The mother tongue of 98.7 per cent of the popu lation is Bengali, while Hindi is the mother tongue SCHEDULED CASTES AND TRIBES of 1.2 per cent of popUlation. Among the sample population, only 2.2 per cent have returned Hindi as The ,following table shows the distribution 0,1: the mother tongue, while the rest have returned Bengali scheduled 'castes ~nd scheduled tribes populatibn in as mother tongue. the town. TABLEV.3 \ Distribution of population into scheduled castes anll scheduled tribes Total population Scheduled caste SCheduled tribe r- r- ...... IF .. Census Year P 'M F P M"'" P M F / 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1961 8,062 4,308 3,754 5,328 2,818 2,540' (66.1) (65.4) (67.7) 1971 14,905 7,775 7,130 8,702 4,508 4,194 28 15 13 (58.4) (58.0) (58.8) (0.2) g 1981 . "- 25,277 13,010 12,267 11,614 5,976 5,638 17 9 (45.9) (45.9) (46.0) (0.1) Notes :- (i) Figures in brackets indicate percentage. (ii) P denotes Persons, M Males, and F stands for females. Krishnapur, the fishing village, was hitherto pre castes came down to 58.4 per cent in 1971 and 45.9 dominantly inhabited by scheduled castes popUlation per cent,in 1981. Again in the 1961-71 decade, the belonging to the Rajbanshi-Tiyars and the Poundra decadal growth rate of scheduled castes was 63.3 per Kshatriyas mostly. In the pre-Partition days, it is cent as against 33.5 per cent in the current decade. estimated that nearly 85 per cent of the population Population belonging to the scheduled tribes has been belonged to the scheduled castes. But after succes all along insignificant. sive waves of inmigrations, the predominant com munities have been gradually outnumbered. F,rom The caste-wise break up of the scheduled castes 66.1 per cent in 1961, the percentage of scheduled population, as per 1971 Census is as follows: TABLE V.4 Break-up of the scheduled castes population (1971) \ \ Name of the scheduled castes Persons Males Females Percentage 1 2 3 4 5 Bagdi • 62 37 25 0.7 Dhoba 143 72 71 1.6 Hanri . ~6 26 0.3 Jalia Kaibarta 65 39 26 0.7 Kaora 197 81 106 2.3 Mm:bi 159 79 80 1.9 Namasudra . 2,497 1,315 1,182 28.7 Poundra-Kshatriya 1,372 711 661 15.8 Rajbanshi 1,769 873 896 20.3 Tiyar . 150 73 77 1.7 Unclassified. 2,262 1,192 1,070 I 26.0 Total 8,702 4,508 4,194 100.0 The N amasudras, the inmigrants from East (20.3 per cent) and the Poundra-Kshatriyas (15.8 per cent). Pakistan, are now numerically the most important In the samnle households the distribution of Scheduled caste, followed by the Rajbanshi-Tiyars scheduled caste population is given in Table V-S. TABLE V.S Distribution of iCheduled castes population in sample households Percentage Serial Name of scheduled Persons Males Females to total No. castes sample population 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 Namashudra 247 132 115 23.1 2 Poundral-Kshatriya 112 57 55 10.5 3 Rajbanshi-Tiyar • 96 49 47 9.0 4 Kaora 16 6 10 1.5 5 Jelia . 4 2 2 0.4 6 Muchi 1 1 0.1 7 Malo 3 1 2 0.3 Total 479 248 231 44.9 The scheduled castes population in 1981 Census Scheduled Castes, the Namasudras, the Rajbanshi is 45.9 per cent of the total popUlation in, Krishnapur. Tiyars and the Poundra-Kshatriyas are numerically The same among the sample households comes to predominant while among other castes the Kayasthas, 44.9 per cent. The Namasudras constitute about the Brahmans and the Goalas are important from the 23.1 per cent of the total population among the point of numerical strengtij., followed by the Sahas, sample households, the Pdundra-Kshatriyas 10.5 per the Gandhabaniks, the Baidyas, the Karmakars, the cent ano the Rajbanshi-Tiyars 9.0 per cent. Mahisyas, the Sadgops, the Sutradhius, 'the Telis, the Jugis, the Tantubayas, the BeDias, the Kumbhakar,s The scheduled tribes population in 1981 Census and the Paramaniks (Napits). The Christians are forms an insignificant part of the total population and the largest of the religious groups. no such popUlation has been found among the sample households. HOUSELESS AND INSTITUl'IONAL POPULATIC;>N ESTIMATES ABOUT SPECIFIC CASTES 1981 Census has retufI1-ed neither any houseless nor any institutional population. The absence of any Since Census excludes questions about specific hostel, mess, boarding house1 hotel', hospital', etc. ex ethnic groups except for the scheduled castes and plains why no institution,al population has been enu scheduled tribes, no data on individual et:tillic group merated. is available. In the field, however, the' names of different communities of the town could be aSGertain ed but not the popUlation figures. Even then, it is DISABLED POPULATION difficult to suggest that all the names have been cover ed. Various ethnic and religious groups in the town In the Census of 1981, 11 persons have been are constituted by Ahlrs, Bagdis, Baidyas, Beruas, returned as totany blind, 14 persons as totally crip Brahmans,' Christians, Dhobas, Goalas, Gopes, pled and 14 others as totally deaf and dumb in the Gandhabaniks, Haris, J adavs, J alia Kaibartas, J ugis, town. Kaora~, Karmakars, Kayasthas, K,umbbakars, Mahisyas, Majhis, Malos, Muchis, Muslims, Nama AGE. SEX AND MARITAL STATUS sudras, Paramaniks (Napit), Po'Undra-Kshatriyas, Rajbanshi-Tiyars, Sadgops, Sahas, Sanlcharis, Sikhs,' The l!-ge and sexwise distribution of population Sutradhars, Tantubayas and Telis. Among the of 1981 Census being not available, the data of 1971 for Krishnapur town is given in Table V.6 below TABLEV.6 Age .and Sex-wise Population (1971) Percentage Sex-ratio of the per- (Females sons of the ~-group Persons Males Females per thou- age-group sand males to total population 1 2 3 4 5 6 0-14 6,466 3,244 3,222 993 43.4 15-19 1,385 745 640 859 9.3 20-24 1,232 648 584 901 8.3 25-29 1,183 601 582 968 7.9 30-39 1.832 1.023 809 791 12.3 40-49 1.225 724 501 692 8.2 50-59 709 394 315 799 4.7 60-t- 873 396 477 1,205 5.9 Total 14,905 7.773 7,130 917 100.0 Children in the age-group of 0-14 and the old the age-group of 30-39 and above from other States people of 60 years and above account for nearly half outside West Bengal and other districts in West of the total population. About 43.4 per cent of ~e Bengal had left the female members behind in their total polmlation being children, one may attribute thIS native pl!lces. The distortion in the sex-ratio that had to a high rate of reproduction. The presumption crept in earlier has not been fully off-set till now. is not altogether without a basis. In the sample ~ households, children explain only 32.1 per cent of AGE, SEX AND MARITAL STATUS OF PERSONS the total sample population. The presence of about (SAMPLE HOUSEHOLDS) six per cent of the population in the old age-group of 00 years lind above alsn connotes higher longevity The sarnple population in Krishnapur (Appendix of the people 'table No. 25) reveals sOlIle interesting demographic characteristics. The percentage of children (in the ,the sex-ratro (females per thousand males) in age-group 0-14), has come down to 32.1 from 43.4 various age-groups doeS not reveal any consistent (1971 Census). The population in the working age trend. Rather there are 'Certain freaks in the distri group of 15-59 now accounts for 61.8 per cent instead bution of fem~les per thousand males in the age of 50.7 per cent (1971 Census) and the proportion groups 15-19, 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59. One of the of the elderly people (in the age-group of 60 years plausible explanations for this may be found in the and above) to the total sample population now stands history of inmigration itself. In the first phase of at 6.7 per cent registering a rise/over the 1971 Census inmigration in the decade 1951-61, the displaced figure of 5.9 per cent. Since comparable figures for jlIeI'SDnS from erstwhile East Pakistan tnow BangIa 1981 are hot available for the town, one has to reckon Dcsh) had sW'amped Krishnapur. The inflow of with the figures on the surveyed population in 1986. ~e people into the transit camps was marked by The drop in proportion of children in the town may disruption in families. The inmigrants h'ad either left be explained by changes in reproductive behaviour behind the female members elsewhere or had lost stimulated by socio-economic factors, urban influence S'Ome of them during their displacement. Besides, and also the pUblicity measures concerning family dilleases and death, prevalent in the camps, were planning. However, it will be difficult to pinpoint ibstrumentat in takin~ a heavy toll of human lives, exactly which factor has affected the change and females having been the predominant victims. In the that too to what extent. Similarly, the rise in the second phase of inmigration some working males in proportion of elderly population to the total number 56 of persons is accounted for by the longer span of married status. The fact that 41.2 per cent of women life facilitated by general medical amenities available between the years 20-24 have not yet married indi to the people as also by greater public awareness of cates that the urban society here does not find favour health and sanitation measures. The compounding with lower age at marriage among the females. Again, effect of the changes in the two segments of popu1a among the males, 82.7 per cent in the age-group tion is reflected in the steep rise in the percentage of 20-24, 59 per cent in 25-29, 21.7 per cent in 30-34 population in the working age-group of 15-59 from and 7.3 per cent)n the age-group 35-49 are still in 50.7 in 1971 to 61.8 in 1986. celibacy. All these data unmistakably point to the higher age at m::i'rriage among both the males as well The sex-ratio too has registered some change. as the females. The incidence of divorce and sepa The number of females per thousand males has come ration is negligible. That 82.8 per cent of persons down from 993 in 1971 to 916 among the children who have lost their spouses are females and four in the sample households. In the working age-group per cent of the widows belong to the age-group 25-34 of 15-59 the sex-ratio has changed from 830 females suggest that the practice of remarriage of widows is per thousand males in 1971 to 916 in the sample not current in the society here, even though it is semi households. In the old age-group of 60 years and urban in nature. above there are 1,321 females per thousand males in the sample households against 1,205 in 1971 Census. Furthermore, higher longevity of women is attes ted to by the fact that 56.9 per cent of the persons No instance of child marriage has been observed of 60 years and above are females and 85.7 per cent in the sample households, as no girl upto the age of of the women in the old age-group as widows. 14 years and no boy upto the age of 19 years has been returned as married. Approximately 20 per cent AGE, SEX AND EDUCATION of the females in the age-group 15-19, 58.8 per cent in the age-group 20-24 and 88 per cent of women in The following table shows the progress of literacy the age-group of 25-29 have been enjoying the ever- in the town. TABLE V.7 Literates in different Census ------_ -----_. ---- Total Literates Illiterates Census year r- .__ --..A. ______--, r-.-----..A.------, r------..A.------, Persons Males Females Persons Males Females Persons Males Females 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1961 8,062 4,308 3,754 2,439 1,801 638 5,623 2,507 3,116 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (30.3) (41.8) (17.0) (69.7) (58.2) (8iO) 1971 14,905 7,775 7,130 6,509 4,191 2,318 8,396 3,584 4,812 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (43.7) (53.9) (32.5) (56.3) (46.1) (67.5) 1981 25,277 13,010 12,267 14,660 8,556 6,104 1,0,617 4,454 6,163 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (58.0) (65.8) (49.8) (42.0) (34.2) (50.2) Note: Figures in brackets indicate percentages. Compared to the petcentage of literates (23.5) so much by the spread of education as much because in the rural segment of the district in 1961, 30.3 per of the inmigration of literate and educated persons cent of the village population in Krishnapur were into Krishnapur in the decade 1971-81. The demo literates. In the urban nart of the district 56.4 and graphic characteristics, economic, social or cultural, 63.7 per cent of the popUlation were literates in 1971 of the inmigrating people have affected the over-all and 1981 respectively as against 43.7 and 58.0 per characteristics of the population of the to'wn. If 42 cent of the population in Krishnapur. The difference ner cent of the popUlation still remain illiterate in !n the rates of literacy in 1971 between Krishnapur Krishnapur, it is because of the rural character of and urban part of 24-Parganas has narrowed down the population in Old Krishnapur still persisting even substantially in 1981. The change in the rates is not in the face of urbanisation. 57 Appendix Table No. 26 shows the distribution years) among the females, 73.5 per cent are related of the population in the sample households by age, to illiterates and the rest to literates but with educa sex and education. tion up to primary level only. Likewise, of the 56 cases of marriage among the females with age at The population in sample. househol.ds. exhibits marriage in the age-group of 20 and above, all but progressive rise in the rate of hteracy wlthm a span five relate to literates. Again among the 34 married of six years from 1981 to 1986. Thus, compared to females who have passed School Final or Matricula the literacy rates of 58.0, 65.8 and. 49.8 among the tion examinations, the overwhelming majority (70.6 general population, male populatIOn and female per cent) were married only after attaining the dgC of • population respectively in 1981 Census, 73.4, 82.2 at least twenty years. and 64.0 per cent are literates respectiv~ly among t}1e sample population. As regards levels of hteracy among Correspondingly among the males only 3.2 per the sample population, nearly ~5 per cent. are literates cent have contracted a marriage as a child in the age without any levels and one-thIrd are lIterates upto group of 0-14. Again among the illiterate males, primary standard or middle levels (below th~ Sch?ol more than 57 per cent married before attaining the Final levels), t.en per cent have passed MatnculatIOn age of 25 years, while the corresponding percentage or Higher Secondary examinations while 5.5 per cent among the litcrates is only forty five. Among thc are graduates. Among the males 25.2 per cent are literates with education upto Matriculation or School literates without any level, 37.2 per cent are literates Final level, only 27 per cent have married before upto primary or middle levels, 12.2 per cent have attaining the age of twenty five years. Appendix passed School Final or Higher Secondary examination Table No. 28 shows the trend of age at marriage over and 7.4 per cent are graduates. Among the females different time-spans as related to education. 23.6 per cent are literates without any level, 28.9 per The most remarkable feature is the general rise cent have read upto primary or middle school levels, in the age at marriage over years for both the 7.8 per cent have passed School Final or Higher males and the females. Thus, in the- case of mar Secondary examination, while 3.5 per cent are ried males, the mean age at marriage for all marriages graduates. of 30 years' duration is 23.8, for marriages with Barring the age-group of 5-9 from which age duration between 15 to 29 years the mean age i8 group many of the children have not yet attended 24.4, and it is 25.4 in the case of marriages con school, the higher the age-group, the greater is the tracted within a span of the last 15 years. In the percentage of illiterates. Thus in the six different case of the females, who married 30 years back, the age-groups from 10-14 to 50 and above, there is a mean age at marriage is 14.1, for the females who p~ogressive rise in the percentage of illiterates from married within a span of 15-29 years the mean age 9.1 to 12.5, 14.6, 17.2, 28.1 and 41.1, implying is 17.0, while for women marrying in the last 15 thereby a much higher percentage of illiterates among years the mean age at marriage is 18.5. the persons in the past than at present. The correlation of age at marriage with education One cannot ignore the sex differential in the matter s more pronounced among the females. For the of literacy. Whereas among the males in the age three groups of marriage-duration (30 years and group of 5-34, 94 per cent are literates, only 77 per above, 15-29 years and less than 15 years) the cent among the females in the same age-group belong mean age at marriage for the illiterate females is to the same enlightened class. found to be much lower than that among the literates. RELlGION. AGE AT MARRIAGE AND TREND Interestingly, it is observed that the higher the level of education, the higher is found to be the mean In the sample households only four Christian age at marriage. In the case of married males, the households have been covered against 196 Hindu trend is pronounced for all the marriages within a families. Likewise, the data about the "ge of span of the last 15 years or so· Except for the marriage for only 214 males among the Hindus and marginally literates (literates without educational six males among the Christians are available. Similar ~.~vel) the age at marriage rises with higher standards ly, data about age at marriage for 267 Hindu females of literacy. and six Christian women could be conected. It is not, therefore, possible to attempt at any comparison Classifying the literates into two strata, mode among the two communities. The mean age at r8tely literate (below the threshpld level of School marriage for the Hindu males stands at 25.6 against Fillal or Matriculation) and literates (Matriculation 23.2 among the Christians, whereas the mean age-at or School Final), an attempt has been made to marriage for the Hindu females stands at 16.3 against cor.relate the age at marriage and level of education. 16.2 among the Christians. The meun age at marriage among the males for 'Cal lWUCATION, AGE AT MARRIAGE AND TREND WIDOW RE-MARRIAGE the illiterate is 23.9, 24.3 for the moderately ltterat€. and 27.1 for the literate. ]n the case of females An analysis of the impact of education on age at the mean age at marriage for the illiterate is 15.9, marriage (Appendix Table No. 27) reveals that of 17.6 for the moderately literate and 21.8 for th<: the 53 cases of child-marriage (marriage before 14 literate, 9 C\)nsus/88 58 There is a substantial differential in the age at and the Karmakars, the age at marriage is relatively marriage among the Caste Hindus. The Brahmans, lower. the Baidyas and the Kayasthas are found to marry their sons and daughters at a relatively higher age, CASTE AND AGE AT MARRIAGE namely, after 25 years among the males and 20 The Table-V8. shows the age at marriage~among years among the females, while among the Mahisyas, the two segments of Hindu population, the Caste the Tantis, the Telis, the Sahas, the Gandhabaniks Hindus and the Scheduled Castes. TABLE-V.S Age at marriage among the caste hindus and scheduled caste ------ Age at marriage for males Age at marriage for females r ,.A. --, r .A...... Below Bdow Community 14 14-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35 and Total 14 14-19 20-24 25-29 Total years years years years years above years years years years 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Caste Hindus 3 35 55 21 4 118 24 77 31 12 144 Percentage. (2.5) (29.7) (46.6) (17.8) (3.4) (100,0) (16.7) (53.5) (21.5) (8.3) (100.0) Scheduled Castes 4 58 26 5 3 96 29 82 10 2 123 Percentage • (4.2) (60.4) (27.l) (5.2) (3.1) (100.0) (23.6) (66.7) (8.1) (1.6) (100.0) While nearly 65 per cent of the males among the INTER-RELIGIOUS GROUP MARRIAGE Scheduled Castes are married before attaining the age of 25 years, only one-third among the Caste Among the' sample households, no case of inter Hindus have done so. Again, 21.2 per cent among religious group marriage has been reported. How the Caste Hindu males are married only after attain ever. in course of the field study in Christian Para, ing the age of 30 years or more, against 8.3 per cent three cases of matrimonial alliances between Hindu of the males among the Scheduled Castes in the same girls and Christian boys have been observed. But age-group. the Hindu girls had to be converted to Christ::mity before the marriage was contracted. Likewise, the early marriage (marriage before the age of 14 years) is relatively higher (23.6 per cent) INTER-CASTE MARRIAGE among the Scheduled Castes than among the Caste In the sample households there are 209 llH,nied Hindu (16.7 per cent) females. Again, while only males and 214 married females. Only 11 cases of 9.7 per cent of the females among the Scheduled inter-caste marriage (five per cent of the marriages; Castes marry after 20 years, nearly 30 per cent of have been observed, with the details given in Table the females among the Caste Hindus do so. V.9. 59 TABLE-V.9 Details of inter-caste marriage in the town Locality Caste of Caste of Remarks husband wife 1 2 3 4 Paschim Narayantala Brahman Kayastha Both belong to West Bengal 2 Rabindra Palli Kayastha Brahman -do- 3 -do- Karmakar Kayastha -do- 4 PrafuUa Kanan Brahman -do- -do- 5 -do- Kayastha Baidya -do- 6 Siddartha Nagar Benia Goala Husband belongs to Bihar but wife to West Bengal 7 Bagjola Camp Namasudra Saha Both belong to West Bengal 8 -do- Poundra- Pramanik Kshatriya -do- 9 -do- Mahisya Namasudra -do- lO Old Krishnapur Kaora -do- -do- II -do- --do- Mahato -do- WIDOW RE-MARRIAGE belong to the age-group of 35 to 54, while 24.8 per cent belong to the elderly age-group of 55 years Widow re-marriage is not favoured genelully in or more. But among the males with comparatively Krishnapur. No case of widow re-marriage has higher age at marriage of 30 years or more the over been reported in the sample survey. w~elming majority (63.6 per cent) belo~g to the mIddle age-group of 35 to 54, while 18.2 per cent each Among the widowers, case of re-marriage is most belong to the age-group of 55 years or more aIld common, specially in the eady ages. Among the 34 years or less. So there is no clear-cut correlation 15 widowers, four have re-married. Two such cases between the age at marriage and present age of the have been observed among the Namasudras, the re males. marriage being at the age of 24 and 36 years res pectively. One case of re-marriage among the But among the females there is a distinct Cor Sadgopes at the age of 29 years, while another case relation between the age at marriage and the present has occurred among the Gandhabaniks, the age at age. Thus of the females, married rather early at re-marriage being 36 years. the age of 13 years or less, 64.2 per cent belong to the elderly age-group of 55 years or above, 28.3 DIVORCE AND RE-MARRIAGE per cent belong to the middle age-group of 35 to 54, while only 7.5 per cent belong to the age-group of Incidence of divorce and separation is also ... ery 34 years or less. Conversely, among the females rare. As many as five cases of separation and one with relatively higher age at marriage of 20 ~ ears case of divorce have been detected In the sample or more, 55.4 per cent are aged 34 years or less, households. None of the separated or divorced 39.3 per cent belong to the age-group of 35 to 54, housewives has re-married. Of the six separated while only 5.3 per cent belong to the elderly age and divorced women, three are below 25 years, two group of 55 years or more. It is thus clear that the belong to the age-group of 25-34, while only one women in the higher age-groups' married much ear is above the age of 35 years. lier than their compatriots in the lower age-groups. CORRELATES OF AGE AT MARRIAGE EDUCATION BY RELIGION Among the males with comparatively lower age As mentioned earlier, there are only four at marriage of 24 years or less, 36.2 per cent belong Chri;.;tian households among the 200 sample house to the age-group of 34 years or less, 39 per cent holds. The rate Of literacy among the Christians is 60 61.9 against 73.0 among the Hindus. But out of EDUCATION BY SCHEDULED CASTES AND 21 persons belonging to the Christian community, SCHEDULED TRlf:lES there is not a single person who has passed the The progress of literacy among the scheduled School Final Examination. caste population in the town can be understood with reference to the Table V.lO. TABLE-V.IO Progress of literacy among the scheduled castes Percentage of ltterates ltmong Scheduled Castes CCJl8US r-- _- .A..-- ---, Year Location Persons Males Females 2 3 4 5 --- 1971 Krishnapur 29.6 40.6 17.8 24-Parganas (Urban) 35.4 43.6 25.1 19t1l Krislmapur 44.2 54.7 33.0 24-Parganas (Urban) 44.7 52.9 34.5 It appears that there has been a tremendous ad urban part of the district. In fact, the literacy rate vancement .of literacy among the scheduled castes in among the males has improved over the same in the the referent town, specially in the decade 1971-81. urban component of the district. Jn 1971, the pcrcl.:ntage of literates among the scheduled castes in the town has been much lower compared to the same in the urban segment of the The progress of literacy among the scheduled district. But in 1981 Census, the percentage of lite tribes population i_n the referent town can be rcad rates has almost caught up with the same for the from the following Table: TABLE-V.n Progress of literacy among the scheduled Tribes Percentage of literacy among the scheduled tribes _I __--A----.....- Census Location r'- - -- -, Year Persons Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 ------J 971 Krishnapur 3.6 6.7 24-Parganas (Urban) 14.4 18.6 8.7 J981 Krishnapur 29.4 44.4 12.5 24·Parganas (Urban) 19.6 26.1 11.4 As in the casc of the scheduled castes population, As the data for individual scheduled castes for ttere has been remarkable progress in literacy 1981 Census are not yet available, the following data among the scheduled tribes population too. of 1971 Census in respect of literacy among several 6i important scheduled castes in the town arc given below: TABLE-V.12 Percentage of literates among individual scheduled castes (1971 census) in Krishnapur ____No. of...A.. persons ___ No. of literatts Percentage_ __...A.. of _____ literates -, Name of scheduled castes --, , ---- _...A.._ --, r-'- Persons Males Females Persons Males Females Persons Males Female --'------2; 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ------Bagdi 62 37 25 27 18 9 43.5 48.6 36.0 2 Muchi 159 79 80 7 -, 4.4 8.9 0 3 Dhoba. 143 72 71 85 48 37 59.4 66.7 52.1 4 Had 26 26 0 0 0 5 Jalia Kaibarta 65 39 26 16 14 2 24.6 35.9 7.7 6 Kaora 197 91 106 40 33 7 20.3 36.3 6.6 7 Namasudra 2,497 1,315 1,182 811 681 130 32.5 51.8 11.0 8 Poundra-Kshatr iya 1,372 711 661 409 249 160 29.8 35.0 24.2 9 Rajbanshi 1,769 873 896 529 373 156 29.8 42.7 17.4 10 Tiyar . 150 73 77 GO 41 19 40.0 56.2 24.6 11 Unclassified. 2,262 1,192 1,070 596 369 227 26.3 31.0 21.2 ----r- --- Total 8,702 4,508 4,194 2,580 1,833 747 29.6 40.7 17.8 In literacy the Dhobas, the Bagdis and the Tiyars uniform, but the poslllOn among the females is very are placed better than others. The Haris, the Muchis discouraging, specially among the Jalia Kaibartas, the and the Kaoras are rather backward in respect of Kaoras and the Namasudras. literacy with reference to other individual scheduled castes. The rate of literacy among the males, The Table V. I 3 gives the distribution of the except the Haris and the Muchis, is more or less scheduled castes and others by educational standard: TABLE-V.13 Educational standard among sCheduled castes and others ------Literate Matri- Gradu- Tech- Total without culate. ates or nical Commu'nity population llliterate educa- Primary Middle S.F. or Post degree tional Higher graduates or Diplo- level Secondary rna --_ 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Scheduled castes. 479 186 137 106 2'7 14 9 (100.0) (38,8) (28.7) (22.1) (5.6) (2.9) (1.9) (-) Others 588 98 124 145 76 93 50 2 (100.0) (16.7) (21.1 ) (24.7) (12.9) (15.8) (8.5) (0.3) Note: Figure in bracket indicates percentage. Even though 61.2 per cent of the scheduled among the sample scheduled castes population, there caste population in the sample households are literate are ten matriculates and four graduates as against against 83.3 per cent among the rest of the popula two matriculates and four graduates among the tion, their position is backward in respect of educa Rajbanshi-Tiyars and only two matriculates and one tion. Among th~ literates, 46.4 per cent are literate graduate among the Poundra-Kshatriyas. without any level and 36.2 per cent have just attained the Primary level. There are only 14 matriculates and nine graduates. MOTHER TONGUE AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL The scheduled caste population seem not to be fully aware yet of the need of female education. Earlier, the datu on different mother tongues in Nearly two-thirds of the total illiterates among them the town in 1971 have been discussed. In the sam belong to the weaker sex. Again, among the litelntes, ple households, only thirty-one persons have retained the males far outnumber the females. their mother ton~ue as Hindi, while the il"esidual population have referred to Bengali as their mother Appendix Table No. 29 shows the levels of tongue. The Table V.14 shows the distribution of education among individual scheduled castes. Among the sample population by their mother tongues and the Namasudras, numeri!:ally the majority community educational standards: TABLE-V.14 Educational level by mother tongue Literate Matricl Mother tongue Total IlIite- without Higher population rate level Primary Others Middle Secondary Diploma r---.A. r-.A...... ,.-"--. r-.A...... ,-.A.., ,-.A.--, ,--.A.---, r-.A.--, P M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 ~ Bengali 1,036 531 505 96 178 130 121 137 109 63 38 66 40 41 18 Hindi 31 20 11 2 8 9 4 1 .. Total 1,067 551 516 98 186 139 122 141 110 64 39 67 40 41 18 Note :-P indicates Persons, M Males and F Females. The speakers of Bengali have an edge over the leave much to be desired. Out of twenty one litt: speakers of Hindi in respect of literacy. Among the rates more than half are literates without any level former, 73.6 per cent are literates against 67.7 per and only one person has passed the School Final cent in the latter group. But this is more than Examination. offset by the higher literacy rate among the male KNOWLEDGE OF SUBSID~ARY LANGUAGES AND Hindi-speakers (90.0 per cent) compared to (81.9 EDUCATIONAL SCORE per cent) among the male speakers of BengaU. The literacy rate among the male Hindi speakers is much It is observed that two hundred sixty eight higher than female literacy rate (only 27.3). A~ai1?' speakers of Bengali\ and twenty seven Hindi speakers the female literacy rate among the female Hmdl have knowledge of one or more subsidiary lan~uages. speakers is much lower than that (64.8 per cent) Appendix Table No. 30 gives the educational parti among the female speakers of Bengali. But the culars of persons having knowledge of a subsidiary standards of education among the Hindi speakers language. An attempt has been made to work out 63 the educational Score. The basis on which education The following points were allotted to various al score has been worked out is indicated below: educational levels: T ABLE-V .15. Educational scores Level of education No. of scores allotted Illiterate o Literate without educational level Primary or Middle 2 Matriculation, School Final or Higher Secondary 3 University Degree, Post Graduates Degree or Diploma equal to Degree 5 Technical Diploma not equal to Degree 4 Ph. D. or equivalent or Higher 6 Appendix Table No. 30 correlates the knowledge have no child of school-going age. Of 128 house of subsidiary languages with educational scores. It h~lds with children of school-going age as many as appears that among the speakers of Bengali 25.9 per th~rty (23.4 per cent) default in sending some of the cent have knowledge of subsidiary languages. One ~hlldren to school. Again, out of the thirty default among every three males and one among every six lUg households, ten belong to the Caste Hindus, females returning Bengali as their mother tongue have nineteen to the scheduled castes and one to a knowledge of another language with 15.7 per cent of Christian households. Among the scheduled caste the speakers of Bengali having knowledge of Hindi households, as many as twelve belong to the Nama as a subsidiary language and 9.2 per cent of them sudras, three to the Poundra-Kshatriyas, three to the having knowledge of subsidiary languages of both Rajabanshi-Tiyars and one to a Kaora househQl.d. English and Hindi. Two persons have knowledge of Burmese too, while eight persons have knowledge of English as a subsidiary language. Again, of the defaulting households, six default in sending some or all the boys to school, twenty two Among the speakers of Hindi, 87 per cent have default in sending all or some girls to school, while knowledge of Bengali as a subsidiary language. Though !wo default in sending both. So the average guardian the children have not yet picked up knowledge of IS, to a large extent, still sex-selective in sending their Bengali, they are truly bilinguals in the sense that children to school, as 22 of the defaulting households they live in a predominantly Bengali-speaking area. abstain from sending the girls only. It appears that the speakers of Bengali returning English as a subsidiary language have the highest Further, of the defaulting households, 12 heads average educational score, followed by those who work as unskilled manual labourers, nine are skilled have returned the knowledge of English and Hindi manual labourers, six are engaged in small business, as subsidiary languages being confined mostly to the one is a cultivator, while two are retired persons. educated section of the people who are either matri I culates or graduates. The speakers of Bengali having returned the subsidiary knowledge of Hindi have Out of the 21 heads who work as manual labour comparatively lower educational score, mostly wo_!k ers, skilled or unskilled, as many as nine ascribe ing in factories Or in establishments where they have poverty to their failure to send their wards to school, to interact with the speakers of Hindi. These people four attribute it to the lack of interest of the guardians, have education upto primary or middle standard. two ascribe it to the reluctance (i}f the students to go to school, and six more consider their wards to be In comparison, the speakers of Hindi with subsi too young to go to school. In the case of six diary knowledge of Bengali have a much lower edu guardians who are engaged in small business, one cational score thereby reflecting their lower educational attributes it to lack of his interest, one ascribes it to attainments due to lower economic status of the Hindi the reluctance of the child and one to the ill health spe'aking inmigrants belonging to the poor strata of of the child and three others consider that their society. children are still too young to go to school. The cultivating father ascribes poverty as the main reason NON·ENROLMENT IN SCHOOL for not sending his child to school. Among the two retired heads of households, one cites poverty as the Appendix Table No. 31 shows that out of two main reason, while another promises to send the child hundred sample households, seventy two households at a later age. 64 DISCONTINUATION OF STUDIES belong to Caste Hindus, five to the scheduled castes while one is a Christian. As for occupations of the There are eight cases of discontinuation of studies heads of the students who had discontinued, one is concerning four boys ttwo of them aged twelve years, a Duftry (Binder) in a school, two are engaged in one aged thirteen years and one aged fourteen years) small business, one is a barber by profession, one is and four girls (one aged 12 years, one aged 13 years a basket-maker, one is a loader, one is a day-labourer, and two aged 14 years). Of the four boys who had while another is a non-worker. Four students had discontinued their studies, three had read upto discontinued on account of poverty of the guardians, Class II and one upto Class nI, while two of the three had discontinued because of lack of interest drop-out girls had read up to Class II and two upto on the part of the students, while one had discontinued Class III. Again out of eight drop-out students two on physical grounds (continued ill health). CHAPTER· VI MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT OF FAMILIES INTRODUCTION spurt in the growth of population caused by migration has opened up new directions in and added neW Fertility, mortality and migration. are the th.ree dimensions to the economic activities of the people, demographic components of populatlOn dynamIcs. however unimportant, insignificant and inadequate Impact of fertility and mortality rates on population they may appear in the larger background of the can be measured beforehand and suitable measures metropolitan economy of Calcutta. In place of some can be adopted for influencing the rates. But the 25 to 30 shops and establishments in the fifties nearly influence of migration in the context of a town like thousand units have now sprung up. Krishnapur where swarms of inmigrants have poured into change the entire socia-economic and demo graphic profile of an agrarian society of fishermen and Of various forms of inmigration like life-time farmers in the course of a decade or so, has been migration, seasonal or temporary migration, periodic too enormous to essay a short and ready-made migration, the political event of Partition has been the explanation. In a society strongly cemented by prime factor in generating the direction and magnitude ethnic, religious, linguistic aJ)d occuPl!-tional homo of migration to Krishnapur and to many other villages geneity with common traditions of history and culture, around Calcutta, apart from the routine inmi the social barriers of lack of education and supersti gration and out-migration of married females. Migra tion, early marriage and strong bonds of kinship and tion from rural areas to urban Krishnapur has been affinal relationship, all but restricted the movement of small, if the displaced persons from the former East the people in the pre-Partition days of Krishnapur. Pakistan are ruled out. The most important segment As a matter of fact, Krishnapur represented most other of the inmigrants (excepting the displaced persons) similar villages in the state and had withstood the forces is constituted by the people migrating from cities and of change in the life-style of the people. Continuity towns to the small town of Krishnapur. The pheno rather than change imbued the ethos of life of the menon will be analysed later. Suffice it to say, inade people in Krishnapur in its pre-urban rlral days. quacy of living space, exorbitant rental, high cost of The Partition of India has been one of the rhost living, desire to build a house of one's own etc. have momentous events in the history of the country, been the motivating forces behind the urban inmi having resulted in mass movement of countless people grants from cities being drawn to an inconspicuous ~rom across the erstwhile East Pakistan to West small town of Krishnapur. Bengal. The migration has been fraught with far reaching socio-economic and demographic conse quences. Many people had to leave their ancestral DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS BY LOCALITY homes and traditional occupations under severe AND PLACE OF BIRTH OF HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD psychological stress and physical strain with an un certain future to adapt to a new and altogether different environment and occ'upation. Krishnapur To have an idea about the magnitude and extent is the classical example of a town where migration of migration in the town by places of birth, it is pro has played a decisive role to transform a village into posed to start with an analysis of places of birth of a ,town bereft of the infrastructures commonly asso the heads of 200 sample households. Appendix. Table ciated with urban areas. The inmigratlion of so many No. 32 shows the distribution of 200 households by people within so short a time has reduced the original locality and place of birth of the heads of household. settlers of Krishnapur to a minority status. Stories are still recounted about how the inmigrants in the Of the heads of 200 sample households, 16.5 per fifties, mostly the displaced persons, were scoffed at cent are non-migrants since the heads were born in as Bangal (from Eastern parts of Bengal). But a the town itself. All but two of these households are span of two to three decades has healed the wounds settled in Old Krishnapur, while two are of the uprooted and the outsiders have so much settled in Bagui Para or Paschim Narayantala. Of integrated themselves into the present society that the migrating households, 21 -gave migrated from the their children and grand children do not fully com same district, 17 from Calcutta and ten others from prehend the derisive overtone of the same word other districts of the state, while only seven heads of (Bangal) once used to denote their parents and grand households have migrated from other states. The most parents. But ironically enough, these inmigrants look striking feature of the migration pattern of Krishnapur upon themselves as sufficiently urbane to consider the is the overwhelming proportion of displaced persons original sons of the soil as rustic and unsophisticated. evident from the fact that 56 per cent of the total However, this view has never been voiced publicly households and 67 per cent of the migrating house and has not, therefore, created any bad blood between holds with their heads were born in different places in the people. The social transformation apart, the the erstwhile East Pakistan. While identifying the areas 9 Census/88 66 of origin of the heads of households from East Pakis households in the camp areas have their place of tan, it is observed that the heads of 27 households birth in former East Pakistan, while the rest have have their place of birth in the district of Barisal, 25 settled in the camps as tenants of the camp refugees. in Faridpur, 19 in Khulna, 11 each in Dacca and In Old Krishnapur, as the name indicates, more than Chittagang, sevell in J essore, four in Noakhali, three 57 per cent of the heads of households are sons of in Comilla, and one each in Bagura, Hill Chittagang, Kusthia, Rajshahi and Moymensing. Only six heads the soil as their birth place has been Krishnapur of thefmigrating households were born in urban areas, itself. three within the country and three in BangIa Desh. Op analysis of the households locality-wise, it is Table VI.1 indicates the distribution of the entire qbserved that nearly 84.1 per cent of the heads of sample population by their pla~s of birth. TABLE YI.1 Distribution ofpopuiation by places ofbirtb (sample households) .. 51. pla,Ce of Birth Station of Persons Males Females Percentage No. the place I of population of birth 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1) Within the coqntry : (a) Referent town 453 262 191( 42.5 (b) Within the district Rural 106 29 771 13.0 Urban 33 13 20 I ~ (c) Other district of state Rural 29 16 13J 17.9 Urban 162 74 8~ (d) Other states in India Rural . 24 16 8, 2.6 Urban 4 2 2J (2) Foreign lalJd : (a) Bangladesh Rural 240 134 106, Urban 15 5 1O~ 24.0 (b) Burma Rural Urban 1 'i) Total 1,067 551 516 10Q Krishnapur has been the place of birth of 42.S MIGRANTS BY PI.ACE OF LAST RESIDENCE AND pel' cent of the. population in the sample households, QURATION OF STAY IN TIlE TOWN 13 per cent have been born in the district of 24 Parg:;mas, 17.9 per cent in other districts of the The Table VI.2 shows the distribution of the migrants with reference to the respective places of stl,lte, 2.6 per cent in other states, while 24 per cent last residence llPQ duration of residence in the .pqrn in Ban~a Des!} jncludin~ on~ i.p. Bplllla. . referent town, 61 TABLE VI.2 + Migrants classified by Place of last residence and duration of residence in the ToWIl. No. of persons by duration of residence in the referent ..A. town___ • __.-,. r- Sf. Place of last residence Rurall Less 1-4 5-9 10-19 20 Total Percontage No. Urban than yes. yrs. yes. yrs. 1 and Year above 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1. Elsewhere in the district (24-Parganas) Rural 4 14 19 53 29 1191 35.0 Urban 13 9 52 24 98 } J 2. Calcutta Urban 18 25 76 103 32 254 41.0 1 3. Other distr icts of the State Rural 5 2 21 24 52} 9.4 Urban 1 1 2 2 6J 4. Other States in India Rural 3 5 5 6 191 4.4 Urban 7 8} S. Other countries Rural 7 2 13 38 61~ 10.2 Utban 3 3} ~ J Total 24 68 114 249 165 620 100.0 Out of the satnp.le population of 1,067,453 per of economic opportunities otherwise lacking in the sons bel~n!} to the referent town. But the number rural areas. of Oligrants is 620, instead of 614, since'siX! persons. (four males and two females) who, though born Excepting from Calcutta and the district of 24- in the referent town, had moved to other places Parganas, the movement of people from other dis before finally settling in the referent townl tricts to the town has been more or less insignificant and most of the migrants are the displaced persons The most striking feature of inmigrants is that who had earlier moved to the referent town from 41 per cent of the migrants had moved to Krishnapur various refugee camps in the district. Likewise, from the city of Calcutta. In the case or overwhelm movement of people to the town from other states ing number of migrants from CCalcutta, the migration of India is also insignificant. It is observed that has been from the city; to a smaller urban unit and more than 10 per cent of the migrants have come to the majority have been motivated, as will be found the referent town straight from -aangla Desh. TIley in subsequent discussion, by the'sheer urge to come are mostly the relatives, friends or co-villagers of the earlier migrants from the same areas. out of the concrete jungle into 'a handful of blue' though within the same cultural milietr wherefrom Again, 26.6 per cent of the migrants have lived in they can commute to the city and enjoy all the facili the referent town for 20 years or more, 40.2 per cent' ties' of the city as before. Those continuing with have migrated to the town in course of 10-19 years, tenant status both in the city of'Calcutta and also in while 33.2 per cent of the migrants are recent ones, the referent town have been under the impression having come to the town in the course of the last that paying the same amount of rent or a little higher nine years. The stream of inmigration has thus conti amount would enable them to have a more spacious nued unabated till the preseI1t day. As regards the accommodation in Krishnapur. The' tenants living place of last residence for most recent migrants in in rented houses in Calcutta but now owning a home course of a decade, it is observed that more than of their own in Krishnapur have been motivated by 56.8 per cent of the migrants have come from the the belief that building a home of their own will be metropolitan city of CalClJtta and the urban areas cheaper in the long run than paying rent in per of the district. The reasons for this migration are petuity. About 35 per cent of the inmigrants have mainly socia-economic, like acute housing problem, come to Krishnapur from the district of 24-Parganas higher cost of living etc. And these unmitigated and nearly a fifth of the migrants are from the rural problems, it is apprehended, will keep the 'present areas of the district. Thus rural to urban movement process of inmigration alive and uninterrupted lead has been, to a large extent, dictated by urges to come ing ultimately to the overcro",,"rl,ing of KriShnaput out of a sub-normal living condition and in search beyond any solution. 68 MIGRANTS BY EDUCATIONAL LEVELS AND PLACE constitute 41 per cent of the total migrants, one has OF LAST RESIDENCE to admit the qualitative superiority of the migrants from Calcutta, at least on the score of education. Appendix Table No. 33 shows the distribution of the migrants by place of last residence and levels of But what distinguishes the migrants and the non education. migrants is not so much the literacy rate as much the level of education. The p,ercentage of matriculates The literacy rate for the migrant population, as a and above is only six among the non-migrants but whole, stands at 73.9 per cent, slightly higher than 22.7 among the migrants as a whole and 35.8 among the literacy rate for the total sample population (73.4 the migrants from Calcutta. So, in general, the mi per cent) as also for the non-migrant population grants from Calcutta, in contrast to the migrants in (72.7 per -cent). But, what is important is the general and the non-migrants in particular, are educa: varying rates of literacy of the migrants, according tionally a distinctiv:r group. to different places of their last residence. The rates of literacy of the migrants from all the places except PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE OF HEAD OF HOUSE· ~Iom the city lof Calcutta are considerably lower com HOLD AND DURATION OF RESIDENCE pared to the same for the migrant population as a whole. The rates of literacy for the migrants from The Table VI.3 enumerates the distribution of Calcutta are as high as 89.4 per cent compared to 167 migrant households with reference to the place 63.1 per cent among the rest of the non-migrants. of last residence of the heads and the duration of Considering the fact that the migrants from Calcutta their residence in the referent town. TABLE VI.3 Place oflast residence of heads of househOlds and duration ofresidence Duration of residence in presen~ town place of last residence of heads of households Rural/ Total no. ,..------.. _- .. - _-"'--._ ------~ Ubran of Less than 1·5 6-10 11-20 21 years households one year years years years and abOVe 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 24-Parganas Rural 21 5 7 8 24-Parganas Urban 24 3 6 9 6 Calcutta Urban 70 4 6 25 24 11 Other districts Rural 20 2 3 15 Other districts Urban 1 Other'states Rural 3 1 2 Other states Urban 1 1 Other countries Rural 26 1 1 4 20 Other countries Urban 1 1 Total. 167 4 13 39 47 64 It is observed that 41.9 per cent of the heads of and the district of 24-Parganas, the migrant house migrant households have their places of last residence holds with relatively longer durations are mostly from in rural and 58.1 per cent in urban areas. While most erstwhile East Pakistan, other districts of the state of the recent migrants to the town. are from Calcutta as also the district of 24-Parganas . 69 WORKERS AND NON-WORKERS CLASSIFIED BY cngaged mostly as conStruction workers, dckshaw PLAOE OF LAST RESIDENCE pullers and ordinary day-labourers. The examination of the workers among the migrant population leads to some interesting correlation NUMBER OF MEMBERS BY MIGRATION STATUS AND between the percentage of workers among the migrant PLACE OF BIRTH OF HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD population and the places of their residence. The percentage of workers among migrants who have moved to the referent town with the entire family is Appendix Table No. 35 shows the distribution of comparatively lower than that of their counterparts the households by number of members, migration who have' migrated from other districts of the state or status and place of birth of the heads of the housenold. from other states of the country. Thus compared to percentages of workers (32.3 and 39 respectively) for About 16.5 per cent of the households are non the migrants from the district and the city of Calcutta, migrant since Krishnapur is the place of birth of the the same for the migrants from different other districts heads of these households. Among the migrant house of the state and other states of the country are 50 and holds, 67 per cent: of the heads were born in Bangla 48.1 respectively. The latter group have higher Desh, 12.6 per cent of the heads were born in the percentages of workers in so far as most Qf them have district of 24-Parganas, while 10.2 per cent of the not brought with them the entire family, but have left heads were born in Calcutta, six per cent of the heads the bulk of the non-working members in their respec were born in other districts of the state excepting tive homes. Again, the migrants from BangIa Desh have Calcutta and 24-Parganas and only 4.2 per cent of the the highest percentage in respect of the female workers, heads were born in other States outside West Bengal. (as mentioned in the chapter on Economy). As regards size, 43.5 per cent of the households MIGRANTS CLASSIFIED BY OCCUPATIONAL DIVISION are comparatively large, consisting of six members or OF THE WORKERS AND PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE more. In contrast to the households with their heads born in the rural areas, the average household with its It is proposed now to examine the occupational head born in an urban area is comparatively small in divisions of the migrant workers (vide Appendix Table size. .... No. 34). NUMBER OF MEMBERS BY MIGRATION STATUS The occupational pattern of the migrants shows AND PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE OF HEADS the same trend, as discussed in the preceding chapter on economy, viz. J the predominance of production and 'related workers. But, two distinct strata of occupations Appendix Table No. 36 shows the distribution of are discernible among the migrants according to the the households by number of members, migration places of their last residence. Against an overwhelming number of white collar workers among the migrants status and last residence of heads of households. from Calcutta and adjoining urban areas of the district The pattern of migration, as reflected by place of of 24-Parganas, there is a predominance of blue collar last residence of the heads of households, is found to workers among the rest of the migrants. Thus, all but be altogether different from that reflected by the plac~ two of the technical workers and teachers, all but two of birth data. Whereas 67 per cent of the heads of of the administrative and managerial workers, more migrating household have their places of birth in than four-fifths of the clerks and bank employees, are BangIa Desh, only 15.5 per cent have their place of the migrants from Calcutta and adjoining urban areas. last residence there, signifying thereby that 51.5 per Again among the, workers engaged in trade and cent of such households had migrated to the referent commerce, more than 40 per cent are migrants from town via some other places in between. ru is also worth Calcutta and adjoining urban areas. It is also observed noting that more than 42 per cent of the migrating that most of the workers engaged in trade and business households have come to the referent town from are found among the migrants from the former East Calcutta even though only 10.2 per cent of the heads Pakistan. Most of the service workers, specially those were born there. Further, only fotrr of the 200 sample engaged in domestic service, have migrated from the households inmigrated to the townr straight from their rural' areas of the district and other states beyond West native places in other States. Agftin, the incidence of Bengal. Again, though 44 per cent of the workers migration to the referent town from districts other engaged in different processes of production are those than Calcutta and 24-Parganas is also not high (only from Calcutta and other adjoining urban areas, most 12.5 per cent). Next to Calcutta, the second most of tpem are engaged as machine tool operators, important place from which migrating households have electricians, workers connected with plastic and rubber been drawn to this referent town is the ,district of products, and tailors. The majority of the residual 24-Parganas (27.5 per cent). Taking the households workers from other parts of the state, from states out as a whole, 16.5 per cent were born in the referent side West Bengal and from former East Pakistan, are town and 57.5 per cent had their places of last resi- 70 dence either in caicutt,a or in the district of 24- out to other places before finally settling down in the Parganas while the residual 26 per cent had their place of their birth. In contrast, 45.3 per cent of the places of last residence elsewhere. migrants, Wlth places of birth elsewhere, had moved to other places, before finally migr~ting to the referent town. But, much of the mobility III respect of these HOUSEHOLDS BY LONGEST STAY OF ANY MEMBER migrants is more or less illusory as most of these migrants, born in erstwhile East Pakistan, moved to varIOUS refugee camps after Partition before finally Appendix Table No. 37 shows the distribution of migrating to the referent town. So, the migratory the households by migration status of the heads of movements of these people were rather forced than household and duratIOn of stay of any member of the voluntary. Barring the displaced persons, 14.0 per household who has stayed longest in the re~ere~t cent of the migrants had places of last residence town. Though heads of 33 households were. b.om m different from places of their birth, connoting there the town 32 of them did never move out. ThIS IS why by some mobility or movement. One out of every five only 32 households have been shown as n?n-migrant such migrants born in the state has some mobility here. The inflow of migrants has been umnterrupted against fifty per cent of such migrants, born in other with 17 households (8.5 per cmit) mIgrating to the states. Compared to the migrants from within the state, town in course of the last five years. The salient feature those from outside have greater mobility. of migration is the change in the place from which migrations originated. Thus in the .~ties, when most Again, 54.2 per cent of the migrants had moved of the inmigrating households onglllated from the to the referent town directly from their place of birth. rural areas, specially the villages of fopner East Of these migrants, 40.8 per cent had come from Pakistan (as bome by the fact that 42 liouseholds Calcutta 31.8 per cent from the same district and migrated from the rural areas against 21 from the 27.4 per cent from other places. urban), a remarkable shift is noticeable since the late sixties (after the opening up of V.I._P: Road .and . the growth of Salt Lake City), in the ongm of rrugratlOn. MIGRATION STAGES OF HOUSEHOLDS HAILlNG In course of the last two decades, the migration to the referent town is more in the nature of city to town FROM OUTSIDE movement than the village to town exodus, as amply substantiated by 77 households which have migrated For the purpose of the present discussion on to the referent town from urban areas against 28 from stages of migration of households hailing from out the rural areas in course of the last twenty years. The side, the period of migration has ,been broadly divided trend is very much evident even now, as 12 house into four stages viz., those who migrated. in 1965 or holds have migrated to the referent town from urQan earlier, those who migrated during the penod of 1966- areas in the last five years against five from the rural 1970, those who migrated during 1971-75 and lastly, areas. those who migrated in 1976 and later. Out of 200 sample households, there are 167 households which But more interesting than the change in the came to the referent town from outside. Appendix Table No. 39 gives an account of the different stages origin of migration is the correlation between the siz~ and years of migration of the households hailing from of the household and the nature of the place of last outside. residence. There is a predominance of larger house holds among those originating from the rural areas. It is observed that 6~ households (38.9 per cent) The households migrating from the urban areas are migrated to the town iIi 1965 or earlier, 21 house comparatively small in size. Of the households mi¥rat holds (12.6 per cent) migratedlduring 1966-70, 27 ing from rural areas 53 per cent are comparatively house40lds (16.2 per cent) migrated during 1971-75 small (upto five members) against 47 per cent which while 54 households (32.3 per cent) migrated in are large in size (six members or more). Of the house 1976 and later. Of the 102 households which migrat holds migrating from the urban areas, 60 per cent ed to the town during the last two decades (from have five members or less, while 40 per cent have 1966 till the time of survey) as many as 21 house each more than five members. holds (20.6 per cent) migrated Ito the town .directly from the place of origin, 60 households (58.8 per cent) migrated to, the town i11 two stages, 11 house LAST RESIDENCE AS RELATED TO PLACE OF BIRTH holds (10.8 per cent) migrated in three stages, while 10 households (9.8 per cent) migrated to the town Appendix Table No. 38 correlates the places of in four stage'S or more. Furthermore, 21 households birth of the- sample population to their respective that came to the referent town straight from the place places of last residence. of origin are constituted by eight households hailing from the same district (24-Parganas), seven from It is observed that the mobility of members born Calcutta and six from former East Pakistan. More in the referent town is almost negligible since only than two thirds of the households migrating in two six, out of 453 members, born in the town, had moved stages hailed from former East Pakistan. In all 10 71 households hailing from other districts of the State and facilities near Calcutta, another left the place of origin three households from other States in India moved to in rural areas of the district to escape restrictions of the town in two stages. Again most of the house social boycott by the villagers for violati~)fl of custo holds migrating to the town in three ~tages or more mary marriage regulation, while. th~ thIrd one left are displaced persons from East Pakistan, most of home in the rural areas of the dIstnct to escape the them having moved from camp to camp before finally wrath of extremist political movement. settling down in the referent town. Appendix Table No. 41 records various reasons offered by the households for inmigration to the CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLACE OF ORIGIN OF referent town. MIGRATION AND REASONS FOR MIGRATION K4shnapur, for not bein~ a s~ry~ce town or a place of trading or commercIal actIVItIes, has as yet A look at the distribution of the 167 migrant developed very little economic pull force .to attract households of the town according to the characteristics large number of inmigra?ts. But paradoXIcally, thl< of the place of origin of migration (as to whether the inmigrants have kept rushing on to the referent town, place of origin of migration was a village, a small because it provides them all opportunities to draw town with population upto 19,999, a medium town sustenance from the great metropolit~n city of Cal with a population between 20,000 and 99,999 or a cutta. Thus Krishnapur 'has functionally become more city with one lakh persons or more) reveals that 153 or less a dormitory town on the fringe of the city. households migrated from villages, only three house Various reasons for inmigration to Krishnapur eli«ited holds migrated from small towns, while 11 households from the concerned households bear testimony to the migrated to the referent town from cities. Of the present hypothesis. 'Yhile 27.5 per cent of t~e hous~ three households migratin~ from" small towns, two holds migrated to Knshnapur after constructing theIr migrated from former East Pakistan and op.e migrated own homes here, another 25.1 per cent moved into from an urban area in the district of Nadia. Again the referent town being prompted by better, spacious out of eleven households migrating ·from cities, 10 and cheaper accommodation. This consid~rat~on has migrated from Calcutta and one migrated from Dassa been the prime mover to all groups of lIlIl1lgrants, in former East Pakistan (now BangIa Desh). whether from Calcutta or from various other districts or from other States. Again, 24.0 per cent of the As for reasons of migration, specially in the case inmigrants from BangIa Desh were drawn to the town of those who migrated in different stages, two sets of because of availability of accommodation in the tran reasons have been noted. One set of reasons relates sit camps and on routine transfer from other transit to the migration from the place of origin and another camps elsewhere, 10.2 per cent of the households set of reasons, explains why the migrant chose the migrated to the referent town, to encroach on the referent town. It has been found that in some cases, vested lands, all but one of these households hailed the reason for leaving the place of origin and the from erstwhile East Pakistan. Again, 8.4 per cent reason for migrating to the referent town coincide. of the households migrated to the referent town in Appendix Table No. 40 is based on the various search of livelihood because in the rural areas of the reasons mentioned by the concerned households for district from which the households hail econo~c op leaving the places of origin. portunities were reported to be almost non-existent. Apart from these households, as many as five house It is observed that 66.5 per cent of the migrating holds (3 per cent) migrated to the town in ~onnectiop households left their ancestral home in erstwhile East with employment and economic pursuit. Only three Pakistan because of partition, riot and consequent households (1.8 per cent) migrated to the referent insecurity of life and property, 18 per cent of the town after marriage for reasons explained earlier. households left their ancestral homes in search of livelihood and the. majority. of these households ori ginated from the rural areas of the district of 24- CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLACES OF SUCCESSIVE Parganas, other districts of the State and other States J\lIGRI\TION of the country (Bihar Q_nd Uttar Pradesh). Another six per cent of the households left their places of Close scrutiny of data on migratioll of the 167 origin in the city of Calcutta because of high rent, migrating households reveals that,' 29.3 per cent of dearth of living space ap.d i~adequate accqmmodation, the households migrated to the town directly from the while another 6.0 per cent left their place of origin place of origin, 50.9 per cent of th~ households because theit places of service or occupation were migrated to the town in two stages via some other in the vicinity of referent town or in the town. Three place of t~mporary sojourn, 12 per cent of the house house40lds left their homes as an aftermath of mar holds migrated to the town in three stages, while 7.8 riage. In the case, of two households the heads pre per cent migrated in four stages or more before finally ferred the status of resident son-in-law in the refer settling down at Krishnapur. ent town, while to another widowed head it was simply a case of marriage migration. One household Among the 49 households that migrated to the left ancestral home in qu~st of higher educational town directly from the place of their origin, 28 migrat- 72 ed to the town' more than two decades back (including moved here straight for better, spacious and cheaper 17 from the rural areas of the erstwhile East Pakistan) accommodation. while 21 migrated in the preceding two decades, eight migrated from the rural areas of the district, seven Of 85 households migrating in two stages, 25 from Calcutta and six others from erstwhile East migrated prior to 1966, 10 during 1966-70, 20 during Pakistan. The displaced persons came straight to 1971-75 and the rest during the preceding decade. the refugee camps, the households from the rural The stages of successive migration, in respect of the areas of the same district came here straight in search 85 households migrating in two steps, are described of livelihood while the households from Calcutta in the Table VI. 4. TABLE VI.4 Two-stage migration Cbaracteristicsofplaces of two strge migration No. of households Village to village to Krishnapur 17 Village to small town to Krishnapur ViUag~ to m~dium-sized town to Krishnapur 3 Village to city to Krishnapur 61 Medium sized town to city to Krishnapur City to city to Krishnapur 2 Total 85 Out of 20 households migrating to the referent decade. The stages of successive migration in respect town in three stages, nine households migrated in 1965 of those 20 households migrating in three stages are or earlier, three migrated during 1971-75, while eight given in Table VI.5. households migrated during the course of the preceding TABLE VI-5 Three-stage migration Characteristics of places of three-stage migration No.ofhouseholdj Village to village to village to Krishnapur 5 Village to small town to village to Krishnapur . 1 Village to medium town to village to Krishnapur Village to medium town to city to Krishnapur . 3 Village to city to city to Krishnapur 5 Villag~ to city to village to Krishnapur 2 Village to village to city to Krishnapur Village to city to medium town to Krishnapur . 1 Small town to meaium town to city to Krishnapuf 1 Total 20 73 The stages of successive migration, in respect of 13 other households migrating in four-stages are des cribed in Table VI.6. TABLE VI.6 Four-stage migration Characteristics of places or successive migration No. of households Village to city to city to village to Krishnapur . Village to medium town to medium town to city to city to Krishnapur 1 Village to city to village to city to small town to Krishnapur Village to medium town to small town to medium town to village to city to Krishnapur VllIage to city to village to village to Krishnapur Village to small town to city to village to cit)' to Krishnapur Village to village to city to village to Krishnapur Village to small town to medium town to village to cit} to Krishnapur Village to medium town to city to city to Krishnapur Village to medium town to medium town to city to Krishnapur City to small town to medium town to city to Krishnapur Village to medium town to village to village to Krishnapur 2 Total 13 A brief resume of the data on different stages of enumerated. The dependence of the workers on migration with reference to the characteristics of the Krishnapur is minimal from the points of both the places of origin of migration reveals that out of the migrant and the non-migrant households. Only 20.0 167 migrant households, 153 households (91.6 per per cent of the workers in the migrant households are cent) hailed from villages, one each hailed from small associated with some economic activity within Krishna town and medium town respectively, while 12 other pur itself. Another 3.0 per cent of workers in these households hailed from cities. As regards the places households work in the adjoining rural areas. In a of last residence before migration to the referent town word, while Krishnapur and its neighbouring villages it is found that 70 households (41.9 per cent) migrat sustain only 23.0 per cent of the workers in the migrant ed to the referent town from villages, two from small households, the rest (77.0 per cent) of the workers towns, four from medium-sized towns and 91 house are tied to the economy of the urban areas outside, holds (54.5 per cent) from cities. In fact the single Calcutta city and Salt Lake city together supporting most important feature concerning the trend of migra nearly 52 per cent of the workers in the migrant tion is the influx of population from the cities. Out of households. 91 households migrating from cities, 70 households On the other hand, the dependence of the workers (76.9 per cent) migrated frdID Calcutta alone and the in the non-migrant households on Krishnapur and its rest mostly from the cities like South Dum Dum, Dum adjoining rural areas is greater than those in the Dum, North Dum Dum, etc., all in the close vicinity of migrant households. Almost 51.0 per cent of the Krishnapur. The flight of a section of population workers in the non-migrant households work in from the cities owes itself to acute problem of resi Krishnapur and the neighbouring Villages. However, dential accommodation, exorbitant rent, high cost of this does not rule out the zone of the economic living, unhealthy living condition, etc. The migrants activity of these workers from being extended outside from the cities to Krishnapur, however, have not lost Krishnapur touching other urban areas, Salt Lake city their links with those cities. Rather, they commute and Calcutta alone providing livelihood to about 39 to those cities and thereby enjoy all the amenities and per cent of the workers in the non-migrant households. services that the cities offer. It has been observed Thus, from whatever angle the issue is examined, that majority of the workers in the sample households the fact that majority of the workers of Krishnapur commute to their places of work outside the town. have to move out to areas outside Krishnapur for Appendix Table No. 42 gives an account of the places work is irrefutably established. In such a situation of work for the workers in the sample households. Krishnapur has assumed the characteristics of a dormitory town for the majority of the workers (77.2 In the table the places of work of the workers in per cent) whether in inmigrant or non-migrant sample both migrant and non-migrant hous~holds have been households. II Census/88 10 74 PROPERTY AT THE PLACE FROM WHERE MIGRATED property in their native homes, the property of all but two households is looked after by their relatives Out of the 200 sample households, 167 hail from resident there. Only one household still supervises outside. Out of the 22 households from the rural the paternal property personally while one household areas of the district, only seven have ancestral property had mortgaged the property long ago. Only 14 out in their native homes. The households hailing from of 33 households having property in ·native places Calcutta have no property left there. All the ten still continue receiving soffie benefits therefrom. households migrating from other districts of the State have their ancestral property in their native places. CLOSE RELATION AT THE PLACE FROM 'WHERE So also is the case with the six households hailing MIGRATED from other States of the country. It is interesting to note that out of 119 households hailing from erstwhile Fortythree out of the 200 sample households have East Pakistan, only 10 reported to have had some 88 close relations staying outside. Of these house property there. holds, 38 belong to West Bengal, four to Bihar and one to Uttar Pradesh. The break-up of the 88 close Again in the case of 33 households having ..relations are given in Table VI. 7. TABLE VI.7 Close relations) eft behind Nature of relation No. of members No. of workers ------Father 14 12 Mother 16 Son. 20 10 Unmarried daughter 8 2 Unmarried brother 9 8 Unmarried sister 2 Husband 4 3 Wife. 4 1 Son's wife 5 Son's children 6 Total: 88 38 It is observed that 43.2 per cent of the members last residence prior to' its migration to the referent of households staying outside are workers, ten of them town. For movement from a relatively shorter dis being cultiva~ors, five being traders or shop-keepers, tance~ the entire household moves as a unit. So lias three each bemg school teachers and domestic servants been the case of the displaced households migrating respectively, two each being accountants, machine tool to the town from erstwhile East Pakistan or from other operators and proprietors of manufacturing establish transit camps. Thus, out' of, 45 households migrating ments,. and plastic product-makers. one each being to the town from the district of 24-Parganas, all but superVIsor. of transport and communication , industrial.; eight of them moved with all other members of the engmeer, college teacher, telephone operator, rickslIaw- households togetl1er. In one or two cases the lIeads puller, auto-scooter-driver, law assistant, supervisor of of households made one or two visits before fixing up construction and nurse. the residences. In the case of eight households, the workin!' members of the heads migrated first, followed by othE'r members. Likewise, 70 households migrat UNIT OF MIGRATION ing to the referent town from Calcutta moved with all the members together. For 21 households moving The unit of migration of a household to the toWn from other districts, the entire household moved as a b~s been found to be closely related to its place of upit in the case of 16 households, mostly in the nature 7S of inter-transit camp transfer, while in the case of two months till they found same alternative accommo five households, the working members migrated to the dation. Another five displaced households received town first, later to be joined by other members. In help and assistance from their co-villagers (who had the case of three out of four households, migrating to come earlier to the town) in finding some suitable ac the town from other states (Bihar and Uttar Pradesh), commodation in the referent town. working members came first, followed by others. In the case of the fourth household, only the working Another nine households, now residing in Prafulla members of the household have migrated, leaving be Kanan, received help and assistance from Prafulla" hind other members in the native places. Kanan Co-operative Society which helped them in getting residential plots of land under the Co-operative society at a very moderate price. HELP RECEIVED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES DURING MIGRATION PROBLEMS FACED DURING OR AFTER MIGRATION Only 45 (26.9 per cent) out of the 167 migrant households have received some help and assistance Forty-three displaced households residing in the from different- agencies just after migration to the reiugee camps are stated to have suffered hom a referent town. In the case of 26 refugee households, multitude of problems concerning food and clothing, now staying in Bagjola. Camp, all received doles from shelter and accommodation and also employment in the Refugee, Relief and Rehabilitation Department of the referent town. In the absence of any organised the Government of West Bengal in the fifties and the help and assistance, they just continued somehow to quantum of dole was at the rate of rupees twelve per drag on their miserable existence in dilapidated hut adult member for one month with the stipulation tbat ments by the side of Bagjola Canal along which flow the amount of dole received by one household would contaminated sewage waters of the metropolitan city. not exceed rupees sixty per month. Five more dis All the displaced households in the refugee camps are placed households received help from their relations, stated not to have been suitably rehabilitated even all belonging to the Namasudra community, who after more than three decades of their camp life. They allowed them to share their residence for a period of continue to be as uprooted as before. CHAPTER·Vll NEIGliBOURHOOD PATTERN INTRODUCTION ing urban areas who 'have settled here in course of the last two decades. Except one or two blighted sub Concepts of neighbourhood ~nd ~rbanism .are localities here and there, most of the buildings are antithetical to some extent. Urbamsm, In fact, thnves modern pucca houses, the majority being two-storied. on the denudation of the sense of closeness and Most of the residents are Hindus. More than 95 per oneness, the basic tenets of neighbourhood. Again, cent ot the people are Bengali-speakers from different the two concepts are inversely related to each other. castes like the Brahmans, the Kayasthas, the Baidyas, Thus an area becomes totally urban when the feeling the Goalas, the Sadgopes, the Tiyars, the Mahisyas, of neighbourhood in its constituent parts is less the Malos, the Poundras, the Namasudras, etc. Most of perceptible. Considerable heterogeneity and acc~le the workers depend on services and trade and rated rate of mobility are the sine qua non of urbamsm commerce, the places of work being mostly in while homogeneity with more or less an immobile Calcutta. The residents here belong mostly to the population fosters a feeling of neighbourliness. middle and the lower middle classes. Urbanism as a way of life is marked by rather super ficial, fornal and impersonal relationship. A neighbour Purba Narayantala-The portion of Narayan hood is pervaded by a cordial, warm, impersonal and tala lying on the eastern side of VIP Road is named infcirmal relationship. The good old samaritans foster Purba Narayantala. Barring settlement of the Baguis the neighbourhood in contrast to how do you do rela (milkmen by caste) who are the old residents of the tionship in an urbanised society. town, the inmigrants, mostly from Calcutta and other , I neighbouring areas, comprise the population, all of In the strict and narrow sense of the term, the whom have settled here in course of the last two coh~ept of neighbourhood is more commonly associa decades or more. ted kith the rural way of life. But it is not uncommon to corve across Fural or se1lli-rural pockets even.~n the About 400 households reside in this locality. The higNy sophisticated and cosmopolitan ur~an umts, as houses are mostly one-storeyed and pucca. The in the dse of the' 'Black G'hetto in\ the Harlem' area of residents are all Hindus, the overwhelming majority New York, the Bengali enclave in Chittaranjan Park being Bengali-speaking. The Brahmans, the Baidyas, in New Delhi or Marwari localities in Burrabazar area toe Kayasthas, the Goalas, the Karmakars, the Sahas, of Calcutta typifying examples of neighbourhoods and the Gandhabaniks, the Namasudras, the Mahisyas, etc. sub-neighbourhoods. constitute the predominant ethnic groups in this locality. Majority of the workers are ,service-holders in Calcutta and are associated with trading and com LOCALITIES STUDIED mercial activities mostly in Calcutta and other adjoin ing urban areas. Most of the people belong to the In order to identify areas which can be classified middle and lower middle class households. as neithbourhoods. in the :referent .town, 'th~ ~tu~y has be~n conductetl in the 'five recogrllze'd IdcalIties III the Para Colony (Natun Colony)-It is a sub town namely, 'Paschim Narajlmtala, '~ur/ja. Nar?yan neighbourhood of Bagjola Camp and comprises tala Prafulla Kanan, Nayapati and III Pora Colony mostly Camp No.1 in the same locality. A portion of (al;o known. as , Natun Colony), Camp No.1 having been burnt down by an accidental fire in the early sixties, the affected houses were constructed by the Government of West Bengal anew. ETHNIC AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF Thereafter, the locality has been locally known as TH.,E LOCA,LITiES Pora (Burnt) Colony or Natun (New) Colony. The I , camp dwellers in about 300 households hail mostly Raschim N arayantala-One bf the oldest from Khulna, Faridpur, Pabna, Rajshahi, and other localities of Old Krishnapur, Paschini Narayantala districts of the erstwhile East Pakistan. About sixty derives its name from the name of Lord Narayana or to seventy per cent of the population belong to the Vishnu, one of the trinities of Hipd~ mythology. The Namasudra caste (a scheduled caste) while the rest part of the locality lying on the western part of VIP comprises the Sahas, the Gandhabaniks, the Telis, the Road has been named Paschim NaraYalJtala. Among Kayasthas, the Sutradhars etc. Most of the houses in the old residents, about. 15 households belonging to this camp are kutcha earthen huts witli tiled roofs, the Goala community and 10 households. be~onging walls and floors being earthen. Most of the residents to the Poundra community have been id~ntified. The with agricultural pursuits in their native places prior ~emaining households, estimated to be around 300, to in-migration have no fixed occupation, as most of are inl11igrants mostly from Calcutta and other adjoin- them are daily-rated workers engag~d as rickshaw- 78 pullers, masons, carpenters, etc. Some of them are Most of the houses are kutcha having tiled roofs petty traders. All the residents here somehow eke out and earthen walls and floors. In recent years, how their existence in sub-standard living conditions and ever, some pucca buildings have been constructed. are economically very poor. Most of the people belong to the lower middle class with a handful of people drawn from the middle As the colony constitutes a compact and homo classes. geneous group of people with common tradition of history, religion and culture with a number of house holds hailing from the same police station in former PROBLEMS FACED BY HOUSEHOLDS East Pakistan, a very informal and somewhat face-to face social grouping has emerged. Besides, all the The most common problems faced by the house households have been living in the same residential holds in the localities under referellce relate mostly to colony for over three decades with a very low rate drainage and conservancy. In the absence of any of mobility. All this has helped the evolution of a municipal machinery in the town to oversee and en closely knit primary group community life, resembling force strictly the stipulations concerning ili.:l cons the generic neighbourhood to some extent. truction of buildings, most of the buildings, lanes and by~lanes have been constructed rather haphazardly and in an unplanned manner without any perspective Prafulla Kanan-The distinctive character of for the future. Invariably some areas in each locality Prafulla Kanan is the compact and homogeneous get water-logged after a few smart showers, onJy nature of the population hailing mostly from Chitta because of the absence of any drainage system and gong district of the erstwhile East Pakistan and belong disposal of garbage. The hardship is all the more ing mainly to three groups, the Brahmans, the Kayas acute for the single-storeyed houses and the kutcha thas and the Baidyas who have built up this residential hutments, ground floors often being infested with colony under the banner of Prafulla Kanan Co-opera houseflies and mosquitoes and the air charged with tive Society. Most of the people in this colony have a foul odour inside the rooms. The displaced persons common history, tradition, ethnicity, culture, good living in camps all along the banks of Bagjola Canal education and occupation (mostly service-holders in have to li,ve in an environ polluted by the unwhole various offices, banks and other organisations in some sewage waters carrying the refuse and filth Calcutta) . of the city of Calcutta and other adjoining urban areas along the canal. The problem is further exacer bated by the location of innumerable water-borne This neighbourhood is endowed with a strong latrines on both sides of the canal· The problem sense of self -consciousness and the residents consider steamming from Bagjola Canal has been pointed out themselves as a separate entity in the town with the tv the residents of Pora Colony only. infrastructures of own school, clubs, Post Offices, temples, etc. Living for about thirty years in the same place, the residents have developed a sense of cohesion lDENTIFICATlON OF NEIGHBOURHOODS AND THEIR and exclusiveness in this neighbourhood. The houses CHARACTERISTICS here are mostly two-storied pucca buildings, construc ted in course of last three decades. Most of the residents in this area belong to the middle or upper PASCHIM NARAYANTALA middle class. Paschim Narayantala is bound on the north and the east by V. I. P. Road and on the south by Krishnapur Road and thel old Railway Road. All N ayapati-Originally a part and parcel of the interviewees except lone are aware of the Old Krishnapur, Nayapati, etymologically meaning boundaries of the neighbourhood to which they be new locality, was separated from Old Krishnapur by long. The only unaware respondent is a new~comer Krishnapur Canal excavated in 1909-10. It was the in course of six months prior to the present survey, hamlet of Old Krishnapur. Now the locality has Most of the interviewees at:e unanimous about the greater socio-cultural intercourse and interaction with predominant characteristics of the neighb0ilrhood, the newly created Salt Lake City to which was ceded that it is composed of a multitude of castes mostly a part of original Krishnapur. N ayapati is closer to'the belonging to the middle and lower middle classes primary neighbourhood type in so far as the people and that by occupation most of the pe~ple belong are relatively homogeneous, belonging mostly to the to service and trading sectors. Tiyar caste with common occupation of fishing, permanent residence and rural background and so PURBA NARAYANTALA settled as to establish personal acquaintances, close relationships and intimate friendships. The geographi To the west of this neighbourhood is the V. J. P.'. cally isolated situation of Nayapati with its rural Road and to the east is Udayan Palli of Bagjola background and common occupation, cultural and Camp, to the north is lyallgra town and to the south educational characteristics has nursed the character of is the Pora Colony of Bagjola Camp. All but one a neighbourhood which has not yet adjusted itself to of the interviewees are aware of the exact boundaries the ethos of Krishnapur town. of the neighbourhood. Only one respondent, a way- 79 side h~wker by profession and belonging to the Saha eco~omic order w~th ~ome still engaged in fishing ca~te, IS not aware of the exact boundary of his outSIde the town ill dIstant fisheries and others in neIghbourhood: Most of the interviewees are aware petty trade and business. With some trees and of the pr~domInant ethmc groups of the locality, and shrubs N_ayapati outwardly gives the impression ot a the .maJonty. are engaged in either service or business. rural settmg rather than of an urban locality. ~s In Pasch 1m Narayantala, the overwhelming propor tl~ns of the people belong to the lower middle and mIddle classes. SOCIO-CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBOURHOODS PORA COLONY OR NATUN COLONY PASCHIM NARAYANTALA To the w:est of this locality is the V. I. P. Road, to the east IS Udayan Palli to the north lies Purba Narayqntala and to the south Bagjola Canal, TIns In this neighbourhood all the interviewees are sub-neIghbourhood is constituted by thl! displaced reported to participate in all the socio-religious and ~ultural activitie~ of tlIe neighbourhood, the most people fro~ erstwhile East Pakistan, belonging to Important of WhICh are the communtty worships of t~e predomInant N amasudra caste. AU the inter~ VIewees know the boundaries of this locality. Most t~e god?ess Durga, and goddess Kali, the festival of Slvaratn etc., organised by two local clubs, Pallisree of the resid~nts are very poor daily-rated wage-ear~ Sangha and Milan Sangha. The make ners,. pursumg low-income occupations like cons~ interviewees truction labourers, masons, carpenters, rickshaw voluntary contributions varying from rupees teu to pullers, hawkers, _petty traders, etc. Being situated rupees twenty five per family during the festival. close to the BagJola Canal, the sub-neighbourhood Three of the interviewees are regular members of the has grimy outlook of a blighted area. - clu,?s and t:tke important part in the organisation of vanous SOCIal functions and religious festivals under PRAFULLA KANAN the auspices of these clubs. To the east of this neighbourhoods is Rabindra, Vario~s cult?ral funct~ns like staging of dramas Pally, to the west is situated the town of Arjunpur and mU~Ical SOIrees are Important adjuncts of the to the north is the Paschim Narayantala and to th~ c?mm~ll1ty festivals. The interviewees also parti south lies the city of South Dum Dum. All the CIpate In the cultural functions. interviewees of this locality know the exact demarca tion of their neighbourhood. All but one of the ~s re~ards socio-religious functions outs~de, all interviewees hail from the di#;trict of ChiitagollO" in the mterviewees participate in various functions and the erstwhile East Pakistan and all but two of them festivals, held in other localities of the town in are engaged in white collar jobs. One of the inter Purba Narayantala, Prajulla Kanan, Rabindra PaW viewees has retired from service while another is the adjoining towns of Jyangra and in the citv of engaged in a workshop in Prafulla Kanan. South Dum Dum. Some of the ten interviewees are reported to have visited the city of Calcutttl to About 150-200 households mostly hailing from attend various festivals there. ' the Chittagong district of former East Pakistan and mainly belonging to the Brahman, Baidya and the PURBA NARAYANTALA Kayastha castes constitute this neighbourhood, as distinct from other localities in the town. Maior~ty All the interviewees participate freely in the of the people work in the service sector in banks Community festivals like Durga Puja, Kali Puja etc., and offices, while others are engaged in manufacturing and other socio-cultural functions held in the neigh establishments. Majority of the people in this loca bourhood. Three of the interviewees have taken active lity belong to mkldle class. Prafulla Kanan has a part in arranging some of the festivals as sponsors number of small-scale workshops and manufacturing and organi,sers. The interviewees have contributed establishments, discussed in the chapter on economy. subscriptions varying from rupees two to rupees twenty five towards meeting the expense3 of the NAYAPATI festivals. The key role in organizing the festivals is played by the local N arayantala Vayam Samity. Nayapati is the easternmost neighbourhood of There is one temple of Radha-Krishna run by the the town with Salt Lake City to the east aud the lana Kalyan Sangha Ashram, a religio-philanthropic south, the adjoining village Mahishbathan to the north organization in the locality, where devotional songs and Krishnapur Canal to the south. All but one are chanted every evening. Five of the tt.-n inter of the intervi~wees are old residents of Krislmapur. viewees have reported that members of their house One interviewee is a recent inmigrant to have come holds participate in those religious congregations. to the town eight years back. Majority of the people As there is no other public temple in this neighbour belong to Tiyar caste, a Scheduled Caste with the hood, the interviewees and the members of their traditional occupation of fishing. Now occupationally households visit the temple of Lord Siva and goddess displaced j,n the wake of development of Salt Lake Kali outside the towns at South Dum Dum and City, the people belong mostly to the lower socio- Calcutta. 80 During festivals of Durga Puja and Kali Puja, the Canal opposite to Mission Bazar, Nayapati with the interviewees with members of their households visit Tiyar community as numerically the predominant not only Paschim Narayantala, Prafulla Kanan and ethnic group holds its socia-religious functions in Rabindra Palli but also Baguihati, South DUlll Dum the temple of Baruni where the important community and Calcutt:!. Four of the ten interv~ewees also festivals like Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Sitala Puia, etc., subscribe to the community festivals in Paschim are organised with universal participiation of the resi Narayantala and Prafulla Kanan. dents of the locality. There is also another temple near the ferry point where the goddess Kali is PORA COLONY worshiped daily. Lord Sani is worshipped once a week every Saturday. As pointed out earlier, Para Colony is a sub neighbourhood of Bagjola Camp, inhabited mostly by }3esides, the residents stage dramas, organise com the displaced persons who are very poor. Being a munity devotional songs and arrange for occaiiiional homogeneous residential enclave of displaced per film shows. The children and young boys participate sons living in the camps, Para Colony's community in various indoor and outdoor games organised by two festivals are mostly a continuation of the religious local clubs, Nayapati Foottfall Club and Ankur ceremonies performed in their native places. All the Recreational Club. community festivals of the Hindus are celebrated but not Durga Puja which involves a huge expense. The SOCIO·ECONOMIC LINKAGE WITHIN AND OUTSIDE important festivals are Kali Puja, Raksha Kali Puja, THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Sivaratri, Janmastami, Sani Puja, Saraswati Puja held on an earthen altar. Hari Sankirtan (chanting PASCHIM NARAYANTALA of religious hymns in praise of Lord Hari) is very popular among the residents in Para Cplony. For purchase of various commodities all the inter viewees avail themselves of the adjoining market at As the people in this sub-neighbourhood have Baguihati, where a daily market is held. Sometimes, an impoverished living condition, their socia-religious petty purchase of grocery and stationery items are functions are not attended by people from any other made from the local shops in the neighbourhood. locality in the town except by the displaced persons' from other camps. The reSIdents of Para Colony For educational purposes, most of the interviewees too reciprocally participate in the socia-religious depend on institutions outside the neighbourhood, ceremonies held in other camps. But they seldom since the locality has one Primary School and a participate in any festival outside the town. Kindergarten School where some of the children are enrolled. But for general school education all the PRAFULLA KANAN respondents send their children to the school at Pra PrafuUa Kanan, the residential enclave of dis lulla Kanan and to other schools in the adjoining city of South Dum Dum and in the town of Jyangra. placed persons from the district of Chittagong of One interviewee sends children to the schools at former East Pakistan, lS a neighbourhood, compact Salt Lake City. For collegiate education, the inter enough to permit an intimate association. Most of viewees depend on the college in Dum Dum and on the residents living in this locality are members of other colleges in Calcutta. Por .urgent medical help a socia-cultural organisation named Masterda Smriti all the interviewees consult the physician at Baguihati. Sangha, which organises religious functions in the But for treatment in hospitals they all go to Calcutta. form of community festivals like Durga Puja, Kali For recreational purposes the interviewees mostly Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Saraswati Puja etc., and socio visit the cinema halls in South Dum Dum, Jyangra cultural functions like Vijaya Sammeian, occasional and Calcutta. staging of dramas and organisation of sports and I tournaments. Most of the households in this colony PURBA NARAYANTALA liberally subscribe contributions varying from rupees five to rupees fifty and participate actively in all festi As there are only a few grocery shops and tea vities. In the observance of various socio-cultural stalls in their locality, most of the residents of Purba ceremonies and festivals, the residents of this neigh Narayantala have to depend solely on Baguihati bourhood act as closely knit members of a big market for purchase of all essential commoditks and family. daily items of food including fish, meat and vegetables. The interviewees also participate in the fastivals In the absence of any educational institution in held in other neighbourhoods of Purba Narayantala thek neighbourhood, all the interviewees send their and Paschim Narayantala and Rabindra Palli and children to the' schools at Prafulla Kanan and also to also outside the town in Jyangra, South Dum Dum the schools in South Dum Dum and Calcutta. For and Calcutta. higher education, the residents of this neighbourhood, as pointed out by the ten interviewees, have to de NAYAPATI Dend on the colleges in Calcutta and Dum' Dum. For ordinary medical check-up, the interviewees A neighbourhood of the town with a rural consult the local physicians in the neighbourhoou and character and located on the bank of Krishnapur in Baguihati, but for treatment of serious ailments 81 they visit the hospitals in Calcutta. The residents two of the respondents make their daily purchase of this neighbourhood, according to the interviewees, of vegetables and protein items like fish, meat, eggs mostly visit South Dum Dum, Jyangra and occasion etc. from the market at Rabindra Palli while two ally Calcutta to see films screened in the auditoria others make their purchases from the market at there. Baguihati in the belief that price is cheap there. Six interviewees whose place of work is in Calcutta, (3) PORA COLONY purchase the costly but handy items like garments and clothings from Calcutta when they return home A few grocery shops and tea-stalls in this sub from their offices in Calcutta. neighbourhood obviously faiJ to meet the needs of the residents, most of whom make their daily pur The residents of the locality are privileged in chases of the necessities including food items, matters of education, as there are two high schools, groceries, stationery items, fish, meat and vegetables one for boys and one for girls in the locality itself. from the market at Baguihati on V.J.P. Road. Only Two more schools for boys and one for girls are in times of extreme urgency they make their purchase situated in the adjoining city of South Dum Dum from the local shops. Two interviewees, one a rick within a distance of one kilometre. Seven interviewees shaw-puller and another a daily labourer, make their send their children to the schools in the neighbour purchases from the local shops even though the prices hood while three prefer the schools in South Dum Dum are comparatively higher than elsewhere. This is under the impressidn that the standard of teaching because the shops extend credIt facility to these two is better than- in the schools in the locality. For poor customers. All the interviewees send their higher education, all the interviewees prefer the insti children to Bagjola Primary School located in their tutions in Calcutta, but they send their wards JO the colony. For higher education, the students are sent colleges in South Dum Dum too. The residents of to the schools at Prafulla Kanan. this locality utilise the services of the private medical practitioners in their locality as also in Rabindra Palli Six of the ten interviewees for treatment of and Baguihati. But for the treatment of chronic and diseases consult local quacks and homeopathic serious diseases, the interviewees consult ireputed physicians in and outside the locality, as they cannot doctors in Calcutta and visit various hospitals in afford to pay the fees charged by the registered Calcutta. allopathic physicians and hardly purchase the ex pensive medicines prescribed by them. Four other For recreational facilities the interviewees visit the interviewees usually visit the hospitals at Calcutta cinema halls at J yangra, South Dum Dum and in order to get medical consultation and medicines. Calcutta, besides participating in various ·cultural free of cost. . functions organised within the neighbourhood. It has also been disclosed by majority of the NAYAPATI respondents that in the primary stages of any disease, they consult the medicinemen, locally called Oiha.s Situated on the other side of Krishnapur Canal, or Gunins who supply them herbs, shrubs and magi this rural neighbourhood is largely dependent on cal waters at nominal costs. Such medicinemen in Mission Bazar for the purchase of all items of daily Pora Colony and also in Bagjola Camp thrive on life, including grocery items, stationery items, fish, their poor clientele. meat, vegetables etc. The people by and large are fond of traditional The groceries and tea stalls in the locality meet jatra (open air theatrical shows) specially on mytho the needs of residents during extreme necessities. logical and historical themes. The inmates of the camps in Pora Colony also visit other neighb,mrhoods There is one frt;e primary school in this locality in the town and also the adjoining towns of Jyangra and almost all the interviewees send their children and Arjunpur for watching such traditional dramatic there. As the nearest high school in the town is far, performances. The members of households of the the children attend the two high schools, one for boys interviewees occasionally visit the cinema hall in the and another for girls at Tarulia, the neighbouring adjoining village of Jagatpur and also the one in the village within' a distance of one kilometre. town of Jyangra. One charlatan in this locality, prescribes panaceas PRAFULLA KANAN to the residents in case of minor diseases. But majo rity of the residents including the interviewees consult This locality has many shops but no daily market. the registered medical practioners in Old Krishnapur. Seven of the ten interviewees make their monthly For treatment at hospital, the residents of Nayapati purchase of foodgrains, grocery and stationery items visit the Government Hospital in Calcutta. from outside the neighbourhood. Four vi~it the market at Baguihati and three go to market at There is \}O recreational facility in the neighbour Rabindra Palli. Three other interviewees, make their hood except the periodic staging of 'atras and film purchase of foodgrains and grocery items occasionally shows organised during community festivals once or from the shops within the neighbourhood. AU but twice a year. 9 Census/88 11 82 So, the residents including the interviewees VlSlt here are segments of Paschim Narayantala, and Purba the cinema halls at Jagatpur, Jyangra, South Dum Dum Narayantala, Bagjola Camp, Prafulla Kanan and city and Calcutta. The residents also participate in Rabindra PaUL Some broad characteristics of a few two local fairs, one at Barwaritala during the worship of these localities, already discussed earlier, are greater of Raj Rajeswari and also at Mahishbathan during ethnic heterogeneity among the inmigrants, higher rate tbe Charak festival. of mobility, higher density of population with less in tense interaction pattern in different spheres of life. Special mention may be made of two larger THE TOWN AND ITS CONSTITUENT NEIGHBOUR localities in New Krishnapur, namely Rabindra, Palli HOODS and Bagjola Camp. Because of sheer size, higher density and greater heterogeneity, lack of compactness Krishnapur is distinctly divided into two segments, and cohesion, the localities have failed to emerge as Old Krishnapur and New Krishnapur, the former neighbourhoods. But in each of the localities, some constituting the old reside)11tial settlements :of the sub-localities like Pora Colony, Udayan Palli, Anu village Krishnapur in the pre-urban days and the latter rupa PaW in Bagjola Camp, Kamal' Para, market areas, constituting the newly settled residential areas, in~ the canal-side areas in Rabindra PaW are identifiable habited predominantly by the inmigrants including a exhibiting comparatively greater compactness: substantial number of displaced persons. In greater Another interesting feature about the newly evolved part of Old Krishnapur, there are various distinctive neighbourhoods in New Krishnapur is the sense of localities, some named according to their geographical seclusion or exclusiveness of the residents about the locations, such as, Purba Para (eastern locality), identity of their neighbourhood whereby the residents, Paschim Para (western locality) and Mailler Para (cen when asked about the name of the place they live in, tral segment) and others named after the predominant return the names of their localities, unconcerned about ethnic group such as, Sardar Para, Pal Para, Mondal an~ ignor~nt of the name of ~rishnapur. Thus many Para, Christian Para, etc. Each of these named loca reSIdents 1ll Narayantala, Rabmdra PaW and Bagjola lities is compact enough to permit an intimate associa Camp, identify their respective localities as the name tion of the residents and ethnically homogeneous to of the place or town they live in. foster a sense of an informal social group. The localities formed on the basis of ethnic groups have Again there is a considerable difference between developed some specific norms and distinctive cultural the le"el of inter-neighbourhood interaction in Old patterns in course of different intra-caste rituals and Krishnapur cpmpared to the same in New Krishnapur. functions and have been endowed with a strong sense Th~ differe?t localities in New Krishnapur h~~e of distinctiveness and self-consciousness through in come mto bemg due to a strange combination of teractions in socio-cultural and socio-economic spheres. fact<;>fs, . social, ~oonomic and political. People The characteristics of each of those neighbourhoods commg m successIve waves have purchased plots of are sparsely settled popUlation, little or no mobility, land, built their houses among unseen and unknown face-to-face relationships, intimate acquaintance of peowe' and created residential enclaves of their own each with all, specially among the elderly members, However, in some localities like Prafulla Kanan' participation in various socia-religious festivals and Uda~an Palli, Paschim Narayantala, neighbourhood; festivities. Another instance ot the neighbourliness ~re m th~ process ot making. But the same process of these localities in the town is the absence of any IS consplcuously absent in the sprawling residential name or number to identifv the streets and also the settlement of Rabindra PaUj where anonymity still absence of house-numbering. A house is identified prevails among its residents. at ease with reference to the head of the household or to its adult member. This has been possible be . On the other hand, the residents living in different cause of primary group relationship in the neighbour neIghbourhoods of Old Krishnapur have come to hoods. Infiltration of outsiders into these neighbour s?are the sentiments of each other, a common tradi ~oods in recent. past has inject an element of change tIOn a?d c~ltu:e ~hrough participation in common mto th.e otherwIse compact and cohesive character of educatIOnal InStItutIOns, play~rounds market places the nelghbourhoods. But at the same time, outside al!d fairs and festivals. At( these factors have con~ settlers have made the residents more integrated as a tnbuted to the growth of' a generic neighbourhood cohesive separate identity and Ihas maintained the around qld Krishnapur based on sentimental and continuity of neighbourhoods even in the urban phase. p:"ycholo.glCal. factors and cemented in the wake of VIrtual mvaSlOn of a traditional homeland. The But. the neighbou~hoods in various segments of closeness ?~ the people h.as been engendered by a New .Knshnapur are dlfferent, not only in nature but su?den CflSlS of loss of Identity. Consequently, the neIghbourhoods of Old Krishnapur are more integra also III the level and range of personal acquaintances from those in Old Krishnapur. The named localities ted a.n~ c?mpact than the somewhat loosely-formed 10cahlles III New Krishnapur. CHAP'fER -"Ill FAMILY LIFE IN THE TOWN INTRODUCTION Altogether 200 household-scheduies covering An average household in the town consists of a 1,067 persons comprising 551 males and 516 females simple married couple with or without unmarried have been canvassed under the present intensive children. The number of members in most of the survey. The average number of persons in a house households is not very large. The average size of a hold is 5.3. There are mainly two religious groups household in the village Krishnapur in 1961 was 5.3, in the town, viz., the Hindus and the Christians. the size rose to 6.0 in urban Krishnapur in 1971 The average size of the household among both the but it reverted back to its original size of 5.3 in 1981. communities stand~ at 5.3. The temporary bulge in the size of the household in 1971 may be attributed to large-scale inrnigration of displaced persons in the decade 1961-71. The COMPOSITION OF HOUSEHOLD BY NUMBER OF households were comparatively larger in size because MEMBERS AND AGE OF HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD of the disequilibrium and destabilisation of the family as an institution at a time when many cousins. The classification of the sample households by and other distant relations had to huddle together in number of members and age of head of household is one family unit for a mere shelter under distress. shown in Table VIlLI. TABLE VIII.! Composition of households by number of members Number of households having members Age of head of households r------~..A..------., 1 2 3 4 5 6-7 8-9 10-12 13 and Total above 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 20-29, 4 3 2 1 11 30-39 2 4 8 10 9 17 4 1 55 40-49 2 2 4 12 18 17 2 2 59 50-59 1 4 6 7 17 4 2 1 43 60 and 1 2 2 4 5 11 4 2 1 32 above Total 6 12 19 35 41 63 15 7 2 200 There is no head of household below 20 years, There are 22 households where the heads are while 16 per cent of the heads are aged 60 years females. In the case of four households, the female and above. Majority of the heads belong to the age heads happen to be the only persons in the family, group of 40-49, followed by 27.5 per cent in the pre in the case of 14 households, the heads are widows ceding age-group of 30-39 and 21.5 per cent in the including one separated woman living with married age-group of 50-59. or unmarried children, while in the case of, two households the married wives virtually became the heads in the absence of their husoands who live out The males constitute 51.5 per cent of the popu side for reasons of business. In another household lation in the sample households. All but 22 of 200 the married wife, originally a displaced person but households have male heads, with majority of the in possession of a plot of land on forcible occupation, households being (89.0 per cent) managed by male has returned herself as the head and not her husband, heads who are generally the bread-winners. as her husband is an original resident from Bihar 84 and staying with her. In one more household the for the present dIscussion, it appears that 73.5 per marned female head IS lIvmg WIth her son whIle hel cent of the sample households are sImple WIth or husband lIves wIth maIned daughter elsewhere. WIthout appendant members, 125 per cent are Jomt whIle 14 per cent are lllcomplete (wIthout any Regardmg the SIze of the famIly, It has been ob couple) Among the non-mIgrant households, the served that three per cent of the households are percentage of such qualIfied sImple households IS smgle-membered, whIle 4 5 per cent have 10 or slIghtly hIgher (75 8 per cent) than that among the more members MaJonty of the households (695 households WIth mIglant heads. But, III the matter per cent) have four to seven members whIle the of JOllltness of famIlIes, the borderlIne between the average SIZe of the household IS 5 3 mIgrants and the non-mIgrants IS not so thm. WhIle one out of every five non-mIgrant households IS Jomt, HOUSEHOLDS BY RELATIONSHIP WITH HEAD OF one out of every ten among the mIgrants (21.2 per HOUSEHOLD cent of the non-mIgrant hou~eholds belllg Jomt agalllst 10 8 per cent amongst the mIgrants) IS a The nature of relatIOnshIp of vanous members to Jomt household the head of household IS shown III AppendiX Table No. 43. Agam, the mCIdence of lllcomplete famIlies One IS apt to get bewildered by the data on the (famIlIes Without any couple) IS qUite hIgh among ndture of relatIOnshIp of dlfferent members to theIr the mIgrants (162 per cent) compared to the same respectIve heads of households, more so m VIew of (3 per cent) among the non-mIgrants the appendages to the sImple famIly, of self and spouse WIth or WIthout chIldren of one or more (Ill) HOUSEHOLDS BY NUMBER OF MEMBERS related membas lIke wIfe's brother's son, marned SIster's sons of WIfe's mother. For the sake of SIm The Table VIn 2 shows the claSSIficatIon of the plICIty, If one overlooks the appendage relatIons households by number of members. TABLEvm.2 Households by number of members SIze-group of household No of No. of Percentage Percentage households members of household of members to total to total 1 2 3 4 5 1 Member. 6 6 3.0 0.6 2 Members 12 24 60, 22 3 Members 19 57 9.5 5.3 4 Members 35 140 17.5 13.1 5 Members 41 205 205 19.3 6-7 Members 63 409 31 5 38.4 8-9 Members 15 122 7.5 114 10-12 Members 7 76 35 7.1 13 Members and 2 28 10 2.6 above Total 200 1,067 1000 1000 --~~ ,85 Though households with six to seven members in or widowers with unmarried children, or siblings each figure as the largest group accounting for 31.5 whether unmarried, or widowed, separated or per cent of the households with 38.4 per cent of divorced, living together. the sample population, 56.5 per cent of the sample households with members varying between one to 4 Single: Single membered household. five members have only 40.5 per cent of the popu lation. Majority 'Of the population (59.5 per cen~) 5 Supplemented sub-nuclear: A group of relatives, in the sample households live in households with SIX members of a formerly complete nuclear family, members or more in each. It does not appear that plus some other unmarried, divorced or widow the small-sized household has yet become the norm ed relative who was not a member of the and the hang-over of the rural societal tradition has nuclear family e.g., a widow and her unmarried not yet been counteracted by a modern urban social children plus her widowed mother-in-law. structure that is slowly emerging. The displaced per sons in the camps are also found to have a preference 6 Collateral joint family: Two or more married for larger households than small ones. It has also couples between or among whom there is a been found that large households are either well-off sibling bond, usually a brother-brother relation or very poor. ship plus unmarried children. COMPOSITION BY AGE AND SEX 7 Supplemented collateral joint family: A collate ral joint family plus unmarried, di'fCIced or The distribution of the sample households by widowed relatives. Typically such supplemen migration status and place of birth of head of house tal relations are the widowed mothers of the hold and composition by age and sex of members married brothers, or the widowed father, or an is given in Appendix Table No. 44. For the unmarried sibling. purpose of the table, a person aged 14 years or less is considered a minor and a person aged 15 8 Linel joint family: Two couples between years and above is considered an adult. whom there is a lineal link, usually between parents and married son, sometimes between Of the sample households, 75 per cent are of the parents and married daughters. universal type comprising the adult males and females and minor males and/or females. Another 19 per 9 Supplemented lineal joint family: A lineal joint cent of the households comprise only adult members, family plus unmarried, divorced or widowed male and female, but without minor members, about relatives who do not belong to either of the three per cent of the households comprise adult males lineally linked nuclear families, for example, only, with or without minor children, while another the father's widower brother or the son's wife's about three per cent comprise adult females only, with married brother. or without minor members. 10 Lineal-collateral joint family: Three or more married couples linked lineally and collaterally. TYPE OF HOUSEHOLD AND CORRELATES Typically parents and their two or more married sons plus unmarried children of the couples. *The households have been categorised into 11 specified types, and a household not covered under 11 Supplemented lineal collateral joint family: A anyone of the specified types is allotted the twelfth lineal-collateral joint family plus unmarried, category of others. widowed or separated relatives who belong to none of the nuclear families lineally and collater· 1 Nuclear family: A couple with or without un· ally linked; for example, the father's widowed married children. sister or brother, or unmarried nephew of the father. 2 Supplemented nuclear family: A nuclear family 12 Others: All those not covered. plus one or more unmarried, separated or widowed relatives of the parents, other than For the purpose of the present discussion, the their unmarried children. type of households according to the above classi fications is coWined to castes, educational level :3 Sub-nuclear family: A fragment of a former nu of the head, type of occupation of head and level clear family. Typical examples are the widows of living of the head. * Religion, caste and Family Structure: A Comparative StudY of the Indian Joint Family 'by Kolendra, Pauline M. in Struoture and change in Indian Society by Milton Singer and Bernard S. Cohn, Chicago, 1968, pp. 346-347. scheduled castes, the corresponding percentages are TYPE OF HOUSEHOLD AND ITS CORRELATION WITH CASTES 45.6, 28.9 and 12.2 respectively. The incidence of incomplete families is 15.1 per cent among the Caste A caste-wise distribution of the households accord Hindus compared to 13.3 per cent among the ing to types of families is presented in Appendix scheduled castes. Among the Christians, 50 per Table No. 45. cent of the families are simple, while the rest are joint. Among the various castes and communities of the sample households, tbe percentage of nuclear families 'IYPE OF HOUSEHOLDS CORRELATED TO LEVEL OF is fifty or more among the Namasudras, the Kayas EDUCATION thas, the Mahisyas, the Karmakars, tbe B~i~yas, the Tan tis the Telis, the Kaoras and the ChnStians, but Correlating the type of households to different the sa~e is quite lower among the Rajbanshi-Tiyars, levels of education, no definite trend emerges. But the Ooalas and the Napits and the Gandha Ba~i~s clubbing all the literates together, some trend is ob Again, considering the supplemented nuclear famlhe. served. Compared to 36.8 per cent of the house as quasi-joint families, it is found that the prevalance holds being simple families among the illiterates, 49.6 of joint and quasi-joint families is considerably highel per cent of the households among the literates are (50 per cent or more) among the Jugis, the Sahus, found to be of simple type. But the incidence of the Gandha Baniks, and the Raj b anshi-Tiyars , more quasi-jOint families is higher (34.7 per cent) among or less moderate (40 to 50 per cent) among the the illiterates than among the literates, while the inci Brahmans, the Poundra Kshatriyas, the Ooalas and dence of joint families is higher (14.6 per cent) comparatively low (40 per cent or below) among among the literate households than among the illi the Namasudras, the Kayastbas and the Napits. It terate households (6.1 per cent). Again the inci may be noted that among the various types of joint dence of incomplete families is much higher (22.4 families among the sample households, the lineal per cent) among the illiterates, compared to the same joint families are most common, followed by collateral (11.3 per cent) among the literate households. joint families. Lastly, the incidence of incomplete or broken families is the highest among the Kayasthas TYPE OF HOUSEHOLDS AND CORRELATION WITH and the Namasudras. OCCUPATION OF HEADS Among the Caste Hindus, the incidence of three broad types of families, sinlple, intermediate (sup The Table VIII. 3 shows the correlation between plemented nuclear) and joint is 47.2 per cent, 26.4 the type of households and the type of occupation of pet cent and 11.3 per cent respectively. Among the the head of households. TABLE VIII.3 Cotrelation of type of householdS with the type of occupation of the heads of households Percentage by type of households Type of occupation of heads ~~--~------~---~~~~~~----~--~-~~~ of households Simple Inter- Joint Incomplete mediate 2 :I 4 5 Manual labourers 52.2 27.2 9.$ 10.8 'Trade and business 55.0 25.0 10.0 10.0 Profession . [ 63.6 27.3 9.1 Clerks and shop asstts. 50.0 22.7 13.6 13.7 Cultivation . 33.3 33.3 33.4 Retired and non-workers t15.S 31.3 21.9 31.3 Total 46.5 27.0 12.5 14.0 The percentage of simple families is comparatively the heads of households. The proportion of joint higher among househords, the heads of which are falnilies is comparatively higher among the clerks and engaged in profession and is the lowest among the shop-assistants and among the cultivators and the households with heads being retired or non-workers. retired heads and comparatively smaller among the The percentage of intermediate families is more or manual labourers, businessmen and professional less the same among different occupational groups of people. 87 (VI) COMPOSITION BY COUNTRY, STATE, RELIGION, employment, four are infants or dependants and two CASTE AND LANGUAGE are disabled. Appendix Table No. 46 shows the distribution of There are various reasons as to why the close rela 200 sample households according to their composition tions are staying apart and the reasons sometimes vary by country or State. For the purpose of this table, with the nature of the relationship of the concerned the heads have been classified according to their places members. Thus, out of 14 fathers living outside, 12 of origin. are living permanently in their native homes, one is living in the place of service or occupation and ~other By far, majority of the households (60.5 per cent) is living away because of problems of space ill the have returned BangIa Desh as the actual place of their household. Out of 16 mothers of the heads of house origin, no matter whether the head himself had visited holds, 14 are living in their native places, one is in it or not and 16.5 per cent of the households can be the place of her service, while another is living aside classified as sons of the soil in so far as all of them for problem of space. Among 20 sons, nine are living trace their origin to the referent town. Another 10.5 in the place of service or occupation of self or guar per cent of the households have returned the nam~s dian, six are living in native homes, while five others of the district of 24-Parganas as the place of theIr are living outside for studies. Among the eight un origin, while another 9.5 per cent originated from married daughters, five are living outside for studies, other districts of the state. Only three per cent of two are living in the place of service, while one is the households have originated from States other than living in native homes. Among the nine unmarried West Bengal. brothers, two are living in the place of service, two are living outside for problems o{_ space, while five Detailed classification of the households and the are living in native homes. The two unmarried sisters popUlation on the basis of religion, language and caste are living in their native homes. Among the four has been done in the Chapter V. It may be recitu husbands, two are living in place of service or occu lated that 97.1 per cent of the sample population are pation, one is living outside with married daughter speakers in Bengali and 2.9 per cent are Hindi for better economic condition of the daughter, while speakers. Again, 98 per cent of the sample popula another is living outside to take possession of un tion are Hindus and only two per cent are Christians. authorised land. Among the four wives, one is living in place of service, while three are living in their native (VII) MEMBERS STAYING OUTSIDE, REASON, homes. All the six children of sons living outside NATURE OF LINK WITH THE HOUSEHOLD have been living in the places of service or occupation of their guardians. Again, all the five sons and wives As many as forty-three out of the 200 sample are living in the place of service or occupation of households (21.5 per cent) have 88 close relations self or their husbands. like father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband, wife and children living elsewhere, outside the referent town. In consequence of the absence of REMITTANCES RECEIVED FROM AND SENT such close relations, a number of these families re OUTSIDE mained sub-nuclear. Detailed particulars of the close members of the family staying outside by age Particulars have also been collected on the amount and relation to' head of household are indicated in of remittances received by households from absentee Appendix Table No. 47. members as also sent by households to the absentee members. As many as twelve households have The majority of the absentee relations (30.7 per received remittances from their close members staying cent) belong to the age-group of 60 and above and outside the household. Three households received include mostly the parents of the heads of households. remittances from two relations each. An average Another 17 oer cent of the members belong to the amount of Rs. 2,890.00 is received annually by eacr age-group of' 0-14 and comprise mostly the children household from members staying outside in the State!> of the heads and/or other members of the households. of Punjab, Assam, Bihar. Maharashtra. Madhya Pra About 22.7 oer cent of the absentee members in the desh and Andhra Pradesh. age-group of 15-24 are related to the heads of house holds mostly as sons or dau!?;hters and brothers or sisters. Another 17 households have reported that they have regularly sent remittances to the close absentee Out of 88 absentee members 38 are workers members staying outside. These households remitted (43.2 per cent) and the rest (56.8 per cent) are non an average amount of Rs. 2,040.00 yearly to their workers. Particulars of occupation in respect of these parents for their maintenance. Another six huse workers have been indicated in the sixth chapter. holds remitted an average annual amount of Rs. \.mong the non-working members staying outside, two 1,600.00 to their children for their education while are retired fathers, 23 including 14 mothers, two un another household sent an average amount of Rs. married sisters and seven wives are engaged in house 6,600.00 to the wife and children in Bihar for thdr hold duties, 17 are students, two persons are seeking maintenance, CHAPTER· IX HOUSING AND MATERIAL CULTURE fNTRODUCTION As the sample households are distributed uniformly colonies and Old Krishnapur, are not pucca buildings all over the town, the data on sample households is but hutments with tiled roofs. Again, there are only exp("cted to give a fair idea about the actual housillg 26 two-storeyed buildings and one three-storeyed conditions in the town as a whole with reference to house. As regards the problem faced by the occupant~ the structural, functional and tenural characteristics of houses, aU the households in the refugee colonies at of the houses. Besides, some broad particulars about Bagjola, Camp No.3 ano Siddhartha Colony complain the material traits of culture such as furniture, uten of acute congestion, unhealthy and insanitary living sils, dress, luxury goods, etc. have also been presented conditions and of foul odour of the contaminated to. highlight the cultural variance prevailing among waters of Bagjola Canal. Again 44 per cent of the different cruss-sections of people in Krishnapur. households in Paschim Narayantala also complain of acute congestion in their houses. Another ten house The ratio of number of households per occupied holds in iurba Narayantala, Prafulla Kanan. Rabindra census house has been 0.99 in 1961, 1.1 in 197J and Palli and Old Krishnapur living in part houses are jllst 1.Q in 1981. indicating thereby the pa~ty between local about lack of privacy. the number of households and number of residential census houses in the town. Again the average number of persons per occupied census house has risen from The houses of the Christians do not differ from 5.32 in 1961 to 6.56 in 1971 but has reverted to the those of the Hindus excepting that the former are 1961 figure of 5.33 in 1981. more neat and clean and sometimes have internal decorations inside. Likewise, no caste-wise differentia tion in houses vis-a-vis relation with adjoining houses It has already been indicated that the residences in space has been observed. in Old Krishnapur by and large are distributed on ethnic considerations resulting in so many localities named after ethnic groups like MondalPara, Kaora Out of the 33 houses occupied by non-migrant Para, PalPqra, ChristianPara, RajbanshiPara, etc. households, 24 houses are with compounds, two part The residences in New Krishnapur, on the other hand, houses have compounds and seven houses are two constructed and occupied by new inmigrants, have not storeyed. One distinctive feature of most of the houses given rise to any locality on such ethnic or caste of the non-migrants living in Old Krishnapur is that consideration. The settlements have come up, more majqrity of the houses have compounds in front which or less, by chance or exigencies of circumstances. Some are mostly surrounded by walls. Another feature of territorial alignment of people who once lived together housing of the non-migrants appears to be the persis in one pp.rticular village or police station or district tence of rural customs in the existence of small tanks in adjoining houses, is identifiable in New Krishnapur or ponds at the rear part of the houses for purposes of in isolated pockets. In two or three older residential cleaning, washing and bathing by inmates of the areas in Narayantala, two such ethniy localities viz., houses. GhoshPara and BaguiPara still continue pari passu with the recent settlements of the migrants. l'liA TURE OF USE OF HOUSES RELATION OF SELECTED HOUSES WITH ADJOINING No data on the use of census houses for the town HOUSES IN SPACE as a whole. are available for 1971 and 1981. From the data gathered in the town through the survey of Appendix Table No. 48 shows the relation of shops and establishments, it is observed that about selected houses with adjoining houses in space by two per cent of the census houses are vacant, either localities. because the tenants have left 9r because the owners after completing the construction of the houses are Of the 200 sample households, only 55.5 per cent waiting for an auspicious day 10 enter the house with live in separate houses with compounds, nine per cent all the members. More than 85 pet! cent of the houses in separate houses without compounds, 5.5 per cent are used for residential purposes. Only the owners of live in flats in multi flat housing units, 13 per cent live the houses on the main roads like V.I.P. Road or inl houses with two or more storeys, while 1.1 per cent Krishnapur Road have rented out their houses, partly live in houses which are parts of the main buildings. or wholly, as shop-cum-residence or as workshop Even though nearly two-thirds of the households' live cum-residence. Again, some of the census houses of in separate houses with or without compounds, it is comparatively smaller sizes have been put to use no index of actual housing condition in the town. exclusively as shops, workshops, sweetmeat shops Majority of these houses, specially in the refugee and eating places. 9 Census,SS 12 90 FLOOR POSITION OF HOUSES AND PROBLEMS camps which were set up did not deviate much from the housing pattern of the village. To start with, most In a town where the number of three storeyed or of the ongInal camps were said to have been thatched four storeyed houses is indeed very limited and where hutments, but one or two accidental fires which most of the buildings are single-storeyed or two gutted a portion of the cam~s prompted the authorities vis-a-vis storeyed, the question of any problem the to switch over to tiled roofs. The villagers were floor position does hardly crop up. Still this question influenced by the demonstrative effect and since the has been asked to all the heads of sample households SIXtIeS, tiles, tins and corrugated iron sheets replaced of which 174 live in single-storeyed, 25 in two-storeyed thatched roofs. Thereafter started the inmigration of and one in three-storeyed houses. As many as 101 the Calcuttans, who built pucca buildings and set up households living in single-storeyed hutments or build ings (58 per cent) have reported about some problem, different localities in New Krishnapur. The process of construction of architecturally modern new buildings 68 ~ousehold~ refer to the problem .of water-logging has reached a new phase after the growth and dun?g ~he ramy season, 23 . complaIn of inadequate v:entrlatlOn and ten mentIOn about inadequate development of Salt Lake City with magnificent lIght. Of the households which live in two-storeyed buildings and bungalows with exotic new designs. In recent years, houses in different localities of New bu~ldings, 13 occupying first floor face no problems, whIle five out of twelve households living in ground Krishnapur have been partly ·designed and built in floors complain of waterlogging after intermittent rains. conscious imitation of the houses in Salt Lake City. The solitary household occupying the second floor has no problem to discuss. On the whole, three broad types of houses can be identified in the town. The houses in the refugee HOUSE-TYPE AND PREDOMINANT MATERIALS OF camps in Bagjola camp and Siddhartha Co[olny, built HOUSES on a plot of land varying from 60 to 100 sq. metres and without any foundation are made of earthen Before starting a discussion on house-type, it is floors, earthen walls and tiled roofs. More than 95 intended to define the pucca and kutcha structures, as per cent of the houses in the camps are kutcha in some anomaly and confusion may be associated with structure. The roof of tiles is supported by wooden the definitions. For the purpose of the present dis or bamboo pillars. Usually there is one room with a cussion, a: pucca house is defined as one which has small verandah in front. The rooms have mostly one its walls and roofs made of the following materials: opening in front and have generally no windows or ventilators inside. WALL MATERIAL Burnt bricks, cement concrete or timber. Houses belonging mostly to the middle income groups have some solid foundation and are cons ROOF MATERIALS tructed on a covered area of 80 to 100 sq. metres. Tiles, galvanised corrugated iron sheets, asbestos Two-roomed house with a kitchen and a verandah cement sheets, reinforced brick or cement concrete. is the most common type. Som~ of the houses are But the floor of a pucca house must be cemented. extended in front serving as a guest-cum-sitting room. Houses, the walls and roofs of which are made Latrines and bath-rooms are generally constructed of unburnt bricks, bamboo, mud, grass, thatch, behind the houses. The floors of these houses are etc., are treated as kutcha. For the purpose of the cemented, with the majority having brick walls plaster present discussion, one simple innovation has been ed with lime. The roofs are made of tiles, corru made to distinguish between pucca and kutcha houses gated iron sheets, asbestos or reinforced cement con and buildings. The material of the roof is supposed crete. The houses of the middle income-groups are to be the great dividing line. The houses having roofs invariably pucca. of tin, C.I. sheets, asbestos or tiles are treated as pucca houses while those having roofs of cement The well-to-do people have all pucca buildings, sheets or reinforced cement concrete are classified as differing in the quality of materials used and the pucca buildings. quantum of space covered, from the houses of the poor and the middle income-groups. The houses of The house-type in Krishnapur is not unique. As the rich are mostly designed by architects or engineers far back as the fifties of the present century, most of and are constructed on solid plinth which can carry the houses in the village Krishnapur were ku(cha with the load of a three-storeyed structure. The houses earthen floors and walls of mud and thached roofs. range from single-storeyed bungalows to well-designed At best, fifteen pucca buildings were owned by the buildings with two to three floors with covered areas owners of the big fisheries. Some of the buildings, varying from 150 to 250 sq. metre. The floors are though almost dilapidated, are reminiscent of the past cemented or covered with mosaic tiles, the walls are prosperity of fishing business. The use of brick was built of burnt bricks and the roofs are invariably made ~lmost unknown to the average villager. The thatched of ,reinforced cement concrete. There are mostly hut was most popular, as the surrounding salt water separate drawing rooms, bed rooms, dining rooms, lakes abounded in grass, leaves and reeds which store rooms, kitchens etc., provided with large constituted the material for the roofs. The refugee windows and doors. All the rooms have ventilators. 91 The windows, doors and frames are made of durably different wooden items like doors, windows and frames costly wood. The windows have glass panes and and such other items as grills and iron rods have have curtains. Some of the houses have outhouses started functioning in different parts of the town. and also provisions for garage. The constructions of different types of buildings in the town has been facilitated by the availability With the increasing pace of urbanisation in of cheap labour from the refugee camps. The pre Krishnapur, all building materials varying from sand, sent wage rate of an ordinary unskilled labour is bricks, stone chips, cement, iron to torsteel rods are Rs. 20/-, that for a mason is Rs. 30/- and that for available in all parts of the town. The number of the carpenter is Rs. 35/- and above. Several shops dealing in building materials and hardware items building contractors, sub-contractors and petty is about thirty. Traditionally lime wash is applied contractors are associated with the construction of to the walls, inside and outside, of the houses of the buildings in the town. In view of enormous troubles lower and middle income-groups. In recent years, and botheration of constructions, the practice of new classes of colour products like decorative water engaging the building contractors is getting more and proof cement, distempers, paints and plastic emulsions more popular. are largely used by the wealthy people for colour washing their buildings, both inside and outside. In The Table IX-1 shows the distribution of different recent years several establishments manufacturing types of houl>es in various localities of the town. TABLE IX-l Distribution of house-types in different localities No. of households living in Percentage of ,--~ ____.A-_.~ ______'~ Total ______r--~--.A..-.---... Name of localities no. of house- Kutcha Pucca Semi- Buildings Kutcha Pucca holds houses houses pucca houses houses houses 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bagjola ReJuJ!ee Camps 52 49 2 94.2 5.8 Siddhartha Co[')ny and Camp No.3 11 II 100.0 Sub-total of refugee Col.mps 63 60 2 95.2 4.8 Paschim Narayantala 25 8 6 10 33.0 68.0 Purb!l Narayantala . 18 2 7 9 11.1 88.9 PraJulta Ka'1an 17 4 12 23.5 76.5 Rabindra Palli 23 3 1 19 13.0 '87.0 Sub-total of New Krishnapur 83 17 15 50 20.5 79.5 Old Krishnapur 54 18 13 4 19 33.3 66.7 Total 200 95 30 5 70 47.5 52.5 Note :-Houses ~ith walls of brick and tiled roofs, but with floors yet to be cemented have been classified semi-pucca. On the whole, 47.5 per cent of the houses in the buildings. As regards the distribution of the houses sample households are kutcha, 17.5 per cent are pucca in different localities, it is observed that more than or se'mi-pucca and 35 per cent are buildings. Leaving 95 per cent of the houses in the refugee camps are aside the houses in the refugee camps, one-fourth of kutcha hutments, while the percentage of pucca houses the total houses are kutcha and three-fourths are is only 4.8. pucca, while 50.4 per cent of all houses are pucca 92 Though ~mly 20.5 per cent of the houses in New cent of the houses the items of door and window Krishnapur are kutcha. the picture is not uniform in comprise split bamboo, tin or thinner plywood. all its constituent segnients. The percentage of kutcha hutments is the highest in Paschim Narayantala (32 NUMBER OF ROOMS per cent) because of the existence of some blighted areas, resembling somewhat the Jhupris (improvised Appendix Table No. 50 classifies the sample house shanties) in the metropolitan cities, followed by Pra~ holds by number of members and number of rooms fuUa Kanan (23.5 per cent), characterised by the occupied. existence of some refugee hutments on land forcibly occupied. The picture with reference to the kutcha A close scrutiny of the table reveals considerable houses is, more or less, satisfactory in the other two differentiation in the data relating to number of per segments, viz., Purba Narayantala () 1.1 per cent) sons living in one room. It is found that for the town and Rabindra PaW (13 per cent). as a whole, 2.66 persons on an average live in a room. The average number of persons living in a room in In Old Krishnapur, the traditional settlements of the refugee camps is the highest (3.66), followed by mostly the indigenous people, just dne-third of the 2.51 in Old Krishnapur, while the average number houses are kutcha belonging to those people who could of persons living in a room in different segments of not afford to spend the extra money towards conver New Krishnapur is the lowest (2.77). sion of their hutments to pucca houses. ]f a whole building is taken as the norm of an ideal housing unit, The considerable disparity in the use of rooms is 35 per cent of the houses in the town satisfy the norm. also exnlained by the fact that 47.5 oer cent of the In the new settlements of New Krishnapur, the overall households are in effective occupation' of 23.7 per percentage of buildings is as high as 60 per cent. The cent of the rooms, while in the other extreme 14.5 percentages of buildings to total housing units in the p~r cent of the households are in effective use and different constituent units are 40 per cent in Paschim occupation of 33.9 per cent of the total rooms (4 Narayantala, 50 per cent in Purba Narayantala, 70.6 rooms and above) and 23.6 per cent of the households per cent in Prafulla Kanan and 82.6 per cent in are in effective command of 47.4 ner cent of the Rabindra Palli. In Old Krishnapur 35.2 per cent total number of rooms in the sample households. oC the total housing units are buildings. The Table IX-2 would show the average number PREDOMINANT MATERIALS OF HOtJSES ot persons per room in different localities of the town. Appendix Table No. 49 indicates the distribution TABLE IX-2 of h,ouses in the different localities of the town by pre Localitywise Persons Per Room dominant materials of floor, wall, roof, ceiling, door and window. Average no. of __,_r_e!sons per room . An analysis of the data and dilf erent items of mate rials reveals that 50 per cent of the houses in the 1 Bagjola Camp 3.61 town as a whole have earthen floors, 35 per cent 2 Siddhartha Colony & Camp No. 3 4.00 cemented floors and 15 per cent mosaic tiled floors. 3 Paschim Narayantala 2.52 The predominance of earthen floors is foun~ in the 4 Purba Narayantala 2.66 refugee camps and to some extent in Paschim Narayan 5 Rabindra Palli' 2.14 tala, where there are some blighted areas. The walls 6 Prafulla Kanan 1.89 of 16.5 per cent of the sample houses are made of 7 Old Kriphnapur 2.51 mud, 31.5 per cent of grass, leaves, reed and split bamboo, while 52 per cent of the walls are made of The average number of persons is the highest in bricks and cement. Cemented walls are most common Siddhartha, Colony and Fhe lowest in Prajulla Kanan, in New Krishnapur and' Old Krishnapur, while there followed by Rabindra Palli. is a predominance of kutcha walls in the refugee: camps. The position of the sam~le households with regard to the availability of rooms vis-a-vis the number of There is a predominance of tiled roofs (58.5 per married couple~ and other meIpbers in the household cent) in the town because of their greater durability would be more 'clear from the Appendix Table No. 51. and safety against fire. Tiles as a roofing material have almost completely repla'Ced roofs thatched with An analysis of the table 'brings into focus the grass or leaves (only 1.5 per cent), only five per cent pitiable plight of the married couples in matters of of the foofs are made of corrugated iron sheets, while even a semblance of privacy in their conjugal life. 35 per cent are of reinforced cement concrete. Ceil~ Out of the 132 households with at least one married ings as such are not commonly found in the kutcha couple and other members aged 5 years and above houses. Only 9.5 per cent of the houses have ceilings. 47 per cent have to stay in the same room along with grown-up children. Likewise, out of 20 house- The doors and windows of majority of the houses I holds having two married coupl~s along with other are made of wood (89 per cenO, while only in 11 per members, three are each in effective possession of 93 one room only, while fat nme others, the yop.pJes ~u.t two-thirds of the households have no such faci have to share the bed room with other members. lIty and the members of these households bathe in Again, out of four households having more than three the public. Less than a fifth of the households (19 married couples and other members, one household is per cent) have separate lavatories, while all but two in possession of two bed rooms, while another such of the remaining households share them with others. household is in possession of three rooms only. Only 16 per' cent of the households have indepenaent sources of drinking or washing water, while the rest FLOOR SPACE have to be contented with sharing water from the public places or in common with other households. The availability of per capita floor space available Only four of the 63 households use electricity, one to the sample households in the town has been assess of them sharing it with others. ed for all the households in Appendix Table No. 5~ In Paschim Narayantala, 14 of the 25 households The position in respect of availability of per capita have their personal kitchens, but the rest have none. floor space is alarrnin~ for at least 37.5 per cent of Again, nearly 33 per cent of the households in this the households for whom the per capita floor space locality have their own bath rooms, lavatories. in docs not exceed three square metres. Of them, there dependent sources of water and electricily (40 per are five households with 33 members for whom the cent), while the remaimng households share them average per capita floor space is only one square with others. ' tp.~!r~1 or 1e,,:en lei'S. Th~ positiRI)., is, m9re or l~ss, S£tiSfactory' fot the rema'lmng households' (62.5 per In Purba Narayantala, Qnly 61.1 per cent of the cent) having a per capita floor space of f<;lUr sq. h!?]ls~h~l.d~. hfl~~ t1}.~lr <;>~n e4cl»~ive l)ilfthens, seven metres or more. The position is by' far the best for households have their own bath rooms, while the rest 87 households (43.5 per cent) which have a per capita (.t:¥,:g~ng on~) sl}ahe them wIth Qth~~s. Again! 44.4 floor space of more than five sq. metres. P~F, ~I\t 9~ &e hOp'sehgI9~ h~~e ~ttir own, lav;atories al}d IPlt~li~tl ~n~ sOllrces, q~ water. but ~e rest shar~ Locality-wise, the position of per capita floer space t4~,~ w!~h 0 • .I~r.s; ~~ b!l~ fiv;e qf t,he households usc: i~ sl?~cialJY ~el?loFable for maiority of the households (fltt T~nuraLstatus of households ~~~_~No. of ___ households~A ______living in houses ~ Total Owned Rented Allotted Locality no. of r--~__"'_-----. Remarks house Solely Owned holds. owned with reserva tion 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bagjo/a Camp 52 *42 9 *Moves are afoot for legalising the status Sid1hartha Colony and Camp No.3 11 "9 onhe fands forcible occupied by the Sub-total 63 2 51 10 displaced persons. 94 TABLE IX. 3-contd. Tenural status of !:ousenolds No. of hOllsehold~ livtUg in houses Total r------~------~ Locality no. of Owned Rented Alloted house ,----""---- holds Solely Owned Remarks owned with reserva tion 4 5 6 7 17 9 5 .. 2 4 1 2 3~ 1 5 '1 53 50 2 In the town as a whole, 74 per cent of the house furniture like chair, table, cot, bedstead, almirah, holds live in their own houses, 25 per eent in rented dressing table, dining table, and sofa among the houses, while one per cent in allotted quarters. But sample households. of the households livi,ng in own houses, 47.5 per cent live in houses solely owned by them, while 26.5 per cent of the households, comprising the displaced per sons (mostly living in the former transit camps) live If 7.5 per cent of the househoIds do not possess in houses built and renovated by them. Efforts have even single item of furniture, it is because they are been taken by the concerned departments of the the poorest group, living mostly in the refugee camps Governments to legalise their status and right to the or in other blighted areas of the town. It is worth land. noting that the members in 92 per cent of the households sleep on bedstead, cot or at least on some It is interesting that the percentage of tenant crude khatia (charpoy) while in eight per cent of households is the highest (42.2 per cent) in various the households, the members sleep on floors. At least localities of New Krishnapur· which, because of Ioea one chair is found in 61 per cent of the sample tional advantages and developed status, are preferred households, while 49.5 per cent possess a table. It by tht; prospective tenants. The percentage of tenant has been observed that nearly three-fourths of the households is the lowest (9.3 per cent) in Old households in New Krishnapur possess one chair or Krishna;pur which is away from V. I. P. Road and more, while more than two-thirds of the households continues to be largely rural. It is also revealing that possess only one chair. The valuable and costly 70 per cept of, the households in rented houses are items of furniture like bedsteads, almirahs, dressing living in New Krishnapur. tables, dining tables and sofas are indices of urbanisa- tion and at the same time manifestations of the rela FURNITURE tive financial prosperity of a household. The rela tive position of the sap:lple households vis-a-vis their Appendix Table No. 54 shows various items of localities is indicated in the Table IX.4. , I TABLE IX. 4 Possessions of costly items of furniture by' households in different localities I Percentage of housepolds possessing Serial Name of localities ,------...... __.---~-~ No. Bedstead Almirah rlfessing Dining Sofa table ' table 2 3 4 5 • 6 7 1. Bagjola Camp 1.9 11.5 2. Siddhartha Colony 3. paschim Narayantala 32.0 40.0 32.0 16.0 16.0 4. Purba Narayantala 44.4 50.0 27.8 22.2 11.2 5. Rabindra Palli 78.3 82.6 56.5 21.7 21.7 6. Prafulla Kanan 64.7 64.7 52.2 17.6 11.8 7. Old Krishnapur 31.5 35.2 28.2 5.'6 Total 31.5 37.0 24.0 8.0 8.0 r-- 95 By assigning composite index to all the items and middle class people. Utensils of bell-metals are com summing them up, it is observed that the four consti, paratively in greater use in Old Krishnapur. The tuents of New Knshnapur take up the first [our ranks most common types of utensils in the houses of the in the index of degree of urbanisation relating to the poor people, specially in the refugee camp of Bagjola use of relatively sophisticated items of fuwiture as and Siddhartha Colony, are made of such cheaper and above and the four segll1ents, according to the order inferior metals as aluminium, german silver and of their ranks, are Rabindra Palli, Prafulla Kanan, enamel. On the other hand, utensils in the more Purba Narayantala and Paschim Narayantula. affiuent households, specially in the four localities of New Krishnapur, are made of a combination of bell UTENSILS metal and stainless steel. The cooking utensils for preparing items of foods LIGHT AND FUEL in different sample households do not, sho~ any variance, Cooking pots (handi) for prepanng nce are Fuel generally used by an average household in universally made of aluminium and o!her types of the refugee colonies is provided mostly by round cake inferior metals. Formerly earthen cooking pots were from coal dust (gut) mixed with mud and cowdung very popular because of their inexpensiveness, hut at home. This is said to be rather economical. In somehow the people. ~ave c0I?-e to believe that .be various households of New Krishnapur, coal continues cause of their durabillty, cooking pots of alumirnum to be the most popular item of fuel followed by coal become cbeaper in the long run. Frying pans of briquettes, The use of liquid petroleum gas is iron and aluminium alike are also commonly used. restricted to four per cent of the households in New But there is much variation in the materials of uten Krishnapur. Irregular and untimely supply of L.P.G. sils used for serving food from household to household inhibits its wider use as a cooking fuel in the referent as is reflected in Appendix Table No. 55. town. In Old Krishnapur 37 per cent of the house holds use coal, another 37 per cent use coal dust It is found that cooking plates, dishes and bowls processed at home, while nearly 20 per cent still use of bell-metal are being replaced by those of stainless logs and wood as fuel and the rest use coal briquettes. steel, so much so that utensils of bell-metals have The Table IX.S shows the items of light in use in almost been locked in boxes, specially among the different constituents of the town. TABLE IX. 5 Different items of light Percentage of households using Locality ""'"I Percentage Electricity Hurricane Kerosene lantern lamps 2 3 4 5 Refugee Camps 6.3 54.0 39.7 100.0 New KrishllapUr 74.7 13.3 12.0 100.0 Old Krishnapur 25.9 61.1 13.0 100.0 Total: 40.0 39.0 21.0 100.0 Among the sample households, electricity is used LUXURY GOODS by 40 per cent, closely followed by hurricane lantern (39 per cent)" while only 21 per cent use kerosene lamps, Nearly three-fourths of the households in The number of households possessing different New l, SLUMS, BLIGHTED AND OTHER AREAS WITH SUB-STANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS INTRODUCTION pukur, a big tank (being a part of Devottar property) and very near to V.I.P. Road. This is referred to as Thakurpukur shanty for the present discussion. . Usually t~e c~~sely pac~~d deteriorated dwellings The third group of 18 households also lives in wIth unhygemc liVIng conditions exposed to various Paschim Narayantala beside the Uma Sankar Mission health hazards and insanitary environment lacking in School on V.I.P. Road, on an area measuring about the most essential basic amenities of life are considered 600 sq. metres. This cluster i§ named as V.I.P. as slums. . Insanitary living conditions, congestion and Road shanty. overcr?wdmg ~0l!ple~ with drunkenness, delinquency and diseases dIstmgUlsh a slum from other residential areas. The slums are me cancroids in the urban ce~tres ~xposing th~ residents to various socia-psycho HISTORY AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF GROWTH AND lOgICal rIsks. A bhghted area also represents inferior substandard residential area. Both the slums and the EXISTENCE blighted areas connote inadequate and deteriorated housing condition as to pose danger to the health safety and morale of the residents. These are typified Martin Road shanty is closely associated with the br hutmen!s, old; congested, dilapidated, dark and closure of Barasat Basirhat Light Railways towards dmgy and ImpervIOUS to sun5hine and fresh air. the end of the fifties. Gradually the rail tracks in this part of the town were converted to a road. Because of the ideal location of the railways here in close proximity to Baguihati market and the bus On the basis of the characteristics of overcrowd route along Dum Dum":Baguihati Road, interested i~g, congestion, dilapidated hutments, insanitary condi tlons, and lack of basic amenities of privy, drinking people owning land here built improvised structures and rented these out to people, while some others water an~ drainage .facilities, various refugee camps on both SIdes of BagJola Canal as also the Siddhartha built hutments on their own, sometimes encroaching Colony and the adjoining Camp No.3 may be classi on a portion of the railway land in the process. As fied as slums. Detailed discussion about the various these shanties are situated very near to Ghosh Para covering a good number of cowsheds, it so happened r~fugee camp~ in the town including their location, that these shanties too turned out to be cowsheds hIstory ~nd ClrCllmstances of their growth and conti in the long run, owned and occupied mostly by the nued eXIstence, th~i~ ethnic composition, history of settlement, composltion of households, occupations, Ahirs and Gopes (milkmen) of Bihar. house-types, water-supply and position relating to ?ther basic ~enities has already been made at length III the preVIOUS chapters. The blighted areas have The shanties around Thakurpukur and on V.I.P. been studied in general while an intensive study of Road owe their origin to the gradual growth and 30 households has been made in the present discussion. development of Krishnapur as a town, after the cons truction of v.I.P. Road. Along with the inmigra tion of people belonging to the middle-income groups, LOCA nON BY TYPE poorer people too from the adjoining towns and villages also flocked to Krishnapur, the former mainly motivated by consideration of compgratively cheaper Apart from the refugee houses in the camps which and lower ,rent and the latter for better economic are c1os~r to urban slums and blighted areas, three opportunities in a growing new urban settlement. other blIghted areas have been identified in Paschim Obviously, the poor chose Paschim Narayantala be Narayantala. The first is located on the eastern side cause of its unique loeational a,dvantage and also of Old Martin Road, just near Baguihati Bazar area because of proximity to the source of water in the and adjoining the Ghosh P(lra. About 150 house tank. And in the peculiar circumstance when there holds huddle tOfTether here and is referred to as Martin was a sudden demand for cheap rental hutments, the Road shanty. The second group of about 300 house relatively less solvent owners of land made some holds lives near the Siva temple in Paschim Naravan small investments on the construction of small-sized tala on the eastern and southern sid~s of Thakur- tenements to cope with the increasing demand. 9 Census/88 98 E1HNIC GROUP The Table X.I gives the ethnic and linguistiC" l composition of the shanties. TABLE X.~. Different ethnic groups in the blighted areas - ______- __ 0 __ - ___------ Name of the Approximate Religion Mother tongue settlement number of (in per cent) r---.A,----, Predominant community households Bengali Hindi (in per cent) 1 2 3 4 5 6 Martin Road 150 Hindu 95 5 Goalas/Ahirs Poundra Tiyar Others Shanty (100%) (appro x) (all(foX) 70% 10% 10% 10% Thakur Pukur 300 Hindu Poundra. Namasudra Tiyar Others Shanty (100%) 99 50% 20% 10% , 20% V.I.P. Road 18 Hindu 100 Poundra 7 hOllseholds Shanty (100%). Tiyar 2 Brahman 1 Namasudra 3 Saha ,,' Mahisya 2 Karmakar J Bagdi 1 Most of the people living in these shanties are town from the, surrounding cities and towns. Most Bengali Hindus, but majority of them belong to the of the households from the rural areas have kept scheduled castes like Poundra-Kshatriya, Namasudra, their links with their native homes alive and they Tiyar and the Bagdi while only a few householdc; visit their native. place~ regularly 'to attend various belong to higher castes like Brahman, Goala and' social ceremonies and functions as also to maintain Kayastha. their- rights and claims I to wha,tever little property they have left behind. SETTLEMENT HISTORY AND EXTERNAL LINKAGE NATURE OF HOUSEHOLD A:; pointed out earlier, the settlement near the Some aspects of housepold composition can be 0ld Martin Railway line started around 1960 al)d is understood with reference to th~ thirty households the oldest among the shanties. A considerable num in two shanties for which data have been ber of these settlers comprising the milkmen migrated collected. to Krishnapur from Calcutta when the Corporation of. Calcutta made a massive drive against eviction of unauthorised cowsheds (khatals) in the metropolitan \ DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS BY NUMBER OF city. Other households settled in course of last two MEMBERS AND SIZE OF FAMILY decades. Likewise~ the households in the other two shanties settled in course of the last 15 years Or so, The distribution of households in the two one-hali of them from the rural areas of 24-Parganas. shanties with reference to numbet of membe~ ~aora and Medinipur and the other half, compris and size of hO'lISeholds is shown in Table Jng the displaced persons I mi~ratin~ to the referc:nt X.2. I TABLE X.2 Distribution of households by number of members and size of family Number of households having members Total no. of ',- .A. -, Total no . Average Name of the settlement households Single 2-3 4-5 6-7 8 and of mem- size of more bers family ,- .... 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ~ ,I Thakurpukur shah\y 12 1 5 3 2 60 I 5.0 V.l.P. Road shanty 18 2 9 6 93 5.2 Forty per cent of the households have more than than five members. Further, in a number of house~ five members and only one household is single-mem holds some of the members have been staying in bered. The average size of the household is 5.2 other families and working as domestic servants and in the shanties on V.I.P. Road, while the same is 5.0 maid servants. in the 1;ha'kurpukur shanty. The data on the size TYFE OF HOUSEHOLD of the Qousel:iold need not lead one to believe that the ,aver~ge,~i~ of tile household is; quite small ip 'The type of household in t4e shanties can be these shant\e~ ..,.The pr'n~s 9f the bqusys are very \nN.;rstood with reference to the same among the much selective ill the chOlce ot a tenant. Small 20 il'louse~olqs .sp~cially studied for which 1able X.3 sized households are preferred to ones with more IS r~levant., TABLE X.3' Type of bouseh6\ds ~ I ;'1 Type of household Name of the settlement No. of r- ..... --, households Incom- Simple Inter- Joint studied plete mediate '2 3 4 5 6 Thakurpu~ur sI\an.ty 1 .' \..~ !2 1 1 4 .' V.I.P.l\oM,shaJ}ty 18 3 13 2 '.. Total 30 4 20 6 .1 ,. I Simple hou$eholdst with husb!yd and wife with TYPE OF OCCUPATION or without unmarried children IS most commonly found in the shanties under study, while joint family PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS is non-exi~tent. I Twenty per cent or the families are of intermediate type with the widowed motherl or unmarried brother or sister added to the otherwise The percentage of workers in the 30 households simple typ~ of tlOusehold, while in four houses there specially studied in the shanties can be glanced from are no mtirried couplgs.· I '. • tile Table X.4. I 100 TABLE X.4 Percentage of workers in the shanties Population Workers Percentage of workers to persons Name of the settlements r------oA.------, ,.------~------, ,.- ,""- .. Persons Males Females Persons Males Females Persons Males Females ------_------2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Thakurpukur shanty 60 25 35 36 19 17 60.0 76.0 48.6 V.l.P. Road shanty 93 45 48 57 31 26 61.3 68.9 54.2 Total 153 70 83 93 50 43 60.8 71.4 51.8 The percentage of workers in the shanties is newly sprung-up prosperous locality of Paschim remarkably higher compared to the' same for the r;v arayantala inhabited by people of the upper middle general population in the sample households for the and well-to-do classes. The womenfolk including town as a whole. Thus, compared to 30.8 per cent the minor females in the shanties supply the cheap of the sample population for the town as a whole domestic labour to these households mostly as maid being workers, the same is as high as 60.8 in the servants and cooks. Even a girl of seven or eight shanties. Again, against 50.5 per cent of the males years is enticed away by these households to the job for the town as a whole being workers, the same among of a baby-sitter. In such a situation, the boys too the male population in the shanties is as high as 71.4 .do not sit idle. Many of them supplement the income per cent. But the most remarkable feature is the of the family by working as hawkers or waiters in very high percentage of females being workers (51.8 the tea-stalls and shops selling food or sweetmeats. per cent) in the shanties compared to the percentage of workers (9.9 per cent) among the females in the town as a whole. TYPE OF OCCUPATION This remarkably high participation rate in the Specific occupation pursued by the workers in shanties can be attributed to their location near tlIe the shanties are shown in Table X.5. TABLE iX:.5 Types of occupation in blighted areas No. of male workers engaged as No. of'female worker engaged r- -, .. 0- -"" No. of Por- Labour- UnskiI- Rick-"'" Skil- Con- Haw- Tra- No.OJ Cook Maid Sell- Lab- Trader male ter erin led shaw Jfd duc- ker der female ser- er of our Name of wor- conS- worker pul- wor- tor workers vant cow- in settlement kers truc- in ler ker studied dung cons- studied tion factory cakes truc- tion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Thakurpukur 19 2 8 5 2 1 1 17 10 3 3 1 shanty V.l.P. Road 31 1 18 3 4 1 3 26 i7 2 5 1 shanty Total 50 3 26 8 6 1 4 43 27 5 8 2 Out of 50 male workers studied, 26 are engaged HOUSE-TYPE AND HOUSING CONDITION as labourers in construction, three as porters, eight are unskilled workers in small-sized factories like All but two of the households studied are in occu manufacturing of stove, manufacturing of grills, plastic pation of one-room each. Only two households, products, etc. six are rickshaw-pullers, four are small incidentally owning the hutments, occupy two rooms traders in vegetables in the daily markets and one each. The floor of all the 32 rooms, including those is a mechanic of tube-well, one a bus conducter, belonging to the landlords are earthen_.. the roofs are while another is a hawker of old newspapers. Again, all tiled while there is some variation in the material among the 43 female workers, 27 are maid servants, of the walls. The walls of 21 rooms are of split eight are labourers in construction, five are manufac bamboo, of ~other five are made of mud, while the turers and sellers of cowdung cakes used as fuel, two rest are built of a thinner variety of plywood. Most are small traders selling leafy vegetables, while another of these hutments are built without any plinth, the is a cook. average height being very low and most of the rooms being without any window. Consequently, very little sunlight or air can get into the roOlps. As a result, most of the rooms are rather dark, stuffy and damp. Most of the workers are engaged in odd jobs like The average covered area of the one-room tenement road labourers, construction labourers, rickshaw varies from eight to ten sq. metres and the average pullers, porters, loaders and unskilled workers in per capita flaor space does not exceed two to three small workshops. The females, on the other hand, sq. metres. are engaged mostly as domestic servants and take upon themselves the task of paying the monthly In case the size of the household is rather large, rental of their houses. Besides working as maid the household sometimes constructs raised platform servants, the womenfolk are free for the greater part of bamboos, resembling the wooden cots and some of of the day to look after their households and also the inmates have to sleep under the platform. The to get extra benefits in the form of subsidies and average amount of rent for these one-roomed tene emergency loans from their employers. ments is shown in Table X.6. TABLE X.6 Ranges of rent No. of households paying monthly rent forthe one-roomed tenements of the size of 8 to 10 sq. metres Name of settlement No. of r-'------__ ~_~ ______~ households Upto Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rupees Remarks Rup- 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91 and pees more 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Thakurpukur. shanty 12 4 3 2 1 2 *Two house .. holds living V.l.P. Road shanty *18 2 4 3 3 2 2 in burnt hou ses. Total 30 4 5 6 4 5 2 2 The housing condition of the average tenement WATER-SUPPLY AND SANITATION in the shanties is indeed grim and dismal. Most of the hutments are supported on posts of bamboos. -~llli'tl!~ The walls of split bamboos and thinner varieties of 'The basic amenities of water-supply, lighting and plywoods are also very delicate and with occasional sanitation arrangements are not worth mentioning. gaps here and there they can hardly protect the in In the Thakurpukur shanties there are one tubewell mates from rains or storms. Most of the one-roomed and one privy for ten to twelve households. In the and two-roomed hutments are very old and dilapi hutments near the U. S. Mission School, on V.I.P. dated, with repairs or renovation having hardly ever Road, there are only one tube well and one privy for been undertaken. all the 18 households living there. Consequently, most of the inmates have to defecate in the open hurrican~ lantern is used. The 'Stagnant water all arou~d emHs bad stinking smelL lhe rooms are spaces on, orI near V.l.P. Road and use the roadside canals for purposes of ablution. 'also padly affected by dampness in rainy season and the 'narrow paths and lanes get watet-Iogged. GENERAL LIVING CONDITIONS j The general structures of the hou:;es are old, CRIME AND DEV1iANT BEHAVIOUR cracked, dilapidated, deprived of any work of even routine maintenance, renovation or repair. Many of The shanties are characterised by drunkenness, the roofs and walls have long fissures, thereby ex delinquency and gambling. The stigma of crimin,al posing the inmates t6 rains. There is no arrangement ,behaviour is often attached to the residents by the for drainage and the waters used by the various surrounding affluent society. Whenever there is a households just accumulate on the courtyard in foul case of theft or snatching, the residents of the shan and filthy cesspools breeding various houseflies, mos ties, here as elsewhere, are usually branded as 'the quitoes and other insects. There is no provision authors of the deviant behaviour. But during the for separate kitchen, bathroom, drinking water and present. survey no specific case of crime has been electricity. The kerosene lamp and occasionally a 'reported fromt here. CHAPTER·XI ORGANISATION, OF POWER AND PRESTIGE INTRODUCTION the blue-print of Salt Lake City. Late Pramanik was said to be the uncrowned king of Salt Lake. Krishnapur is a young town born only in 1971, Shri Khagendra Nath Mondal, another Congress with no chequered urban career, with no great tradi~ leader of the locality, came into prominence after the tion or history and culture, with no great personality death of late Pramanik. Shri Mondal was the first or charismatic leader of any great repute ever asso Anchal Pradhan of Mahishbathan Anchal Parchayat ciateO with the gradual transformation of a rural and held the post from 1964-1977. polity into ah urban society. And a ~mall unknown village suddenly leaped mto prommence not on account of any development within, but as a conse Shri Mondal remains the single-most undisputed quence of geo-historic~l and socio-political process~s. leader of the Congress Party in the police station of The dramatic entry on' the rural scene first of the dis Raj arhat. He is a resident of Krishnapur and is a placed persons and in the next act the onrush ~f Rajbanshi-Tiyar, a scheduled caste. He is a Matri urban inrnigrants set in motion the process of urbam culate and 70 years of age. Recently, he has retired satioll of a rural Krishnapur. Three different strata from active politics. As the candidate of the Con of populatiol1, the old sons of the soil, th~ uproo!ed gress-- Party, he remain~d a Member of Legislative and the immigrants mostly from the nelghbourmg Assembly from the RaJ arhat Assembly Constituency urban areas, have come ~o live together but the for the cOllsecutive terms, 1971-72 and 1972-77. melting pot is still beyond. All the residents of the Lat~r, he did not contest any further election. Besides, town are not tied together with a strong thread of Shn Mondal has been actively associated with a num prolonged contact, common destiny and social 'link ber of social and religious organisations. He is also ap.:e. Against this backg~ound the leadership pattern the founder President of Mahishbathan Anchal Sama is~ yet to be fully evolved and well-structured in the baya Krishi Unnayan Samity, Chanchal Kumari Valika town with so D).any localities and neighbour Vidyalaya at Tarulia and the Secretary of ladunath hoods but without a common organisational platform Madhab Chandra High School. He had also donated for wielding socio-political power for ventilating the a plot of half acre of land for the establishment of the grievances; no leadership bas yet emerged cutting now defunct subsidiary Health Centre of Krishnapur. across the boundaries of localities and sub-localities He is also the patron and donor of almost all the in the, town. An elite stmcture is still in its rudimen Primary and High Schools in the town. tary form. The political history of Krishnapur since the rnid POLITICAL MOBll-ISATION seventies is marked by the gradual ascendancy of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and slow but The growth of social and political activities of steady weaning of the influence of the Congress Party, Krishnapur dates back td 1931-32 when people of as reflected by thy loss of the local Rajarhat seat to the surrounding villages Under the banner of Indian C.P.M. from the Congress Party in 1977-78 and N at;ionaI Congress participated in the Freedom Move Shri Rabindra Nath MandaI, the local M.L.A. and a ment under the able leadership of late Lakshmi Kanta resident of Arjunp~r, the adjoini.v.g town and belonging Pramanik, the local zemindar of Mahishbothan. The to Poundra-Kshtnya caste, has been holding the movement reached a new height during the Salt Move seat for the third consecutive term. ment when eminent leader~ like Sri P. C. Sen (former Chiei Minister of West Bengal from' 1962-66), Sri If is relevant to note that the constituency of Charu Chandra Bhandari, Sri Satish' Chandra Dasgupta Rajarhat in general and Krishnapur in particular is and Sri Prabhat Mohan Banerjee, Sri Kshitish Das inhabited predominantly by scheduled castes like gupta met at Barwaritara in Old Krishnapur and ins Poundra-K~ha~riya, the Tiyar, the Kaora, the Bagdi, pired the people to join the Salt Movement en masse. etc. And It IS found that late L. K. ITamanik be Krishnapur was thus a traditional base of the Congress longing to the Tiyar community (a scheduled caste) Party. The undisputed leader of the whole Mahish reJ?ained the undisputed leader till 1962, followed by bathan Union, of which Krishnapur was a constituent, Sn K. N. Mondal, the former M.LA. belonging to was late Lakshmi Kanta Pramanik, the local Congress Poundra-Kshatriya community, while the present leader and belonging to the Tiyar caste. He remained M.L.A. who is held in high esteem by one and all the President of the Mahishbathan Union Board for in the referent town also belongs to the Poundra a long period from 1939 till his death in 1962. Dr. B. Kshatriya community, a scheduled caste. While the C. Roy, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Asse!llbly Constituency of Rajarhat, of which Krishna often consulted late Pramanik at the time of making plX' IS a part has returned a C.P.M. member for the 104 third consecutive term, the Dum Dum Parliamentary neighbourhood relations is, to some extent, being filled Constituency has returned a Congress member, in by the growing cadres and campaigners in all loca Sri Ashutosh Law to Parliament during the last Par lities of different political parties and sub~localities. liamentary election held in 1985. A large cross-section of people, both in Old and New Krishnapur, not otherwise aware of any other person ELITE STRUCTURE in other areas, is found to be familiat with the names of the local leaders of the political parties. In Krishnapur with different people in different socio-economic levels, any leadership casting a uni versal influence over the town as a whole has not The elite structure has a political overtone for yet emerged. Consequently, leadership, if at ail, is several reasons. First, in the town with more than more or less confined to local or sub-local levels, 75 per cent of the people being inmigrants in course which in the form of neighbourhoods are still in the of last two or three decades, there has been hardly formative stage. The majority of the residents, besides any growth of integrated community feelings. Second the sons of the soil reduced to nearly one-fourth of ly, in the absence of broad-based institutions in the the total population, have been residing in their new town like well-developed clubs, colleges, hospitals and homes for a period not exceeding one or two decades cinema halls, municipality or other organisations, during which time-span the identity of most of the people hardly get reasonable opportunities to know inmigrants hardly cuts across the narrow ambits of each other through frequent meetings and to exchange their respective neighbourhoods. There are few per their views through interaction. Only different poli sons known to all the people allover the town. Still, tical parties have been able to mobilise the people to socio-political power and prestige in Krishnapur town, get together on various socio-economic issues and even though restricted to the confines of neighbour identify the person taking special initiative and enter hoods, are invested on particular individuals some of prise to hold numerous campaigns, street corner meet whom have somehow been able to carve out a special ings in which students, youths, womenfolk, rickshaw position for themselves in their respective localities pullers, workers, fishermen, etc. are largely present. and a few in the town as a whole. The organisation of the Indian National Congress In order to identify the persons or individuals, was once very active in Krishnapur, so long as Sri K. said to wield considerable power and hold a position N. Mondal, the former M.LA. of the Congress Party of influence, different methods have been adopted. and a resident of the town, retained his seat till 1977, The first method is to identify the person holding when the Assembly Constituency was wrested by the special position, office and portfolio. The second Communist Party (Marxist). Since then, the orga method is aimed at analysing the voting behaviour of nisational set-up of the Indian National Congress is the popUlation in the town during the preceding Pan said to have rather weakened. Sri Bishnu Pada chayat and Assembly elections while the third method Bhattacharya, (aged 55 years and a graduate), a elicits the responses of various interviewees with regard resident of the town, was till recently the President to their choice of the most respected and influential of the Rajarhat I Block Congress. There is no unit persons of their localities. of the Congress organisation at the town level, but the organisation of the Congress is based at the Pan~ What is most interesting about the emeJ"ging chayat level. The office of the Mahishbathan I Con~ leadership in the town is that successive currents of gress Party is located in I a rented room in Rabindra inmigration have also given rise to some sort of ano Palli, Krishnapur. The President is Sri Sushil Kr. nymity among the residents. The interaction and Poddar (aged 52 years and a trader) and Sri Sukhen inter-neighbourhood relations are not shaped by indivi Kr. Chakraborty (aged 38 years and a teacher) is duals but by increasing intensity of political activity its Secretary. by different parties including the Communist Party of India (Marxist), in all facets of life of the people from I different walks. A new element of mutual rivalry, The office of the Mahisbathanl II Congress Party and competition, circumspection and cynicism' has is located in the house of its President Dr. Ananta been evident as consequences. In recent years, people Kumar Roy (aged 48 years and a physician) residing are getting gradually politicised in ever-increasing num in Tarulia with Sri Basudeb Mondal (aged 38 years bers. People are taking a keen interest, even more and in service) as its Secretary. Chhatra Parishad, than before, in different policies and programmes of the students' wing of the party and the Youth Con the Governments, State and Central. Greater number gress are almost non-functional in the town, with of people seems to be getting involved in active politics hardly ten or twelve persons actively associated with through participation in various programmes and cam the two organisations without any local offices of paigns, meetings and group discussions organised by their own in the town. In recent years, the Commu the political parties. In such a situation the political nist Party of India (Marxist) has gained in the town parties appear to be playing the role of a bridge whatever the Congress has lost. The office of the among different sections of population in different Raiarhat Local Committee I of the Communist Party neighbourhoods and localities. The vaqmm in inter~ of India (Marxist) is located at Baguihati market area, 105 with Sri Bhupati Kumar Sengupta (aged 60 years) as just near the junction of the V.I.P. Road, since 1967- Secretary. There are two units of the party, ViZ. 1968. The names of the office-bearers of Unit 1 are Mahisbathan I and Mahisbathan II, the first unit of shown in the Table XLI. the party office being situated on Krishnapur Road, TABLE X1.1 Office-bearers of C .P.l. (M) (Unit-I) Nature of Aroa of o,nratlOn Name of the Nature of Ag~ OccupatIOn Remarks organisatIOn office-bearer post ------ 2 3 4 5 6 7 ------C P.I. (M) Mahlsbathan G,am Sf! Bhadla Nath SxretalY 45 Full-tIme polt- Panchayat Biswas tical worker. D~mocratJc Youth Ditto SII Chtnmoy KUmar 26 Student Front NandY Ditto Ditto SfI AbhlJlt Kumar 26 Student MA. Bhowmlk Ditto Ditto Sri Prasanta 35 Service Naska! ------ Mlhtla Slmlty Ditto Sm AnJalt Nandy Sjcretary 35 Housewife ---- - Students' FederatIOn DItto Srt Goutam Pal S;cretary 28 Student of India ---- '--- K"lsiuk Samlty Ditto S'I Blb:k Naskar Secretary 44 Cultivator ResIdent of adjOining Vlll· ag3 U Ilted C;ntre of R~fu- Rajarhat Bio~k Sri Harendra Nath Secretary 35 ServIce g:e Counct! Committee Mulhk V.l p. Rend, KrIshna- Mthbb.lthl'1-1 S I NaraYan Pal S)cfeta"y Not stated Rlck;haw puller. pu Rlck~haw pull~rs' Union. The second unit of the party office is located at indicates the persons said to be associated with the Mission Bazar, Old Krishnapur. The Table XI.2 'party in various capacities. 9 Census/88 14 106 TABLE XI.2 Office bearers of C.P.I. (M) (Unit-2) Nature of Area of Nam! of the Nature of Ag~ Occupation Remarks organisation operation office bearer post 2 3 4 5 6 7 C.P.I. (M) Mahi5bathan Sr i Rajani Mondal Secretary 50 Full time politi- Gra-n Panchayat-ll cal WOl ker Democratic Youth Front Ditto Sri Samar Dey President 35 Trader Krishak S'lmity Ditto Sri Rakhal Mondal S~cretary Not stated Not known Resident in adjoining viIlag Students' F Ditto Ditto Sri Tapas Majhi 25 Student Bheri Majdoor Samity M'lhisbathan IS-If Sri Rabindra Nath S~cretary 50 M.L.A. A resident of Mondal Arjunpur town ------~--~--.------ Next to Congress and the C.P.1. (M), the Socialist No other political party has any organisational Unity Centre of India has yet no party office in the base in the town. Krishnapur being a non-municipal town, but two young leaders of the party, Sri Pran town, the list of office-bearers and functionaries of the Krishna Banerjee (aged 32 years and a graduate two Gram Panchayats in the town (in Appendix teacher in a High School) and Sri Swadesh Kumar Tables 57 and 58) gives a fairly good account of Das (aged 32 years, graduate and unemployed) have the structure of local self-government in the town. started the organisational work in the town very recently. TABLE XI.3 List of members of the Rajarhat Panchayat Samity Name Political Office held Ag! Quali fication bccupation Remarks party 2 3 4 5 6 7 Smt. Tapati Ban,::rjee C.P.I. eM) M~mb.)r 32 Pre-University Teacher Sri Khagmdra Nath Bagchi Congress Ditto 52 B.A. Service Sri Sam'lr Kr. Naskar Ditto Ditto 33 Class-VIII Unemployod Scheduled Ca,te ------~ 107 An analysis of the demographic characteristics of affiliated to INTUC. Likewise, the C.P.I. (M) bas the elected members of the two Gram Panchayats and vanous link organisations like the Democratic Youth of the Panchayat Samiti reveals that 23 members are Front, the Students' Federation of India, the Mahila below 45 years of age, eight belong to the age-group Samity, the U.C.R.C. among the refugees and various 45-59 and two are elderly leaders above 60 years. other trade unions among the rickshaw-pullers, the Again, 22 members including seven graduates have fishermen, the bidi-binders, the workers of small-sized attained educational level of Matriculation and above. establishments, the workers in Haneiman Laboratories Occupationally, seven are non-workers, five are etc. The c.P.I. (M) is very active in its subsidiary teachers, seven are service-holders and professionals units and offices almost in every locality in tl}e town and 14 are traders. Thus, it is apparent that the where the cadres of the party are found to launch leadership is confined to the comparatively younger relentless campaigns on various issues like rise in educated section and gainfully occupied in different price, suitable rehabilitation of the refugees, growing economic pusuits. unemployment, evoking response and enthusiasm among different cross-sections of the people. Com~ There is no member from either of these two pared to these organisations, the Indian National Gram Panchayats to the Zilla Parishad. Sri Tapan Congress is not found to be equally active. Kr. Talukdar, a resident of Arjunpur is the member of the Zilla Parishad. Again, various wings of the C.P.I. (M) have definite targets of enlistment of suitable and active Apart from the leaders of various political parties members atter a process of prolonged training, in and the members of the Panchayats, several other doctrination and intense campaigning. Thus in the persons hold important positions in various clubs and referent town, the Democratic Youth Front with a other socia-religious organisations of the town, to be target membership of 5,000 is said to have enlisted discussed in the next chapter. But there is no such half the number, the Students' Federation of India preeminent club in the town capable ef drawing with a target of 1,000 has already achieved half the influential personalities of the town. Local interested target, the' Mahila Samity with a target of 6,000 persons mostly occupy the posts of various office members has already enlisted 2,500 members, the bearers in the clubs. As for educational institutions Krishak Sabha (the peasants' wing) has already the~e are only two High Schools in the town. The achieved the target of 500 members, so also the Managing Committee of Krishnapur Adarsha Vidya Rickshaw-pullers' Union has already achieved the mandir for Boys stands dissolved for the last twelve target of 300 members, the Bheri Majdoor Samity has years, while the Managing Committee of the Adarsha already achieved the target of 3,000 membership, Vidya Mandir for Girls, constituted a couple of years while the organisation of the teachers (A.B.T.A.) is back, is still functioning. Smt. Gouri Roy Chowdhury also not lagging behind in fulfilling the targets, laid a resident of the adjoining town Jyangra and a life~ down by the party. member of the Managing Committee, is its President. She is a B.A., B.Ed. and is a teacher in a nearby Girls' VOTING BEHAVIOUR OF THE POPULATION High School. Sri Monoranjan Halder, Headmaster of a High School in a neighbouring village and a resi The psephologiclll analysis for the town has been dent in the referent town, was the Secretary of the made with reference to the last Panchayat election in Committee upto 1986 but his membership stands 1983 and the recently concluded Assembly Election cancelled on the cessation of his guardianship and the in 1987. post of Secretary is now vacant. Most other members VOTING BEHAVIOUR IN THE LAST PANCHAYAT of the Committee are representatives of the guardians, , ELECTION the teaching staff and thc non-teaching staff. Sri Nirodmoy Palit, the local C.P.I.(M) leader (also a Krishnapur is a constituent unit of Rajarhat member of the local Committee) happens to be the Block-I, within which there are fourteen Gram representative of the Panchayat. Panchayats, including two Gram Panchayats tor Mahisbathan I and Mahisbathan II functioning with The committees of most other· public institutions in the referent town. In the last Panchayat election and voluntary organisations have been constituted i~ 1983, the C.P.I.(M) bagged seven Gram Panchyats with persons of local influence and popularity. while the Indian National Congress captured four Gram Panchayats. The Rajarhat Panchayat Samity POLITICAL MOBILISATION AND ACTIVITIES consists of 32 elected members of which 20 were returned on C.P.I.(M) tickets, while 12 were returned Various political parties in the town specially the on Congress (I) tickets. Among the total votes Indian National Congress and the Communist Party polled in the Panchayat election in the Block the of India (Marxist) have various organisational wings C.P.I. (M) captured 54.6 per cent of the votes, in the town to work among different sections of the Congress (I) 43.9 per cent and the Independents population to enlist their support and sympathy during 1.5 per cent of the votes respectively. periodic political campaigns and movements. The Indian National Congress has affiliated wings like the Of the eleven Gram Panchayats in the Block, Yuva Congress, the Chhatra Parishad and trade union Mahisbathan Gram Panchayat-I and Mahisbathan among the workers of the Haneiman Laboratories, Gram Panchayat-II are situated within the town. The 108 Mahisbathan Gram Panchayat-l comprises New For Krishnapur town as a whole, the C.P.I.(M) Krishnapur and Chandiberia, an adjoining village. secured 51 per cent of the total votes polled in the Out of 25 elected members to the Gram Panchayat-l last Panchayat election (Appendix Table No. 59) 15 are on C.P.I. (M) ticket, nine belong to Congress while the Congress(I) secured the rest. In New (1), while one is an Independent candidate. Again, Krishnapur, comprising various segments inhabited out of 22 members elected exclusively from New by the recent inmigrants, the C.P.I. (M) secured 52.5 Krishnapur (barring three who were elected from per cent of the votes while the Congress (I) secured the constituent village Chandiberia), 15 belong to 47.5 per cent. In Old Krishnapur, inhabited mostly _ C.P.I.(M) and seven to Congress(I). Likewise, by the old residents, the Congress(I) secured the Mahi~athan Gram PalJchayat-ll, comprising Old majority of the votes (54.4 per cent) whITe the Krishnapur and five other adjoining villages, have C.P.I. (M) secured 45.6 per cent. 14 elected }l1embers to the Panchayat with nine mem VOTING BEHAVIOUR IN TIlE. LAST ASSEMBLY bers from Congress(I) and five from CPI(M). Again ELECTION 1987 out of six members elected from Old Krishnapur (barring the five constituent villages), four belong to In the recently held Assembly election, Sri Congress (I) and two to C.P.I(M). So the Gram Rabindra Nath Mondal, the sitting C.P.I. (M) mem Panchayat-l, located in New Krishnapur, is controlled ber has been re-elected to the Assembly defeating by the C.P.I(M) while the Gram Panchayat-Illocated Sri Biswananda Naskar of the Congress (0. The in Old Krishnapur is controlled by the Congress (I) . voting behaviour of the residents of the referent town is analysed in the Table XI.4. TABLE XI.4 Percentage of votes polled by ditl'erent political parties in 1987 Assembl) Election -----_---- Percentage of votes secured by Name of area ('"""-~---~-.-.-A-______""") Total C.P.I. (!'vI) Congress (I) 2 3 4 -----_._------Kri~hnapllr . '. 100.0 52.7 47.r New Kri~hnapur . 100.0 54.0 46.0 (Gram Panchayat-l) Old Kri;,hnapur . 100.0 4lj.7 5l.3 (Gram Panchayat-II) For the town as a whole, the C.P.I(M) secured pur with its newly sprung-up habitats of the new the majority of the votes in the last Assembly elec· settlers being under the influence of the leftist party. tion. But, while it drew the majority of the voters Old Krishnapur has not yet changed its traditional in New K"rishnapur, it failed to do so in Old Krishna· allegiance to Congress eI). This reflects the social pur where the Congress(I) pulled the majority of the and political ethos of the old segment of the town. votes to its side. It 'is thus patent that in two seg ments of the town, the voting trend continues to be RESPONSES REGARDING PERSONS CONSIDERED the same as in the last Panchayat election. In New PRESTIGiOUS AND INFLUENTIAL Krishnapur, majority of the votes have been secured by C.P.I.(M), while in Old Krishnapur the majority No detailed study has been undertaken to find of the votes have been secured by the Congress(l). out the distribution of social power or prestige in But it is also worth noting that the C.P.I. (M) the town and to identify the criteria for acquring the has secured higher percentage of votes in the Assembly same. The discussion is based on the responses of election compared to the last Panchayat election. informants regarding the respectd and influential per sons at the level of locality and the town. All the The two segments of the town appear to be I respondents. have been asked to indicate the names politically polarised with Old Krishnapur still remain of five persons holding positiOlls of respect and in ing under the sway of Congress(I) and New Krishna- fluence in the locality. In respect of all persons 109 indicated by the respondent heads of households as INFLUENTIAL PERSONS respectable and influential, each such person men tIoned has been aSSIgned one score. As many names The Table X1.5 throws some light on the attri have been pointed OLlt, anyone scoring less than butes of influential persons in the referent town. three pomts has been left out of the present discusslOn. TABLE XI.5 Correlates of influential pcrson~--age and occupations ------Age grotJP of mfluentJal persons Specific occupatIOn of the mnuenttal rersons Total n0. ,------__ 0-______of pelson, 25-34 35-44 45·54 55·65 66 and -, ahove ------_ 2 3 4 5 6 7 ------Trad",r l~ 2 4 7 1 Teacher 7 4 2 1 Doctor (Hon:oeo) 1 Service. 12 6 4 1 Contractor 2 Advocate 1 1 Unemploytd . 3 Retired. 3 3 --- Total 44 4 16 17 3 4 ------ Of the persons held to be influential by the res d~ub~ th~t educational level is one of the factors for pondents, 34.1 per cent are traders, 27.3 per cent WIeldmg mfluence and power in the referent town. are engaged in service, while 15.9 per cent are teachers. Again, 6.8 per cent of them are unemploy Again, on close scrutiny of the reasons put for ed, while 4.5 per cent are contractors and 6.8 per ward by the respondents regarding the concerned cent are retned. Looking at the influential persons persons as influential, it IS inferred that 20 (out of from the standpoint of age-group, it is observed that 44) persons are deemed influential because of the 38.6 per cent belong to the age-group of 45-54 and offices held by them (mostly membership of the 36.4 per cent to the age-group of 35-44. Again 15.9 p_anchayats or hol.dmg ot.her positIOns of influence), per cent of the inlluential persons are aged 55 years eIght ar~ de~med mfluentIal because of their political and above, whIle 9.1 per cent of them are aged 34 leader~hIp, eIght more are deemed infiuential because years or even les~. ~f theIr close contact WIth the local centres of power lIke the Pal}chayat~, the Block Development Office The influential persons are generally middle-aged, an~ t~e Pollee Stat~on, five are influential because of mostly in the age-group of 35-54 and are mostly the~r mvolvement In local public welfare activities traders 01 teachers or engaged in other service (white wh~le three more are deemed influential because of collar jobs). So far as levels of literacy of the in- _ theIr knowledge, erudition and philanthropic spirit. f1uential persons are concerned, none of the influen Persons commanding prestige and influence at the tial persons is illiterate. 27.3 per cent are non-matri level of the town are only six. The relevant parti culates, 36.4 per cent of them are matriculates, 27.3 culars of these persons are given in the Appendix per cent are graduates, 4.5 per cent are post-gradu Table No. 00. ates and another 4.5 per cent are teachnical diploma holders. The correlation of the influential per~ons It has been pointed out earlier that because of with their level of literacy establishes without any the peculiar growth history of the town, there are llO few persons commanding universal prestige and in highly educated. But the small universe of the fluence in the town. Hence, the names of many opinion poll lays bare the fact that only the persons other persons mentioned by the respondents but holding important offices of the Government or posi scoring four or less have not been shown in the table. tion in the political parties are deemed to be influen tial. Of the six influential persons obtaining the highest RESPECTED PERSONS scores, three are quite elderly (60 years and above) one is middle-aged and two others are rather young. The Table XI.6 reveals the characteristics of the It is interesting that none of the influential persons IS respected persons in the town. TABLE Xf.6 Correlates of respected persons-age and occupatiun ------Age group of respected persons Specific occupations of the resrected persons Total no. ,------,A.------. - -'_, oi persons 45-54 55 -65 66 and respected above 2 3 4 5 ------_.------Trader 4 2 1 Teacher including lecturer 9 6. 3 Service 7 4 3 Advocate 2 4 Doctor 3 2. Writer 2 Retired 6 3 3 Full-time political worker 1 Total 34 17 13 4 _------ In positions commanding respectability, a person's Opinion of the respondents was also sought re age matters to some extent. No person below the garding the attributes of a person which confer res age of 45 years has been able to evoke respect of pectability and prestige on them. It is found that the respondents (50 per cent of the persons of res 19 persons are respected for their honesty, integrity pect being aged 55 years and above). and cooperative attitude, nine are respected for their knowledge, erudition and spirit of social service and The occupation-wise break-up of the respected six are respected for their benevolent. attitude and persons reveals that persons engaged in teaching and aptiude for public service. other professions like medical and legal practices and writers are able to command respect. Besides, seven Persons commanding respect at the level of the of the 34 respected persons are engaged in service, town are only those who have a score of five points six are retired persons while one is a full-time politi~ or more at the level of the town. The relevant cal worker. Only four persons engaged in trade or particulars of these persons,' holding respectability at business are able to evoke respect of the respondents. the level of the town, are indicated in Appendix table No. 61. Regarding levels of literacy of the persons held in respect by the respondents, six are non-matriculates, six are matriculates, ten are graduates, seven are post All but one of the respected persons are aged graduates, two are holde~s of legal degree, while three 52 years or more. Three of them are in teaching others possess medical degrees. It is found that none profession, while one is an allopathic practitioner of the respected persons is illiterate. The close cor Three of the respected persons are retired from ser relation of the respected persons with the level of vice. Again, a person is respected not because he literacy establishes beyond doubt that educational holds any office in Government. Here, only one attainment is one of the prerequisites for earning person holds the office of the head of the local Gram respect. I Panchayat. CHAPTER· XII LEISURE AND RECREATION, SOCIAL PARTICIPATION, SOCIAL AWARENESS, RELIGION AND CRIME INTRODUCTION with their friends. The labourers along with mem bers of their households have been found to relax bv This discussion, has so far centred round the playing at cards. Any visitor to the town in the after: history and growth of the town, various amenities and noon or evening will find numerous groups of people services, economic life in the town, pattern of migra playing at cards, being surrounded by a crowd of tion, housing condition, neighbourhood pattern, etc., watchful spectators. all concerning the organisation and structure of the town itself. It is now proposed to examine the human PARKS aspects of the social structure, to highlight various cultural and recreational activities of the residents of There is no park in any part of the town. Very the town, to identify the processes of interaction recently a children's mini park with facilities of cradle, among cross-sections of the people and to discuss swings etc., has been constructed in Udayan PaW for about parks, playgrounds, clubs, libraries, cinemas, children in the refugee camp by the Lion's Club of theatres, sports, social and cultural programmes, reli Ballygunge, Calcutta in 1986. gious institutions and religious activities, including fairs and festivals. PLAYGROUNDS The amenities for leisure and recreational activities In all there are nine playgrounds in the town with in the town are extremely limited in scope and cove a current population estimated to be around 40,000. rage. There is neither a cinema house nor an audi Open spaces, formerly used by the children as play torium for theatrical performances, nor a town hail grounds, have given way to the large buildings and nor even a park where the residents of the town can most of the children have nowhere to play. Of the refresh and recoup themselves in fresh outdoor air. nine playgrounds, four are located in Nayapati, Mis As already discussed, major segments of the working sion Bazar and Barawaritala of Old Krishnapur while population are engaged in manufacturing, trade and five are located in Purba Narayantala, Udayan PaW commerce. while some others are engaged in cons (refugee settlements), Paschim Narayantala, Depot tructional activities as unskilled labourers from morn ground at the western end of Prafulla Kanan and ing to evening. Most of the workers return home Deshapriya School ground on V.I.P. Road-Krishnapur from work completely exhausted with hardly any Road junction. As the playgrounds are much short energy left for any recreational activity. On the other of requirements, most of these are jointly used by hand, the persons engaged in other services and having several clubs on mutual arrangement and various fixed working hours with ad~quate free time at their sports and games including several tournaments are disposal plan their leisure and recreation. Many such organised round the year. people spend their leisure-time in listening to the radio sets, watching the programme on T.V., or read There is no town hall in the town. ing newspapers, journals and magazines. They also CLUBS attend clubs or call on their friends, neighbours or relatives. Sometimes, they relax in their sitting rooms There are several clubs in the town, the names or meet at street corners in groups to chat and gossip and locations thereof are shown in the Table XII. 1. TABI,E XU. 1 Det!lils of Clubs ------~------Name of area Name cf locality, if any Name of club 1 2 3 Old Kri,hnapur Nayapafi (1) Nayapati Club (2) Ankur Rccn:atiqn Club Ditto Raihanslti Para (I) Kr,ihnapur Sporting Club (2) Milan Mandir Ditto ChriJtiall Para ¥ubak Samity Ditto ReJiIKc!i' Camp No.3 Sabujodaya Sangha Ditto Siddharta Nagar ('olony Jagrata Sangha Ditto Barwaritala Milan Samity 112 'fABLE XII. l-00/1/d. Details of Clubs-contd. ------~--- .--_ Name of area Name of locality, if any Name of club -----_ ------_------z 3 Old Krishnapur Ghosh Para Ghosh Fdra Boy's Club Midpoint 01 Old and New KrishJlapUf Hal/a para Pallisree Sangha. New Krishnapur Paschirn Narayan/ala (I) Milan Sangha (2) Palli3ree Sangha (3) Sporting Club (4) Udayan Sangha Ditto Purba Namyaf/tala Narayantala Byayam Samity Ditto Prajulla Kanan Ma,terda Srnriti Saltglta Ditto Rahinr/ra Palli Swagatam Club Sanghati Club Ditto Bagjola Refugee Cllmp Swamiji Sangha T.'daya Sangha Ditto VIP Road Kri~lznapur Rd. JUnction Sltiva-Kali Sangha NAYAPATI FOOTBALL CLUB had organised seven cinema shows and collected a net amount of Rupees 2,5001-, which had been donated Established in 1962 and housed in its own build to the Ideal schools and also to the temple of Lord ing at Nayapati, it is a registered club with a member Sani. The club also undertakes innoculation campaign ship of 113 male members mostly in the age-group against cholera among the peop~e of the locality. The of 20-30. Most of the members are said to be either club possesses one black and white television set and students or unemployed. The monthly subscription the radio set. Sri Gopal Mondal (aged 40 years, a is rupees two per member. The club has one black B.eom. and a trader by occupation) is the President, and white television set which is operated on battery. while Sri Bidya Naskar (aged 30 years, an under graduate and service by occupation) is the Secretary Sri Rabindra Nath Pramanik (aged 32 years, under of the club. graduate and unemployed) is the President, while Shri Debendra Nath Pramanik (aged 27 years, educa KRISHNAPUR SPORTING" CLUB tion upto degree course and in service) is the Secre tary. The club organises both indoor games including Established in 1972 in a building with tiled roof carom, cards, etc., and outdoor games like footb~lI, near the Mission Bazar, Krishnapur, mainly as a sport cricket, etc. played on the basis of tournament on Its ing club with an approximate membership of 50 with own playground by the side of the Krishnapur canal subscription of rupees two per month per head, it just opposite to Mission Bazar. The club also orga organises both indoor games like caroms and cards nises various cultural programmes including musical and outdoor games like football, volley ball on the performances, dramas, etc., on the occasion of Inde ground attached to the club. Sri Hemanta Kumar pendence Day, Republic Day, Netaji's Birth Day. and Dewri is the President and Sri Mathur Pramanick is Rabindra Jayanti. It also celebrates the worshIp of the Secretary. Saraswati (Goddess of Learning). In 1985 it had MILAN MANDJR staged a Bengali social drama entitled Golaper Rakta. Located near Mission Bazar in a pucca building of ANKUR RECREATION CLUB its own, it is mainly a voluntary social service orga nisation, affiliated to the Bharat Sevasram Sangha, Established in 1976 and registered in 1985, it is with about 50 members. It organises charitable work a club mainly oriented to recreational and social ser among the poorer sections of the society in times of vice activities. Located in a kutcha hut, the club distress and natural calamity. has a membership of 60 with a monthly subscription YUBAK SAMITY of rupees two per head. Every year it stages a jatra (open-air traditional theatrical performances) with the I t is one of the biggest organisations of Old help of the members on the occasion of Durga P~ja. Krishnapur, housed in a building of its own on a plot Regarding social work, it raises funds by arranglllg of land of 400 sq. metres. It is a registered socio charity cinema shows. In December 1985, the club cultural non-political body organising sports and li3 games, library work, Bratachari, drills, cul 'cl'ab 'ctrga'flises 'commoh indoor and 'outdoor games. tural functions and social service activities including The club has no playground and the open spaces free medical services. The total membership is around around are used for outdoor games. Sri Biswanalh sixty with a monthly sUbscription of rupees two per Chakraborty (aged 45 ycars and a wor-ker III a 'hosi head. Funds are frequently raised by organising by workshop) is the President, while Sri Sukumar charity shows, cinema shows and sale of lottery Roy (aged 30 years and a water-colour painter) is tickets. The building was constructed with the help the Seoretary. of generous subscriptions from the public. ~~It'-AN SA~·H~Y The club organises various indoor games like chess, carom, cards etc. and outdoor games like foot Originating as a village gymnastic club in ball cricket etc. on a khas land near the Toll Office. Kachharibari at Barwaritala in 1960, it has tU'rned 'out: td be a full':flcdged club of youngs'te'rs of 'Bdrwdri The club has also organised a small library with tala, Ghosh Para, Majher Para and the adjoining vil a collection of 2,400 books, The cultural wing of the lage of Chandibaria. From Barwaritula, the club was club stages dramas with the help of their members subsequently shifted to its present pucca building and also holds cultural functions on the occasion of constructed on a donated plot of fand measuring Rabindra Nath's Birth Day and Nazrul Jayanti. It about 130 sq. metres. The cost of construction of has also organised a non-formal educational centre the club building was met out of lllunificent public under the supervision of two teachers who teach about subscriptions. The club has a strength of 30 mem 50 students, who otherwise cannot attend formal 'bers with a mon'thl'y s-ubstriptio'Il of rupee one pcr schools. Recently, the club has opened a Brata head. It is a registered club, running two non-for chari wing for organising physical exercises and' drills mal schools, one for boys and another for girls in among the children. the club room. Originally established for physical culture, the club has now switched over to outdoor The social services of the club cover donation games like football and volleyball on the adjoining of books to the needy students, award of prizes to the f)layground. The club organises annual drama, first three boys of the local high school at Tarulia, staged at Barwaritala on the occassion of the helping the needy fathers of prospective brides to worship of the goddess Raj Rajeswari. defray marriage expenses and free medical treatment of the destitute. Sri Biswanath Ganguly (aged 50 years and a teacher) is the President while Sri Amal N askar is the Secretary of the club. The medical unit of the club has also started a charitable homoeopathic dispensary attended by doc PALLISREE SANGHA tors from Calcutta for treating the patients. Camps are also organised under the patronage of Rotary Club, A registered club in Hana Para and founded In Salt Lake City, for immunisation of children with 1962, the club has its own land of 235 sq. metres triple antigen, anti-polio vaccines etc. Sri Biswanath on which the building of th:! club is located. The Bhattacharya (aged 48 years and a teacher) is the club was found, during the survey, to be engaged ill President and Sri Biswanath Mondal (35 years and a tIle construction of a park. Sri Kartick Ch. Mandai teacher) is the Secretary. a service-holder, is the President and Sri Kalipada Chandra also in service and Sri Lakshan Ch. Nasker SABUJODAYA SANGHA (a trader) are the Joint Secretaries of the club. the membership of tht' club exceeds fifty and the monthly A very modest club for the refugee boys of Camp SUbscription is rupees two per member. The club Number Three, it was established in 1979-80 and is organises indoor games like chess, carom, cards etc. now housed in a hutment. With 50 members the club H has a sJ1tall library with a collection of 600 books. organises indoor games like carom and cards and out The social programmes of the club cover charitable door games like football, cricket, volleyball etc. It help to the poor and the needy for medical treatment has no playground of its own and uses the open and offering financial help towards the cremation space nearby as its playing arena, Sri Amalendu of the helpless and the destitute. The cultural pro Mondal and Sri Pijush Kanti MondaI are the Presi grammes are restricted to the organisation of various dent and Secretary respectively. community religious festivals like Durga Puaj, Kali l'uja, Saraswati Puja etc. when dramas are staged JAGRATA SANGHA with the participation of the members. It is another club of the refugee boys of Sld MILAN SANGHA (PASCHIM NARAYANTALA) dhartha Nagar Colony,. it was founded in a hutment in 1975. But th~ ~tructure h::>ving colhpsccl d1lring Established in 1961, it is a registered club with the rains in 1986, efforts are being made to rebuild It.S own building. The total members of the club the hut. With a membership of seventy and with «re said to exceed 200 with the monthly 3'Ubscrip a monthly subscription of rupee one per head, the tion being rupees two for un adult and nljJe~ one 9 Censtlsj88 l5 114 for a minor member. Sri Abani Kr. Dutta (service) UDAYAN SANGHA is the President, while .Sri Biswajit Sengupta (tutor) 1s the Secretary. T,he club organIses both indoor Another old club of the locality, located on games like cards, carom and chess and outdoor g&mes Old Martin Road on the border of the town and llke football, cricket, and volleyball. The club has the town Jyangra, it is housed in an impressive no exclusive playground of its own, but one play building of its own. The club has a bratachari wing ground near the temple of Siva and the other near and a gymnastic wing. A rural educational centre the dumping ground are used. The club has also is located in a separate building, a little far off one Bratachari and musical party constituted by the Sports and games, library activities and cultural per members. The club has one Ilmall libraty with a formance of the club are carried on in the main collection of more than 2,000 books. A printed building. The club has an enrolled membership of m~gaz4te- l),!l.med Jagarani is published on a quarter 150. There is arrangement for various indoor and ly basis containing various articks contributed mostly outdoor games, the latter being held on the depo/ by the members. The social service programmes of the ground. The club also organises various perfor club include organising an informal school at Camp mances on the occasions of Rabindra Jayanti, Najru/ number seven in Bagjola area, arranging Nara Nara Jayanti, Netaji's Birthday, Independence Day, Re yan seva (feeding programme for the poor) on the public Day etc. The club also holds an annual social occasion of Netaji's Birth Day, distribution of function during March-April every year. The other medicines among' the poor, renovation of local roads activities of the club cover among others running an and pathways on voluntary labour. Cultural func informal school. Sri Nikhil Kar (aged 50 years and tions are held during Rabi11dra Jayanti and Najrul in service) is the President while Sri Kamalesh Bose layanti. The club also organises one 'sit and draw' ( 3 5 years and in service) is the Secretary of the contest during Durga Puja and arranges one Quiz club. contest du):ing Kali Puja. The club also arranges NARAYANTALA BYAYAM SAMITY tours outside. It also organised one radio pro gramme in 1982. Established in 1956 and 'housed in a building of PALLISREE SANGHA (PASCHIM NARAYANTALA) its own, Narayantala Byayam Samity is a registered club 'with a membership of 180, the monthly subs Claimed to be one of the oldest clubs in Paschim cription being rupee one for an adult and fifty paise Narayantala, it was registered in 1981. The build for a minor. There is arrangement for various in ing of the club has been rebuilt in 1986 on a plot of door games including physical bar, ring etc. The devottar land. The club has sixty members and the outdoor games are played at the club's own p1ay monthly subscription is rupee one only. Sri Gobar ground. A library is also proposed to be started dhan N askar ( aged 60 years and a trader) is the soon. The social service programmes of the club President while Sri Pradip Chanda (aged 32 years include development of the local roads and drains, and in service) is the Secretary. The club organises helping the poor and the needy during their illness and both indoor and outdoor games, the latter being defraying expenses of marriage of their daughters. played on the club's own playground. The club also Subscriptions in cash are sometimes made to the organises various cultural functions on the birthdays Ch~ef Minister's. Relie.f Fund. The club organises of Rabindra Nath Tagore, Najrul) Netaji Subhas vanous commumty festivals of the Hindus and various Chandra Bose. On the occasions of Independence cultural programmes during important occasions. Day and RepUblic Day, annual sports are also Shi Lakshmi Kanta Bagui (aged 50 years and a arranged. teacher) is the President while Sri Tapan Bose (29 years and a teacher) is the Secretary_ Sl!ORTn;m CL,UB (PA3CHIM NARAYANTALA) M~STERDA SMRITI SANGHA (PRAFULLA KAl'{'AN) Housed in its own building, the club was established in 1969. The total number of members Established in 1953 and housed in its own build is 135 w' h monthly' ubscription being rupees two ing, the club is one of tne most well-managed orga for an a"'11t and rur 'e one for minor member. The n mtions in the sub·region. The impressive location club or!! lises 'com~ 1n indoor and outdoor games. of the club at the junction of the VIP Road and T~e~e. IS no exclusl"e playground, but tlie ground K rishnapur Road has given it an added importance. ad]OIlllUg the temple of Siva is used jointly by three local ell bs of the area. The social service .The .club with a membership of 300 organises programwes of the club include . distribution of vanous mdoor and outdoor games, the latter being clothes, shirts, pants and frocks among the needy played on the local school-ground. The socio· during tJ-oe pujas. On the 15th August the club religious functions of the club include various com organise~ c:amp for donation of blood by .the members munity festivals of the Hindus, attracting a large num to the poor a~d the ~eedy. Sri Pradip Seal (35 ber of viewers from surrounding areas. The club vears. a graduate and III service) is the President also holds various cultural functions, affording the Sri ~ndra. Nath Mitra (27 years, a graduate and i~ local talents an opportunity to show their skill before SerVIce ) I~ 'the Secretary.. The club also organises the public. The club is also associated with a Durga PUJa on a commulllty basis. number of socia1 service activities. Sri Gour Chandra l1S _,_.~ . Saha (a trader) is the President while Sri Ajoyendu committee of eight members including Sri B. Ganguly Kr. Dasgupta is the General Secretary. (aged 52 years and a trader) as President and Sri Amal Kr. N askar (46 years and in service) as. Secre SWAGATAM CLUB tary is entrusted with thc man~gement ~f th~ library. The staff of the library compnse one hblanan and Established in 1961 and located in its own build one assistant librarian. Grants are regularly made ing, it is a registered body with 160 members. The towards the payment of salary of. the staff, .pll:rchase club mostly arranges indoor games but not outdoor of furniture and books and meeting other mCldentaJ games in the absence of any play-ground. The club expenses. has also a socio-religious wing, a cultural wing and a mini. . medical unit dispensing free homeopathic The total number of readers stands at sixty with medicmes. monthly subscription being rupee one. The total number of books of about 1,100 include books on SWAMIJI SMRITI SANGHA politics, fictions, short stories, travelling, hunting .etc. There is a small reading room where seven to eIght Established in 1976, it is a registered club in the readers can read books in the library. Bagjola Refugee Camp with a membership of fifty and with activities confined to various indoor games CINEMA including Bratachari dance, social and community festivals and also running of non-formal school. There is no cinema hall in the town, but a cinema house is under construction in Prafulla Kanan on UDAYA SANGHA VIP Road. The residents of the town visit the adjoining cinema houses in Jagatpur village, Jyangra This is the premier organisation in the Bagjola town, Arjunpur town, city of South Dum Dum. Refugee Camp, located in its own building with a Many a time , the residents also patronise the cinema television set of its own. In collaboration with the houses in Calcutta. Lion's Club of Ballygunge, a children's mini park has been built in 1986 in front of the club. The club THEATRE arranges both indoor and outdoor games, the latter on Except in Calcutta, there is no all:d~torium in the its own playground. Besides, various socia-religious town. The residents of the town VlSlt Calcutta to functions and festivals are organised. The club also see dramatic performances in commercial theatres. sponsors various cultural functions on important public occasions. SPORTS TOURNAMENT SIVA-KALI SANGHA Sports tournament is very popular in the town and many clubs organise such tournaments. Tw.o Established in 1971 and located on V.I.P. Road, such tournaments one for football and one for cn this is an association with about 380 members mainly cket, are sponso~ed by Milan Sangha at Paschi11l from daily labourers of the camps and the rickshaw Narayan tala. Pallishree Sangha, another club. at pullers. This association centres round a temple of Paschim Narayantala, also organises a seven-a-side Siva-Kali. The club organises both indoor and out football tournament on knock-out basis, in which 16 door games, the latter played on the adjoining teams from Calcutta, Dum Dum Park and Baguihati school-ground. The main emphasis is laid by the participate. Another seven-a-side knock-out football association on social services which include distribu tournament, named Dwarik Nath !1agf;li Challenge tion of clothings among the poor and the organisa Shield is organised by Byayam Samlty Club of Purba tion of D.aridra Narayan Seva (feeding the poor) on Naray~ntala and another one-day limited-over cricket the occaSIOn of Kali Puja, financial assistance to the tournament named Manmatha Nath Bagui Memorial ncedy on the occasion of marriage and funeral and Challenge Shield for winners and Ashok Nat.h contributions to the Red Cross and the Chief Minis Chakraborty Challenge Shield for the runners-up IS ter's Relief Fund. organised by the same club. Thirty t~o teams participate in the cricket tournament w~lch ev~kes LIBRARIES keen rcsponse in the l~cality. But the bigges~ shIeld (2t metres in length) 10 the area narne~ Slva-Kal1 As pointed out earlier, most of the clubs in the Mandir Challenge Shield for a seven-a-slde ~ootbal~ town have attached libraries. tournament is organised every year by the Slva-Kall Sangha. The Nayapati Football Club also sponsors Besides, there is one sponsored library named tournament Slldia Smriti Challenge Shield for football. Kshlldiram Smriti Path agar at the junction of Ghosh Para and Barwaritala in Old Krishnapur. .The library MUSIC CONFERENCE was established in 1980 and recognised by the Government of West Bengal in 1984. Land measur No music conference as sucP.is heiet ~n. the. town ing about 240 sq. metres was donated to the library but musical soirecs (Jalsa) witl! tpe parttclpatlOn of by Milan Samity, a local club, where the building local artists are frequently orgat).i~ed by th'1 \ocal of the library has been constructed. A managing clubs during festivals. ". 11'6 NEWSPAPERS, JOURNALS, ETC. zines are generally popular among, the educated people. Every popular newspaper and magazine No neV\(spap~r or journal is published from the publIshed in BengalI and English IS read in the town town, but two Bengali periodIcals viz., Jagaran The Table Xl1.2 gIVes detaJls of newspapers and (quarterly) al.).d Alok Asar. (monthly) are published magazines circulated in the town through the local from Paschl1ll Narayanta/a each WIth an average vendors of newspapers. circulation of 300. Newspapers, Journals and maga- TABLE Xli. 2 Details 01 ne\\spapcr, .md pl'rllJclIC,lh --_ --~ S.;rMI Name of newspapers, magannes Per IOdlClty Language CIrculatIOn no. figure ~ 2 3 4 5 ------ 1 Ana.;lll!] Bazar Patnb DalJy lkngaJJ 350 2, Jugantar Datu Ditto 151.:: 3 Bartam,m Ditto Ditto 12C 4 Aalkal Ditto Ditto 90 5 D.um" Ba<,umatl Ditto DItto 25 6 Kalantal DItto Ditto 20 7 Gal1a.,af..tl DItto DItto 100 8 The Statesman DItt,) Engh'ih 125 9 The Teleglaph Ditto DItto 80 10 Amnta Bafar PatJI~a Ditto Dllto 50 11 The Ecopomlc Tlme~ Ditto Ditto 25 12 The Bllt7 Weekly Engll,h ,I(; Hllldl 45 & 10 13 The Illustlated W;)t;;kly . Dltto I:ngitsh 30 14 The SportS Wodd Dltto Ditto 30 15 The D~,h Dillo BJl1gah 75 If) Pat Ib,u tan DItto Ditto 125 l" Anandalok Ditto PI"O 80 18 Sukanya Furtnlghtly DJtto G5 19 Pratlkshan \\eckly Ditto 45 201 S.U1 lllarg DaJly HlOdl IS 21 Vl~\Va!111tr As the town is situated almost on the outskirt of NATURE OF LEISURE-TIME AC'FIVTTIES C~Jcl,ltta. and many residents come to the city daily, it is likely that they purchase many other periodicals, Very few residegts in the town are reported to have magazines and journals and daily papers published any sl?eCJfic leisure-time activity. The teenagers are from this State or from outside. Again, the exact mostly engaged in their studies and theiL leisure-time number of some other popular journals and magazines is spent mostly in the playfields. Likewise, the elderly like A (okpf.lf, India Today, Suktara, Monorama, people spend theIr leisure hours mo'>tly indoors or in Anant/,lInrla, Cftalldmama, Jasti Madhll Naha Kallnl temples or religious places. etc., circulated in the town could not be ascertained' tn general, people have no particular off-time there are two separate churches in the town, both activitity and do not have specified hours for rest or located in Old Krishnapur. Except the temples and recreation. People are generally found to listen to churches, there is no other place of workship for any radio programmes, read newspapers and periodicals other community. in their own houses or libraries, play at cards and gossip occasionally with friends. RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION OF THE HINDUS RAJ-RAJESWARI TEMPLE Out of 329 workers in the sample households, only 44 per cent reported some leisure-time activity. Six Raj-Rajeswari is believed to be the traditional male workers in Siddhartha Nagar Colony play at deity of one Nrishingha Nath Nandi Chowdhury, the cards during leisure. Out of the 34 male workers in local Zemindar, originally hailing from Barddhaman. Bagjola Refugee Camp having some recreational acti The worship of the Goddess Raj Rajeswal'i was vity, 15 play at cards, ten sing devotional songs, four reportedly introduced by the Zemindar family in the relax on gossips, two pursue subsidiary economic referent town towards the end of the eighteenth activity during kisure and one reads papers and cen.tury. The old temple at Barwaritala is complete1y journals, one listens to programmes broadcast by in ruins and no relics of the same can be traced. The radio and one has interest in vocal music. Out of 17 worship of the Goddess has been held in a tiled struc workers in Pa.I'Chim Narayantala having some recrea ture for the last 15 years. Recently a temple has been tional activity, seven watch television programmes, constructed in the same place with generous contribu five read papers and journals, and one each has tions from the public. The image of the Goddess Raj reported singing hymns (kirtana) and pursuing extra Rajeswari symbolises the advent: of the Goddess economic activlty, one reported gossiping, one reported Durga on earth from the lotus-like navel of Lord playing at cards and one reported coaching own Mahadeva with Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth) and children during leisure. Of the nine workers in Purba Saraswati (Goddess of learning) on both sides, Na~a?,antala having some pastime, three participate in while a little below are the images of Lord Indra, Lord activites of a club, two sing devotional songs and Varuna, Lord Pavana, Lord Brahma and Lord pursue a secondary economic activity while one Vishnu. Generally, the image-maker of Kumartuli in practises vocal music and another coaches his own Calcutta used to come and make the image, but now children. Among the 19 male workers of Prafulla the image is made by an artist from Nager Bazar in Katyan ~laving some recreational activities, seven spend South Dum Dum. It is said that in early days the t~eIr lelsure-time in watching television programmes, wors~ip :vas held' with pomp and pageantry with rich eIght are engaged in club activities three listen to contnbutIOns from the local Zemindars and, the local radio sets while one read newspap~rs and journals. tycoons among the fish-traders. But now the worship Out of four female workers, three watch television is done with austerity, observing just the traditional ,Programmes, while one reads daily newspaper and customary rituals. Of many legends about the Goddess Journals. Among the 23 workers in Rabindra PaW Raj Ra!e.l'ww:i, one _legend states that the worship was having some pastime, twelve watch television pro once chscontInued m 1943 and the organisers had to grammes, four read papers and journals two pay dearly for it through the loss of their dear play cards,. l~s.ten to :adio programmes and participate relations. III club activitles, whIle one atten,ds to the education of his own children. Out of the 32 male workers in Old . The worship is performed for three days from the Krishnapur having some leisure-time activities eleven thll'teenth day of the dark fortnight in the Bengali play cards, four pursue extra-economic 'activity month of Chaitra ~March-April) to the day of new and -.yatch television programmes, three read papers moon on the occasIOn, of Am-Baruni. A committee is and. Journals, t:vo sing devotional songs, listen to formed- and subseril?t}6h~ yarying from rupees ten. thousa~d to rupees twelvel·thousand are raised. from r~~lo sets, practise music and participate in club acti the reSIdents of t~e towrt' and the neighbouring vil v~tles, ~ne attends to gardening and another parti lages. The worshlp of Raj Rajeswari is said to be ~lp~tes III .outdoor games. The only female worker here the most eventful religious ceremony in the surround IS fond of spending the evening before her television set. ing areas. A fair'is held for five days where about one ~undred stalls are erected. Jatra (traditional RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION AND RELIGIOUS theatncal performances) and Putul nach (puppet ACTIVLTIES shows) mark the festivity. Reli~ious ins!itutions in t~e town are neither many SIVA TEMPLE n?r vaned. Knshnapur havmg been originally a VIllage of the s~heduled .castes, viz., the Tiyars, the Adjoinin_g t~e temple of Raj Rajeswari is one Poundra~Kshatnyas, the Kaoras, the Bagdis, etc., the te~ple ?f SIV~ III Ba!waritala. The temple is as old as ~aste Hmdus. were very few in number. Hence, there RaJ Ra/eswarz .. The lm.age o.f Lord Siva is worshipped IS no well-bUIlt tempk in the town. Recently, two big dail~. On sp~clal OCC:lS1ons lIke Charak and Siva-Ratri, temples have been constructed, one in Pra/ulla Kanan speCIal offenngs are made during worship hefore a and another in Rnbindl'{! Palli. Besides the temples, large congregati,on of devotees. 118 NAYAPATIBARUNITEMPLE built in 1980 at the initiative of Sri Dilip Dutta Roy and Sri Ram Dutta Roy, two building contractors. The Baruni temple at Nuyapati was established in Some donation towards construction of the buildings 1967 by Nayapati Fishermen's Cooperative Society. at a cost of more than rupees one lakh were also The structure has been renovated recently. There are received from the people. There is an attached resi three altars in the temple, one of Goddess Kali, one of dential quarter for the Brahman priest who officiates Goddess Bastu and one of Lord Siva. The are three during the worship twice a day. On special occasions other altars or raised earthen platforms meant for the like Kali Puja, Ratanti Kali Puja, Mahalaya etc. spe Goddess Silala, Lord Hari and the Goddess of Ban cial worship is held, drawing a large congregation of Bibi (the superintending folk deity of the forests), devotees from different parts of Rabindra PaW. outside the temples where worship of the respective deities is held on appropriate occasions. PRAFULLA KANAN KALI TEMPLE Most of the ceremonies and festivals in Nayapati There is another temple of the Goddess Kali at on the outskirt of the referent town like Durga Puja, Prafulla Kanan established in 1970 on public subs Kali Puja, etc. are held in the Baruni temple under the cription from the residents of the locality. The stone initiative of the Nayapati Football Club. image of the deity was donated by a Marwari business man at Nagerbazar. There are also images of Siva WORSHIP OF SANf (LORD SATURN) and Radha Krishna. A temple committee consisting of Sri H. S. Sinha as President and Sri B. Chakraborty There are five temples of Lord Sani and the God as Secretary and six other members is e,ntrusted with dess Dakshina Kali. In addition to the daily worship, the management of the temple. Though the temple special offerings are made every Saturday evening has been consecrated to Kali, it remains the compo where devotees gather to watch the religious cere site sacrarium for 400 households of Prafulla Kanan monies. It is a common belief that one is doomed and different festivals are held here regularly with the to fall in evil days bringing about failure, ill luck, large-scale participation of the devotees. Besides the misfortune and even death, if one, by chance, hap chanting of devotional songs, sacred scriptures includ pens to incur the wrath of Lord Saturn. The five ing the Bhagavad Gita are frequently read out before temples are located at Nayapati, Hana Para, Rabindra the devotees. A full-time Brahman priest is engaged Palli, Paschim Narayantala and Bagjola Refugee for officiating at the religious functions round the year. Camp. In most of the temples, the twin images of Lord Saturn and Goddess Dakshina Kali are jointly GHOSH PARA KALI TEMPLE worshipped. A small temple of Kali at Ghosh Para in Old TEMPLE OF SITALA Krishnapur was built in 1975-76 by Sri Upendra Nath Ghosh and made over to the public. Special worship The worship of the Goddess Sitala (the superin of the Goddess Kali is held here on the occasion of tending deity of small pox and chicken pox) is very Kali Puja. Sacred lighted lamps are placed and offer popular in the referent town. There are in all eight ings made to the raised altar daily. temples or altars where annual worship of the deity is held with great devotion. It is universally believed TEMPLE OF SIV A·KALI that the Goddess Sitala, if displeased by chance, is sure to take a heavy toll of lives and cause widespread A temple of the Goddess Kali and Lord Siva on ravage and depredation of an entire locality. The the junction of the V.I.P'. Road and Krishnapur Road temples of Sitala are located at Rajbanshi Para, Ghosh was established in 1971 by Siva-Kali Sangha in a tiled Para and Hana Para, while' the altars of Sitala are structure. The shrine has become the site for different located at Nayapati, Siddartha Nagar Colony, Barwari socia-religious celebrations and festivities of the club. tala, Bagjola Camp and Paschim Narayan tala. The Daily worship of the Goddess Kali is made here but temple at Rajbanshi Para is a private one while those special worship is arranged during the Kali Puja. at Ghosh Para and Hana Para are public temples. The temple at Ghosh Para in Old Krishnapur is an impres fEMPLE OF SIVA sive pucca structure, constructed in 1937. A Brahman The temple of Lord Siva in Paschim Narayantala priest performs the daily worship twice. Another is said to be one of the oldest in the sub-region. An temple, said to be very old, is located at Hana Para image of Lord Siva is worshipped daily. But special in a thatched structure where the daily worship of worship is organised during the Charak festival when the Goddess is held regularly. Besides, the deities of a fair is held on the adjoining temple-ground for a Sitala and Raksha Kali are also worshipped here with period of three to four days. great devotion in spring. SitaZa is also worshipped at all the sacred altars. RADHA·KRISHNA TEMPLE KARUNAMOYEE KALI TEMPLE There is a temple of Radha-Krishna by the side of Udayan Sangha in Bagjola Camp. Daily worship This private temple of the Goddess Kali is situated 1S held here. Devotional songs are chanted in the at Rabindra PaW by the side of Krishnapur Canal temple often. 119 YOGAPITHA TEMPLE HARl SABHAS (SHRINES OF LORD HARI) There arc three Hari Sabhas in the refugee colonies There is a small temple locating images of Sani, at Bagjola. Every evening devotional songs in praise Manasa and Radha-Krishna at Hana Para established of Lord Hari are sung there to the accompaniment of by a devoted Brahman Sri R. K. Chakraborty, a resi several traditional musical instruments like Khol (a dent of Rabindra Palli. Daily worship is held by a kind of indigenous drum) and Kartals (a kind of Brahmin priest. The expenses are defrayed from out clapper). On special occasions like lanmastami of the offerings from the public. (birth day of Lord Krishna) special devotional songs are sung continuously for 24 hours or 72 hours, before a large congregation of devotees who sprinkle OMKARESWAR TEMPLE flowers and sweets in honour of Lord H ari. The small temple of Omkareswar at Hana Para The discussion on the temples and religious has been built on the graveyard of Omkareswar, a shrines, the religious celebrations and festivities can great devotee of Lord Siva. After his death, the temple hardly unfold in full the long chain of socio-religious has been constructed on his graveyard according to rituals, ceremonies and festivities performed by the his last wishes. Here, Lord Siva is worshipped twice residents of the town round the year. The various a day. community festivals like Durga Puja, Kali Puja and Dwipavali, Lakshmi Puja, Saraswati Pllja provide the residents of Krishnapur opportunities to create the J ANAKAL YAN SANGHASHRAM festive atmosphere. These are the occasions when the town assumes a: gay look, numerous pandals are A socia-religious institution with its head office raised here and there in unconscious imitation of in Siliguri, it has four more branches located in the same in the great metropolis of Calcutta. Again, different places in West Bengal and Assam. Sri Sri a competitive spirit imbues various clubs and loca Swami Prankrishna Paramhangsha Deva, believed to lities to give a distinctive touch to their festivity. be a God incarnate by his numerous disciples, and J nail, about 16 community Durga, Pujas, 49 Kali possessing extraordinary accult powers and spiritual Pujas and numerous Lakshmi Pujas and Saraswati faculties, is the founder of the organisation. The Pujas are held throughout the town. Some of the spiritual founder also practises Yoga and meditation pandals are decorated and illuminated almost in keep~ and is said to look quite young, even though a ing with the trend set in Calcutta. cen tenarian. Various cultural functions including staging of The Krishnapur (Baguihati) branch of the organi latras and theatrical performances, musical functions, sation was established in 1978 and located in Pllrba cinema shows and fairs and festivals are organised Narayantala on V.l.P. Road. A committee of seven in the wake of the community festivals. On these occasions some 9rganisers also undertake some social members with Shri K. K. Bhaduri (aged 64 years service programmes like distribution of clothes among and a retd. Govt. servant) looks after the day-to-day the poor and the dcstitutes and community feeding administration of the organisation which aims at in of the poor. culcation of social and religious values among the common people, so as to make them tolerant and RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND CEREMONIES OF enlightened. The main objective of the organisation THE CHRISTIANS is said to be to help the people attain a better and nobler life. For the Christian community in Old Krishnapur, there are three churches, two in the town and one in the adjoining village Tarulia. 'There is a separate temple of Radha-Krishna, the deities being worshipped daily with devotion from FMMANUEL CHURCH early morning till night. Religious and devotional songs are sung regularly and every evening devotees The oldest church in the region, it was establish gather in the temple to participate in the religious ed in 1829 under the Diocese of Calcutta, affiliated functions. The construction of a separate temple to the Church of North India. But some of the of Lord Mahadeva and the Goddess Bhabatarini has elderly Christian functionaries attached to the Church already been undertaken. claim on the basis of old records that the activities of the Church were started from 1809. About 150 households, 75 from Krishnapur, 55 from the adjoin The institution also runs a charitable dispensary ing village Tarulia, 15 from Thakdari and five from to meet the medical needs of the poor people. Contri J agatpur are affiliated to the Church. Recently, the butions have ~()m~times been remitted to the West building of the Church has been thoroughly renovated Bengal Chief Minister's Relief Fund. The expenses at an approximate cost of rupees one lakh, mostly of the organisation are defrayed from contributions from grants of the Diocese, to enable a congregation from the .public and the devotees as also from the of 300 devotees to perform the prayers. There is daily offerings in the temple. one resident Pastor attached to the Church. Services i20 are held every morning and special services are the Church were once under Emmanuel Church. arranged every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. On But Shri Ranjit Kumar Biswas, the present Pastor Sunday, prayers are offered both in the mornl11g and and a resident of Calcutta, is believed to have cured in the evening. The assemblage in the evenll1g ser dIseases by touching the patients and has thereafter vice on Sunday has an attendance of 100 persons drawn the present followers. The Church has set from both the sexes. The prayers arc offered in up a school and a medical unit, looked after by one Bengali. The Christians observe two festivals annu doctor from the Assembly of God Church Hospital ally, namcly the Eastcr and the Christmas, on the in Calcutta along with two or three sisters. Patients occasIOn ot which special services are organised. varying from 25 to 60 are examined on a token During these festivals the Christians decorate their payment of consultation fees of 0.25 Paise per head. homes as also the Church with foliage, streamers of The Church has no burial ground of its own. white and red papers and multi-coloured balloons. Candles are lit in the Church and a1so in the houses. Services are held daily in the Church while special The people are attired in new clothes and take speci services are held on Sundays. Besides, the Easter, ally prepared food at home. Christmas and Good Friday arc also observed in the Chnrch. The Church is running a school upto Class IV, a handicrafts-training centre, onc adult literacy centre HOLY FAMILY CHURCH for the females and one night school. It has also undertaken a nutritional programme. Beside." 20 des Established in 1884 and located at the adjoin titute widows are granted rupees twenty per month ing village Tarulia, this is the church of the Roman for sclf-maintenance. The Mission has a total landed Catholics. About 41 households including ten area measuring about 15,000 sq. metres, part of families from Krishnapur visit this Chureh regUlarly. which is occupied by Mission Bazar. The expenses of the Mission are met from incomes from the market, CRIME STATISTICS periodic donations and subscriptions from the devo tees and also from grants from the Diocese from The position of law and order in thc town is time to time. on the whole satisfactory. The incidence of crime is low, but gambling and alcoholism are rather high. ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH The Rajarhat Police Station has jurisdiction over the whole of the town, with a police out-post near Bagui Established in 1975 and located in Christian Para, hati market. In 1985 (J anuary to December) 23 this Church, affiliated to the Assembly of God Church, criminal cases in the referent town were registered Calcutta, caters for the spiritual requirements of 50 with the police station. The Table XII.3 relates to persons in 23 households. Most of the members of the registered cases. TABLE XII. 3 Crime statistics ------_------~----- Particulars of crime Numbe of cases _------1. Forcible collection of subscription . 2. Rioting and theft . 3. Rioting and causing grie\ous hurt 4 4. Wrongful restraint and causing injury 2 5. Theft . .' 7 / 6, Burglary 2 7. Cruelty to wife and causing abetment to commit suicide 8. Abduction and wrongful confinement 9. Rioting and attempt to murder /' 10. Wrongful re~traint and culpable homicide not amounting to murder Total 73 ---_ ------_--- 121 Of the 23 cases, 13 cases were charge-sheeted ceptives, two had inserted loops (IUD), 15 had and the remaining ten cases were pending investiga undergone tubectomy, while one has been using con tion with the police. There were five cases of road traceptive jelly. Out of nine married females in the accidents all of which were charge-sheeted. Besides, age-group of 20-29, four have been using oral contra 26 cases of deviant' behaviour were also registered ceptives, while five had undergone tubectomy opera with the police stations. Five of these were cases tion. Of the 21 married females in the age-group of of . unnatural death, four cases were of gambling, 30-39, 11 have been using oral contraceptives, nine whIle there were 17 cases of alcoholism under section have undergone tubectomy and one has been using 296 of IPC. contraceptive jelly. While out of the four females in the age-group of 40-49, three have been using oral SOCIAL AWARENESS contraceptives, one has undergone tubectomy. ATTITUDE TOWARDS FAMILY PLANNING It is interesting to note that none of the married A question on family planning was canvassed males below 30 years and no married female below among 129 married informants, all of whom are 20 years has used any family planning measure. A reported to be aware of the possibility of prevention castewise break up of the informants reveals that the of births by deliberate means and are also aware of communities like the Brahmans, the Kayasthas, the one or more family planning devices. Baidyas and the Sahas are practising family planning measures in greater numbers than other castes and . The kins of or non-kin persons known to 112 the scheduled castes like the Namasudras, the l1~formants are reportedly practising some family plan Poundra-Kshatriyas, the Tiyars, the Kaoras etc. mng measures. Of them, 24.1 per cent are reportedly using condoms, 17.8 per cent are using both condoms The educational level of the persons actually and oral contraceptives on rotational basis, 42 per adopting family planning measures reveals that the cent have undergone surgical operation, 9.8 per cent higher educational level of a person makes him more are using oral contraceptives exclusively, while 6.3 favourably disposed to t~ family planning measures. per cent have used loops (intra-uterine devices). Among the illiterates, only 36 per cent are practising family planning. Amo.1g the literates upto class IX Again, to the question of desirable number of only 42.3 per cent are adopting family planning . sons and daughters put to all the 129 informants, two measures, while among the literates who are matri respondents have evaded replies. Of the rest, 57.5 culates and above, 90.9 per cent are practising family per cent have opted for two children including one planning methods. son and one daughter, while 37.8 per cent have favoured a size of three comprising two sons and one Again if the level of education of the informant daughter. Only one person opted for one son, while is correlated to particular family planning measure five persons prefer four children constituted by two adopted, it is observed that out of the eight illiterates sons and two daughters. Among the 24 illiterate practising family planning measures, two have been informants, 13 preferred one son and one daughter using condoms while six have undergone tubectomy. while 11 preferred two sons and one daughter. Likewise, among 30 persons with education upto Class Among the 70 literate informants with education upto X and practising family planning, 12 males are using Class X, 35 preferred one sun and one daughter, 31 condoms, one male has undergone vescetomy, six preferred two sons and one daughter, while four females are using oral contraceptives, two are using preferred two sons and two daughters. Among the loops, eight haxe undergone tubectomy while one is 33 informants who are matriculates and above, 25 using contraceptive jelly. Among the 30 persons opted for one son and one daughter family, six opted educated upto matriculation and above and using for two sons and one daughter family, while one each family planning measures, 18 males are using condoms, opted for one son and 2 sons and 2 daughters unit. 11 females oral contraceptives, while only one female has undergone tubectomy. It is also observed that ~bout t~e act~al practice of different types or among the males, condoms are more popular than famIly planmng deVIces, 53.5 per cent of 129 married any other family planning measure, while among the informants have been using different measures with females, tubectomy is more popular among the 47.8 per cent of the measures being adopted by the illiterates and moderately literate. But it is not married ~ales and 52.2 per cent being adopted by accepted widely by the educated section. the mamed females. Out of 33 married males practising family planning measures, 32 are using 1'. WARENESS ABOUT VARIOUS SOCIAL LEGISLATIONS condoms while one had undergone vasectomy. All t~e eleven malcs in the age-group of 30-39 and the In order to probe into the knowledge and attitude SIX males aged 50 years or above have been using of the informants in 200 sample households towards condoms exclusively. All but one of the] 6 males in various social legislations such as Hindu Succession the age-group of 40-49 have been using condoms Act, Hindu Marriage Act, Dowry Act, Child Marriage while one had undergone vasectomy. Act, Abolition of Untouchability Act, Abolition of Child Labour Act and Hindu Adoption Act some Among the 36 married females practising family questions have been posed. It has been foudd that planning measures, 18 have been using oral contra- 92 per cent of the informants are aware of various 9 Census/88 16 .122 social legislations. Among the illiterates, 74.5 per the social evils, while nine others think that the enact cent are aware of the social legislations, while 25.5 ment would usher in real social uplift of the per cent are not. All but one of the literate infor womenfolk. mants with educational standard upto Class X are aware of various social legislations and all but one 52.5 per cent of the informants are aware of the of the informants who are matriculates and above Hindu 'Succession Act. Seventyseven informants are aware of the social legislations. opine that the practical implementation of the act would usher in greater social justice, 20 informants - In order to assess the efficacy of the measures to are of the view that it would end the discrimination eradicate social evils, some questions have been put of sex in matters of succession, five persons remark to the informants. Of 200 informants, 16 are aware that it would bring about greater consciousness among of the measures. All the 184 informants, aware of the women while three others think that it would bring the social legislations, are unanimous that mere enact about real social upliftment. ment of social legislation is inadequate in eradicating While thirty nine per cent of the informants are the 'social evils. Out of them, 49 informants despite aware of the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 54 of the agreeing to the inadequacy of social legislation have informants opine that it would curb in the long run not suggested any alternative. the population explosion, 20 persons are of the view that it would eradicate the social evil ~f early marriage Of the remaining 135 informants, who have while four others feel that it would indirectly solve pointed out utter inadequacy of various social legisla many socio-economic problems. tions and suggested various alternative measures, 20 emphasized the need to build up strong public Of the informants, 26.5 per cent are aware of consciousness, 12 of them suggested real education Untouchability Offences Act. Thirty seven infor of the people, another 12 stressed on universal educa mants suggest that the act would pave for greater tion, while 91 informants suggested very stringent and social justice, specially to the down-trodden people ruthless punitive measures on the part of the govern and also to the people belonging to the scheduled ment to eradicate various social evils and to translate castes and tribes. various social legislations into reality. While 24 per cent of the informants are aware of the Hindu Marriage Act, two thirds of the informants About the relative awareness of various types of are of the view that it would bring greater social social legislations and attitude of the informants to justice while the rest feel that it would eradicate the them, it has been found that the 62.5 per cent of the social evil. informants are aware of the prevention of Dowry Act. Ninety six informants are of the view that the enact Only 11 per cent of the informants are aware of ment will pave the way for equality of sex and greater the abolition of Child Labour Act while four per cent social justice, 20 informants opine that it will eradicate are aware of Hindu Adaptation Act. CALCUTTA NORTH-EAST METROPOLITAN REGION N INCLUDING DUM DUM-RAJARHAT SUB-REGION KANCHRAPARA p.s. "This IS a deflluhon ""ed for the purpose of the study of Krl$hnapur Town only and do.. not have an)' relation W'lth the deflnlhon of Calcutta Metropolitan aria appearing In the West aengol Town and Country (Plonnlng a O..... lopm.nt) Act of 1979- (\I. l.., i -·.. f\ j lEGENDS \J BOUNCARY. DISTRICT TOWN UNDER STUDY SU8- DIVISION NATIONAL HIGHWAY NH• 35 POLICE STATION STATE HIGHWAY 5H2 HEADQUARTERS , .DISTRICT ., IMPORTANT METALLED ROAD " SUB-DIVI SlO~ © RAILWAY LINE WITH STATION,BROAD GAUGE CITY, TOWN e .• RIVER - Ilkscd upon Survc)' of Indio. mop with lb. ptrmlUlon of tht SlIrvryor Guitar of Indie 9 Cgnsus/S8 CHAPTER·XIII LINKAGE AND CONTINUUM INTRODUCTION hand and the two subdivisions of Barasat and Barrack pore in the district of North 24-Parganas on the other Krishnapur has so far been discussed partly in hand. For the purpose of the present discussion, the isolation and partly in the context of the sUb-region Calcutta-Barrackpore-Barasat Region, identified as the to which it belongs. The study of an urban centre contiguous surrounding areas to which Krishnapur has can hardly be complete without reference to its geo not only economic but also social and cultural nexus, graphical region. Krishnapur is not simply a geo is named North Eastern Metropolitan Region. This graphical area containing an aggregate of people living region within the limits of the eastern Gangetic delta, within its confines, bereft of any interaction with areas is more or less fiat, raised somewhat above the flood and people outside. This town, like any other, is level. subject to myriads of forces and processes of inter action, social, cultural and economic, that emanate GENERAL DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC from the socio-cultural milieu of the region and impinge on the town. Till 1986 the referent town CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REGION was included in the district of 24-Parganas which derived its name from the number of Parganas or The North Eastern Metropolitan Region, though fiscal divisions under the Zemindary of Calcutta, compact and more or less a geographically homo ceded to the East India Company in 1757 by Mir geneous tract of land, presents some contrasting tex Jafar, Nawab Nazim of Bengal. By and large, the tures. The narrow strip of land all along the eastern district lay within the limits of the Gangetic delta side of the river Hugli from Naihati to Calcutta com and its physical features are those common to the prises the northern core of the urban continuum of • deltaic terrain. Calcutta Urban Agglomeration and is highly indus trialised, being studded with a never-ending chain of The district of the 24-ParganaS can be divided industries like jute mills, cotton mills, paper mills, into two broad geographical divisions, the northern chemical factories and various engineering industries. inland tract which is fairly well-raised deltaic land The eastern part of this region comprising five police of old formation and the low-lying Sunderbans towards stations of Barasat subdivision continues to be largely the seaboard on the south which is a network of rural with the main prop of economic activity resting tidal channels, marshy swamps, rivers, creeks and on agriculture. Krishnapur, the referent town, within islands. the police station of Rajarhat, marks an end to the urban continuum of Calcutta and the beginning of the It is pertinent that from the geographical point of vast rural hinterland. view Krishnapur originally formed a part of the Sunderban region and marked the northernmost point The NO! th Eastern Metropolitan Region, the of the low-lying marshy continuum of the Sunderbans. identified region of the referent town, comprises the Stories of Portuguese pirates moving in their fast city of Calcutta, Barrackpore subdivision and Barasat moving canoes from Tardahas (about 15 kms to the subdivision. The subdivision of Barrackpore has 14 north-east) to the marshy swamps around Krishnapur police stations viz., Bijpur, Naihati, Jagatdal, Noapara, are widely recounted now. Though the days of the BarlTackpore, Titagarh, Khardaha, Baranagar, Bel Portuguese pirates are far bygone, it is an established gharia, Nimta, Dum Dum, Air Port, Lake Town and fact that a few tributaries of the Bidyadhari river con Salt Lake, while the subdivision of Barasat comprises nected Krishnapur with the Sunderban region through five police stations viz. Habra, Amdanga:, Barasat, the Salt Water lakes. But, with the gradual silting Deganga and Rajarhat. The demographic charac of the tributaries of the Bidyadhari river and the gra teristics of the region can be seen from the Appendix dual reclamation of the Salt Water lakes climaxing Table No. 62. in the founding of the Salt Lake City, the connection of Krishnapur with the SunderfJan region was finally Area-wise, Calcutta occupies nearly one fourteenth, snapped and the town today is linked to the northern Barrackpore one-fourth, while Barasat occupies nearly inland tract now notified as a separate district of two-thirds of the total area of the North Eastern North 24-Parganas. Metropolitan Region, but Calcutta accounts for nearly one-half, Barrackpore a little over one-third, while The district of North 24-Parganas comprises four Barasat accounts [or nearly one-sixth of the total subdivisions, Barasat, Barrackpore, Bangaon and popUlation. This great disparity in the distribution Basirh'at. But Krishnapur has no normal intercourse of popUlation in the region can be related mainly to whatsoever with the latter two subdivisions, located socio-economic factors and differential economic op at a considerable distance from the town. By the portunities in the three constituent segments of the twin criteria of linkage and continuum, Krishnapur region. The density of population per sq. kilometre has interaction with the city of Calcutta on the one for Calcutta is as high as 31,779, that for Barrackpore 124 is 6,731, while that for Barasat is 1,250. In the con Last but not the least, mention may be made of text of the subdivision of Barasat to which the town th~ decadal growth rate. The decadal growth rate for of Krishnapur belongs, the density of Krishnapur of the city of Calcutta is significantly low at 5.0 which 2,771 persons per sq. kilometre is much higher than is much lower than even the natural growth rate of that for its subdivision. population. Side by side, the same for the Barrack pore subdivision is quite high and that for Barasat is Regarding rural-urban components of population moderate. Much of the enigma concerning the abys and areas, it is found that Calcutta is wholly urban, mally low growth rate of Calcutta can be partly ex two-thirds of the areas of Barrackpore subdivision are plained by the significantly high growth rate of the urban, while only one-tenth of the area of Barasat referent town (69.6 per cent) and, for that matter, subdivision is urban. So far as rural-urban compo· for most other similar towns in the metropolitan area. nents of population are concerned, Calcutta has wholly The growth of population being a function of natural urban population, while 93.8 per cent of the people growth and migration, the decadaI natural growth rate in Barrackpore subdivision and 31.7 per cent of the of Calcutta is more than its decadal growth rate. The ,Persons in Barasat subdivision live in urban areas. 'flight from Calcutta' to the metropolitan fringe is the obvious explanation for the demographic phenomenon. The economic characteristics of the region can be The sex-ratio (number of females per thousand explained with the help of the Appendix Table No. 63. males) partly reflecting the pattern of migration is 712 in Calcutta, 821 in Barrackpore subdivision and If the percentage of participation in working force 944 in Barasat subdivision. The lower sex-ratio in be a pointer to the opportunities of em_ployment, it is Calcutta and in the industrial belt of Barrackpore is found that such opportunities are the highest in Cal accounted for by the overwhelming number of males, cutta, followed by Barrackpore and Barasat subdivi mostly in the working age-group, who have left sions. Both in matters of male and female parti other members of the family behind in their native cipation, the percentages are much higher in Calcutta homes. The higher sex-ratio in Barasat subdivision than those in the other two segments. and the referent town (943) implies the settlement of persons of both sexes. The higher sex-ratio in It is remarkable that the primary sector is com Krishnapur town located in the metropolitan fringe of pletely insignificant (0.5) in Calcutta, almost insigni· Calcutta, notwithstanding the overwhelming majority ficant (3.2) in the industrial Barrackpore subdivision, of migrants, can be explained by the peculiar nature but is highly significant in Barasat subdivision, ac of migration. Here most of the migrants, whether counting for nearly half of the labour fbrce. In the from erstwhile Ea5t Pakistan, or from Calcutta or regional context, the percentage of workers in the from the adjoining urban areas, have moved in a body referent town (24.9) is much lower than that in all with all the members of the family inmigrating together. the constituent segments. Again, against the a,grarian background of the subdivision to which the referent The ratio of households to houses is more or less town belongs, the primary sector is rather insignificant uniform in the region with a slightly higher ,ratio in in Krishnapur town mainly because --of its locational Calcutta. poximity to the metropolis of Calcutta and also be cause of the recent spurt in trading and manufacturing The percentage of literacy, as expected, is the activities in the town under study. highest in Calcutta, closely followed by Barrac.kpore subdivision, while the same is much lower in Barasat URBAN CENTRES subdivision. The much higher rate of literacy (58 per cent) in the referent town compared to the samt:; In the region of the present study, <;::alcutta with in the subdivision to which it belongs can be explained a popUlation of 3,305,006 is able to maintain its by tfie unique location of Krishnapur almost on the preeminent position as the. primate city of the country. outskirt of Calcutta and partly also by the composition Calcutta does not have any rural population. of population in the referent town where a substantial section of population comprises the literate inmigrants In Barrackpore subdivision, there are 32 urban from the city of Calcutta. centres including eight cities wi~h 77 villages. The number of urban centres per 100 villages stands at It is also worth noting that the percentage of sche 41.6. The names of the eight' cities are Naihati, Bhat duled tribes is almost negligible in the entire ;North para, Barrackpore, Titagarh, Panihati, Kamarhati. Eastern Metropolitan Region. The percentage of Baranagar and South Dum Dum. scheduled castes is only 4.5 in Calcutta, followed by 10.1 in Barrackpore and 16.6 in Barasat subdivisions. In Barasat subdivision there are only eleven urban Compared to this the percentage of scheduled caste centres along with 559 villages and the number of is significantly high (45.9 per cent) in the referent urban centres per 100 villages stands at 1.97, high town. This is so because the sons of the soil belong lighting the predominantly rural background of Bara to the scheduled caste population and also because sat. The~ is no city and Habra with a population of most of the displaced inmigrants from erstwhile East more than 74 thousand continues to be the most popu Pakistan belong to the scheduled caste of Nama lous town, Krishnapur holding the sixth rank in terms sudras. of popUlation in Barasat subdivision. 125 SYSTEM OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATlON paper, rail wagons, cranes, enamel goods, motor tyres, edible oil, chemical goods, aluminium products, hand The North Eastern Metropolitan Region is well loom textiles, paper machines, handloom products, connected by road transport, trains and airways. Nai paints and varmshes, medicine, electrical and electro hati at a dIstance of 46 kilometres from the city of nic goods, besides varieties of engineering goods. The Calcutta is the northernmost point of the region, productive activities in Barasat subdivision are com Gobardanga at a distance of 58 kms. is the farthest paratively of a much smaller dimension and centre point in the north-east, while Deganga at a distance of round items like tobacco products, plywood and card 46 kilometre:> continues to be the eastern limit. All board, elt~ctrical and electronic goods, hosiery, chemi the places, Naihati in the north, Gobardanga in the cals, some limited items of engineering goods, chemi north-cast and Deganga in the east, are connected by cals and medicines and items like cane and bamboo Calcutta with railways. Again the State Highway con products, bakery products, manufacture of candle nects Naihati with Calcutta, the National Highway sticks etc. connects Amdanga in the north and Habra in the north-east with Calcutta, while the State Highway GENERAL DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC connects Deganga with Calcutta via Barasat. Besides CHARACTERISTICS OF SUB-REGION the highways, there are numerous other roads connect ing ditlerent places in the region with Calcutta. Almost In the preceding discussion, some characteristics of all the police stations in the region are accessible by the region in which the referent town is located have buses and trains from Calcutta. Lastly, the inter been outlined. It is now proposed to highlight' some national airport at Dum Dum is incidentally located of the characteristics of the Dum Dum-Rajarhat Sub in the region. Region to which the referent town belongs. Four contiguous police stations viz., Raj arhat, within the MAIN PRODUCTIVE ACTIVI1IES ~ubdivision of Barasat and Dum Dum, Air Port and S~lt Lake within the subdivision of Barrackpore con According to the functional character, Calcutta is, stitute th~ sub-region. Krishnapur is linked not only as per 1971 Census data, a trading-cllm-industrial geographically but also economically, socially and cllm-service city, Barrackpore is mainly an industrial culturally with the sub-region. The Dum Dum-Rajar subdivision, while Barasat subdivision is still predomi h~t Sub-Region e?'tending over an area of 156 square nantly agricultural. kilometres comprIses a population of 638 282 with a density. of 4,092 persons per sq. kilom~tre. Some A~ per 1981 Census Town Directory, the three economJC and demographic characteristics of the sub most Important commodities imported to Calcutta are region are indicated in Appendix Table No. 64 so as petroleum, coal and iron and steel. Similarly, the to have a better idea about the sub-regional perspec ~o~t. important items imported to Barrackpore sub tive and dimension of the referent town. dlvision are coal, petroleum, kerosene oil, raw jute, raw ~~tton: food-grains, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, Among the four police stations of Dum-Dum Sub-Reg~fJn, ~umllllUm m~ot, raw wool, silica, steel, pig iron, steel Barasa.t the police station of Rajarhat Ingots, chemIcals, wood, timber and bamboos while compnses nearly half the total area of the sub-region, most important items imported to Barasat subdivision closely f?llowed by SaIt Lake, the police station newly are wheat, pulses, edible oil, food, textiles, coal, ready created III 1981. Dum Dum, the immediate metro made garments etc. politan continuum of Calcutta, is the most congested area of the sub-region with a population density of Again, the three most important items exported 22,495 per sq. kilometre (compared to 31,779 for from Calc~tta are jute products, tea and engineering Calcutta), closely followed by the two police stations goods, whIle those from Barrackporc subdivision cover of Air Port and Salt Lake. In the context of the jute products, textile products, paper, aluminium pro sub-region, th~ police station of Rajarhat has a very ducts, various machinery parts, iron slippers, engineer moderate d.enslty and the referent town with a density ing goods, medicine, glass, surgical bandages mustard of 2,771 stdl seems to have l?ts of breathing space in railway cranes, gramophone che the ba~kground of t.he denslty of population in the o~, wa~ons, rec~rds, sub-regIOn. The ratIo of households to house is uni mIcal goods, tm containers, arms and ammunition ~etal castings, steel castings, paints, electro-mecha~ form in the entire sub-region, meaning thereby that mcal goods, paper machines etc. and those from every ho.usehold .has at least a house. Excepting in the polIce statIOn of Raj arhat, the percentage of Barasat comprise raw jute, vegetables, fish, meat and urban to total population is very high because of the poul~r~ produc~s, stainless steel, engineering goods, fact that most of the areas of these police stations mediCInC, chemIcals etc. com~rise u~ban ~ontinuum of Calcutta. It may be mentIOned ~n thIS connection that the city of South . . Regarding manufacturing activities in the region, Dum I?um In Dum Dum police station and Salt Lake It IS observed that the three most important commo Town In .Sall Lake police station connect the referent diH~s. manufact~red in Ca~cutta are engineering goods, to,,:n wlth Calcutta. The sex-ratio in the sub eJectncal goods and chemIcals. fn the industrial sub regIOn as a whole is a little above 900 females per division of Barrackpore the productive activities thousand males. In all, there are 52 villages and 13 mainly centre round manufacturing of jute, cotton, urban centres in the sub-region and number of urban 126 centres per 100 villages is 25. If there are 300 tion of Klishnapur with 42 other urban centres at urban centres for 100 villages in Dum Dum police the region was practically non-existent in its pre station, it is because the same has only one village urban days. The interaction has started only after but three urban centres within its jurisdiction. The 1971 so as not to call for any immediate conclusion. police station of Rajarhat has a comparably lower literacy rate of 49.8 because of its rural components. But, there are several dimensions in the emerging relationship. First, the referent town has started a Again, the percentage of workers III the sub-region is, more or less, uniform but it is substantially higher parasitic tunctional relationship with Calcutta, the in the newly created and planned town of Bidhan state capital, and other urban areas. It has already Nagar Township (Salt Lakc City) in the wake of been revealed how majority of the working force in heightened constructional activities. Last but not the referent town, specially those engaged in white the least, the category-wise distribution of work co1lar jobs, commute to Calcutta and the areas around. ers in the sub-region confirms the near eclipse of Thus Krishnapur functions more as a dormitory town the agricultural sector except in the police station of of Calcutta than as anything else. These people move Rajarhat having still a substantial agricultural out for the city early in the morning and trek back following. home in the evening. As regards the trading and business establish The preceding demographic and economic analysis ments in the referent town, most of the owners and of the sub-region highlights the fact that Krishnapur entrepreneurs have always to turn their attention to along with three other contiguous towns in Rajarhat Calcutta, wherefrom traders purchase their merchan~ police station viz., Jyangra, Arjunpur and Raghunath disc from various wholesale markets and the entre pur are unmistakably linked with the north-eastern preneurs buy raw materials and supply urban continuum of Calcutta, because of their pecu the finished products to establishments in Calcutta. liar locational advantage with reference to the V.I.P. Again, the average consumer in the referent town, Road and the planned city of Salt Lake as also their even though purchasing their local neyds from the very close proximity not only to Calcutta but also to daily markets, visits the shopping and marketing cen the surrounding urban ring. But the police station tres in Calcutta at the time of making bulk purchases, of Rajarhat excluding its urban centres still continues especially during festive occasions. to be predominantly rural with the economy subsist ing substantially on agrarian base. And thus the The ~tudents in the referent town, specially those urban setting of Krishnapur is distinguished very in pl1rsuit of higher or technical education or training, sharply from other areas in Rajarhat police station. have no option other than turning to the educational In the sub-regional perspective, however, Krishnapur centres in Calcutta. It has already been pointed out and the three other recently sprung-up contiguous that about fifty per cent of the collegiate student!. towns, lacking in the basic civic amenities like attend colleges in Calcutta, Again for the purpose drainage and conservancy, well-maintained roads of hospital treatment or specialist medical consulta·, and other urban infrastructural facilities, appear to tion, the residents of Krishnapur have also to rusb be out of tune with the larger urban frame of to Calcutta. Calcutta still provides socia-cultural Calcutta-Dum-Dum-Salt Lake City. Krishnapur com rejuvenation to majority of the residents of Krishna prising a part of the Salt Water Lakes and earlier pur, specially to the in migrants frobI the city of inhabited predominantly first by scheduled caste Calcutta. These people have shifted their residence population of fishermen and marginal farmers and but not their souls to Krishnapur. Nor they have subsequently by the displaced persons and cut off snapped their socio-cultural moorings with the city, for a long time from the transport network of Calcutta During holidays and on various festive occasions, the till the construction of V. r. P. Road in the sixties, residents of the town rush ,to Calcutta either to meet remained more or less backward and neglected and relations, or to attend religious functions or cultural languished for a long time under the shadow of shows. Even for recreational purpose, Calcutta under-development. In fact, Krishnapur has just caught holds the key. To attend a recently released film public attention after the development of the sur to view a dramatic performance or to listen to ~ rounding urban areas has more or less been com musical programme of populf\t artists, or to watch plete. Against this setting Krishnapur is yet to be the games of football or cricket, the residents of the integrated in the SUb-regional urban development. town always turn to the city. In a word, because of the nature of one way relationship, Krishnapur has SPECIAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL become almost a socio-cultural client of Calcutta. RELA nON WITH OTHER TOWNS OF THE REGION . One may also ~xamine the nexus of Krishnapur WIth other towns m the Dum-Dum-Rajarhat Sub It is very difficult to comprehend fully the web Region. The towns in the sub-region are Raghunath of relations of the referent town with other towns in pur (2 kms.), Jyangra (0 km.), Arjunpur (0 km.), the region within the ambit ,of a rapid survey. As South Dum Dum (0 km.), Garui (8 kms.), Sultan pointed. out earli~r, there are 43 urban centres includ pur (9 kms.), North Dum Dum (5 kms.), Bisarpara mg Knshnapur III the North Eastern Metropolitan (7 kms.), Dum Dum Aerodrome Area (6 kms.), Region, viz., the city of Calcutta, 11 urban centres Gopalpur (7 kms.), Dum Dum (7 kms.) and Salt in Barasat subdivision and 31 in Barrackpore sub Lake (0 km.). The workers in the town specially division. The socio-economic and cultural interac- the ,blue-collar job-workers, are engaged in the mills 127 and factories and other engineering establishments of the marriages of the camp refugees and only 19.3 mostly located in the specified towns. It has per cent of the marriages of the inmigrants have b~en pointed out in the economic chapter that taken place with rural areas. About 50 per cent the bulk of the construction and daily labourers of the marriages of the original settlers have been including the roving carpenters, mechanics, hawkers contracted within a zone of 10 kilometres, and all but and manual workers are engaged in Salt Lake city, six of the marriages have taken place mostly with Jyangra, Arjunpur, Dum Dum, North Dum Dum, rural areas within a zone of 30 kilometres. What is South Dum Dum, Lake Town etc. Some of the most significant is that 72.7 per cent of the marriages traders residing in Krishnapur have their trading of the old settlers have been contracted within 20 establishments like shops, market stalls or ways~je kilometres and' the marital ties arc established mostly stalls in those towns. The milkmen, the fishermen with the adjoining villages in Rajarhat police station and the rickshaw-pullers also depend on towns in t:pe and some other villages in the police station of immediate periphery of Krishnapur. The residents Bhangar. of Krishnapur who cannot visit Calcutta make pur chase of their goods and provisions in bulk during Among the camp refugees, only 22 per cent of festive occasions from Dum Dum-Baguihati mar the marriages have taken place within 20 kilometres. ket complexes. 34.1 per cent of the marriages have been contracted within the zone of 50-100 kilometres covering the Many school-going and collegiate students are police stations of Habra, Gaighata, Bangaon and also enrolled in the educational and professional Bagdah within the district of North 24-Parganas and institutions in the urban areas of Jyangra, Arjunpur. Chakadah, Ranaghat, and Tehatta within the district Dum Dum, South Dum Dum, Salt Lake etc. Quite of Nadia, bordering the erstwhile East Pakistan, some people also visit these towns for going to the while 28.6 per cent of the marriages have taken movies and also for consulting physicians. place beyond the zone of 100 kilometres in various other refugee camps and also with places in present The interaction of Krishnapur with towns beyond Bhangar. the sub-region is much less frequent and intense. If Krishnapur has to depend on Barasat, it is because of Among the inmigrant population, 80.7 per cent the latter town being the administrative headquarters of the marriages have been contracted with urban of the district and of the subdivision. The people of areas. Again, 78.1 per cent of all marriages have the referent town have to visit Barasat on a number been instituted within a zone of 30 kilometres the of occasions in connection with law-suits or to pur imponant places being Calcutta (30 per cent), H~bra, sue pending cases or distribution of loans or other South Dum Dum, Barasat, Ichapur, Khardah Barrack grants. pur, Panihati, and many other towns in the North East Metropolitan Region. The marital zone of a -Thus, on review, it appears that Krishnapur has place reflects its socio-cultural zone too, connoting an active and sustained linkage with Calcutta and the inflow and outflow of members from the town to other towns in its immediate neighbourhood within the places with which marital ties subsist. An affinal the sub-region. Krishnapur's dependence on Barasat, relationship pres!lpposes warm and intense inte'raction the district and subdivisional headquarter, is casuaJ patt~rn in the ~orm of visits and reciprocal visits of and infrequent, occasioned only by administrative re relatIOns. Agamst such a back-drop, the socio-cuI quirements of the concerned residents. tu~al zone ~f the original settlers of Krishnapur com pnses the VIllages of the two adjoining police stations MARITAL ZONE of Bhangar and Rajarhat, that of the camp refugees cuts across the boundaries of the region and extends The places with which the members of the mostly to the police stations bordering West Bengal sample households have established matrimonial rela with Bangia Desh, while the socia-cultural zone of the tionship have been studied with reference to various inmigrant population is confined mostly to the zones according to distance. Each marital zone urban area~ of North Eastern Metropolitan Region, implies the number of marriages that have taken Calcutta stIll dominating the social scene as in the place in each zone, located at a particular distance economic sphere too. from the rderent town. Appendix Table No. 65 gives an idea about the number of marriages taking TRAVEL INDEX OF THE POPULATION. place in each marital zone. Information on the travel index was also collected. The maximum distance from the town which was ever It appears that only eight marriages have been travelled by the members aged five years and above contracted within the town itself, five taking place of .the saml?)e households have .fi~st been computed. among the original settlers, two among the camp ThIS travel mdex has been determmed by adding up refugees and only one among the migrant population maximum distances travelled by all persons aged five Several interesting features relating to the socia-cul years and above in the sample households and divid tural zone of the referent town emerge from the ing it by. the. number ?f persons of the same ages. analysis of the data. It is found that 69.7 per cent The localItY-WIse travel Index of the population of the of the marriages of the original settlers, 70.3 per cent town is given in Table XIII. 1. 128 TABLE XIII.! Travel Index Locality Persons Males Fcn.ulr:s 2 3 4 ------Bagjola Camp 235.5 276.4 186.8 Siddhartha Nagar Colony 178.0 203.3 159.0 Paschim Narayantala 522.2 652.0 397.0 Purba Narayantala 449.9 455.9 444.0 Rabindra Palli 508.0 474.8 540.9 Prafulla Kanan 68'l.2 70~.3 611.'5 Old Krishnapur 317.0 351.3 279.0 The migratory nature of the households of the The caste-wise travel index shows that households town is indicated by the fact that 83.5 per cent of the belonging to the scheduled castes, by and large, have sample household are inmigrants. Again, 71.3 per comparatively lower travel index (257.4). Again, cent of these inmigrant households have hailed from among the Caste Hindus, some of the castes like the different districts of erstwhile East Pakistan and as Saidyas (1,188), the Brahmans (775), the Telis such, most of them have had to move from place (1,773), the Kayasthas (476) and the Sahas (670) to place, whether in transit camps or elsewhere in have comparatively higher travel index. Again the search of suitable jobs and adequate rehabilitation. white-collar workers have a much higher travel index In the case of the displaced households, their forced (799.1) than the blue-collar workers (437.3). The movement from native homes to West Bengal has not traders and businessmen have comparatively low~r been taken into account in view of the fact that the indices (378.5) compared to other occupations be movement was not voluntary but forced. cause of the fact that persons engaged in trade or commerce have very little time and opportunity to go It is found that the travel index of the displaced out for holidaying. households whether in Bagjola Camp or in Siddhartha Nagar Colony are the lowest in view of the fact that PARTICULARS OF PLACES WHEREFROM AND most of their movements have been in the nature WHERETO PEOPLE COMMUTE ' of inter-transit camp movements. Because of their EARNING LIVELIHOOD tension and ordeal and untold stresses and strains caused by unsettled conditions, very few had the means It has already been ppinted in the economic chap and the mood to undertake any travel. Likewise, the ter that out of the 329 workers in the sample house travel index of the residents of Old Krishnapur is also holds, 22.8 per cent work1,in the referent town, 37 per comparatively low, because the rural people there have cent work in urban areas outside but within the same not yet shaken off their psychological inhibition against district, 5.2 per cent in the rural areas of the district, moving out of the limits of their habitats. The travel 34.7 per cent outside the qistrict but within the state, index of the migrant households in the four segments while 0.3 per cent work in ,other urban areas outside of New Krishnapur is quite high. Many of these the state. The places where the'maximum number households are white collar job-holders in different of people commute for earning livelihood are Cal offices and establishments. Urbane in outlook and cutta (34.9 per cent), Salt Lake City (16.7 per cent), actuated by an aptitude for excursion and travels, the South Dum Dum City (8.2 per cent) and Jyangra residents undertake tours for longer distances beyond town (8.2 per cent). West Bengal. It has not been possible during the survey to It is interesting that except in Rabindra Palli, the specifically identify the places from where people travel index of the males i~ considerably higher com commute to the town for earning l~velihood. Still pared to that of the females since the males are free with the limited data collected, an attempt is made to to move out as and when they please. The females convey a rough idea about the identity of the places.1 are shackled to their household chores. Out of the 150 members of the teaching and non- 129 teaching staff in different schools of the town, 83 per the town. About 30 of them are owned by residents sons (55.3 per cent) live in the referent town, 16 in the adjoining villages who purchase the vegetable3 (10.7 per cent) commute from the adjoining villages, from the villages and commute to the markets at while 51 (34 per cent) come from various other urban Krishnapur for their disposal. There are 25 other areas of the region. Of 51 persons commuting from dEalers in vegetables who commute to Calcutta daily. the urban areas, all but fourteen of them commute purchase the vegetables from the wholesale market and from the urban areas of the sub-region like Calcutta sell them in the local markets of the town the next (18), South Dum Dum (8), Jyangra (5), Arjunpur day. (3) and Dum Dum (3). PARTICIPATION IN CINEMA AND OTHER In course of the survey of 298 trading and other ENTERTAINMENTS establishments in the town, it has been found that 149 of the owners (50.0 per cent) live in the referent There being no cinema, theatre or other centre of town, 74 owners (24.8 per cent) commute to the entertainment in the referent town, but the people town from the adjoining rural areas like Chandiberia, of the town commute to the adjoining urban centres Jagatpur, Mahisbathan, Thakdari, Tarulia, Mahisgot, in Baguihati (J yangra and Arjunpur), Dum Dum, Sulanggari, J atragachi, Hatiara, Teghoria and Ghuni Seuih Dum Dum, and also Calcutta for viewing filrl\ all within a distance of three to four kilometres, while shows and for other means of entertainment. 77 owners (25.9 per cent) commute to the town from Krishnapur does not draw outsiders for the purpose. Calcutta (10.1 per cent) and other urban areas of the sub-region like Dum Dum, South Dum Dum, North READING IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Dum Dum, Jyangra, Arjunpur, Salt Lake City and a few places outside the sub-region like Kl!_marhati. There being a number of primary, kindergarten and other non-formal schools in the town, the begin On the whole, 50 per cent of the workers of ners normally do not have lO commute outside tht1 various establishments belong to the town, about 15 town for primary education. But there are only two per cent of the workers commute from the adjoining high schools in the town, one for boys and anothef rural areas, another 15 per cent from Calcutta while for girls, located near the junction of V. 1. P. Road 20 per cent commute from the urban areas of the and Krishnapur Road. There is no college nor any sub-region. other institution for higher education in the town. So the students have to commute outside for higher MARKETING OF COMMODITIES LIKE FISH, MILK ~ducation. The students in Old Krishnapur benerally AND VEGETABLES read in the high schools In the a..ijoining village Tarulia while the students of New Krishnapur who Krishnapur is one of the important fish marts cannot get admission in the local schools tienerally in the whole region. The market has lost much of its go to the schools in Arjunpur, South Dum Dum, old reputation in the trail of development of Salt Lake Salt Lake or Calcutta. The collegiate students on City on the Salt Water Lakes. In all 42 commis the other hand commute to South Dum Dum of sioned agents living mostly in Krishnapur and in the Calcutta. The two high schools in the town are adjoining villages of Mahisbathan, Mahisgot, Thakdari, said to draw students from Jyangra, Arjunpur, South Jagatpur, Chandiberia, Tarnlia, Ghuni and Jatragachi Dum Dum and Salt Lake City. control the fish market with an average daily transac tiott of 40 to 50 quintals. A part of the total fish MEDICAL FACILITIES marketed is sold by about 40 fish stalls in the two markets of the town with bulk of the fish diverted There are a number of dispensanes, b?th ~llopath!c to tne whole-sale fish markets at Beliaghata in Calcutta and homeopathic, and a couple of nursm~ names ll! and Chowbhaga market near Tapsia in Calcutta the town. Some people of the a~joining v!l~ages com Approximately 30 to 40 fish-mongers commute to mute to Krishnapur for consultmg phYSICians here. different fish markets in Calcutta and other adjoining For treatment of ordinary diseases the residents of urban centres. the town somehow manage with the av ... ilablc doctors in the town but in the case of complications and emer There are 27 khatals (cowsheds) in the town gency situation, the residents visit Jyan&ra, Arjunpur, daily producing about 1,000 litres of milk, of which South Dum Dum and Calcutta. For hospItal treatment, 30 per cent are consumed by the sweetmeat shops in the they have no option other than c«mmuting to Calcutta. town and the rest is diverted to the markets in Dum Dum, South Dum Dum and Calcutta. Acou PARTICULARS OF PLACES OUTSIDE THE TOWN FOR 25 to 30 per cent of the milk-vendors commute to PLYING RICKSHAWS AND VENDING OF Calcutta and other urban centres in connection witl NEWSPAPERS the ~ale of milk. There are about 300 rickshaws in the town, half There are about 55 stalls dealing in vegetables ill of them \:>ejng confined to some particuldf locality ot 9 Census/88 17 130 the town and the rest plying to places like Jyangra, the population of most other villages is more or less Arjunpur, South Dum Dum and to some adjoining uniform and the villages closer to the referent town lowns. do not tend to have larger population. But the hypo thesis that villages with higher urban influence tend No newspaper-vendor of the town goes outside Lo have higher density is satisfied in the case of the the limits of Krishnapur. villages within a distance of four kilometres from the referent town. The density of population falls DEMOGRAPHIC AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF abruptly beyond this zone. THE VILLAGES IN THE PERIPHERY OF THE TOWN The sex-u:atio (number of females per thousa!ld A town is not bound by four walls w mark its males) does not evince any definite feature, though boundaries. The peripheral villages as also the villages like Tarulia and Teghoria tend to have a villages within a reasonably close range sometimes lower sex-ratio than others. The hypothesis that exhibit urban features in their outward look, culture, percentage of literates in villages wi,th higher urban interaction pattern, literacy and a non-agricultural influence tends to be higher holds good in case of tilt in the occupational pattern. It is relevant to some of the first six villages within a distance . of examine if close and prolonged and intensive contact four kilometres from the referent town and havmg of these villages, if any, with the town in question comparatively higher urban influence. Literacy level has produced any percolation effect and if urbanism, falls in the rest of the villages with withering urban as a way of life, has at all influenced the adjoining influence. villages to be more urban than rural. The percentage of workers in the village. i~ cl?!>e Krishnapur is flanked by urban centres on all the proximity to the town does not show any dIstmctive three sides, north, west and south and by villages trend compared to those situated quite afar. But the located on the eastern and north-eastern sides. The percentage of workers engaged in differen.t sectors main difficulty in measuring the urban infiuence of the of economic activities does show some erratIC trends. referent town on the adjoining villages is that some It is observed that the agricultural sector is import.ant 0' tile villages are equidistant from some other urban not only in the villages beyond the z?ne ?f fou~ kII? centres and it is difficult to suggest that the influence metres except in Dhapa Manpur which IS subject .0 is made by Krishnapur alone. the influence of Krishnapur and Salt Lake ~own, b~t also in some of the villages which are sItuated 1D However, the socio-economic and demographic close proximity to the town. Thi:; is becau~e of t~e characteristics of the villages at different distances traditional agrarian background of all the VIllages m from the referent town are furnished in Appendix Rajarhat and Bhangar po~ice s~ations and the pro~ess Table No. 66. of economic transformatIon, If any, may have lu~t begun. But the most signific~nt feat~re ,to note. IS The selection of the villages has been more or the waning signi,ficance of agnculture III vllla~es hke Teghoria, Hatiara and Dhapa Manpur WhICh are less purposive with several criteria in mind. First, such villages have been selected with which the subject to the influence of not one but a number of urban centres and where the percentage of other referent town is connected directly by road, kutcha or pucca. Again, only such villages have been selec workers is nearly 80 per cent or more of the total ted wi.th which the referent town has some special working force. linkage or interaction pattern. Thirdly, the villages have been selected in such a manner that the dis On resume, it may be pointed out that tri tances are not uniform for 11 selected villages, two t~e within the police station of Bhangar, one within butary villages of the referent town l?c.ated .m the the police station of Salt Lake and the remaining Rajarhat-Bhangar agrarian belt, still exhibIt perSIstence villages within the police station of Rajarhat, to of rural features and to that ex~ent the. urban which the referent town belongs. Again, three of the influence, if at all, has been slow to gnp ~he VIllages. 11 villages, viz., Teghoria, Hatiara and Akanda , It is also observed that village~ loc~ted m the hne Keshori are connected by pucca road and served; by of influence of one single medIUm-SIzed town. s ow relatively less urban influence compa~ed tO vIll~:~ bus routes. The other villages have only kutcha roads f and one is connected to the referent town by cart tracks in the periphery of an agglomeratIOn 0 ur or cycle route only. centres, as in the case of three o.f the eleven s~lec~~~ villages viz., Teghoria and HatI~ra, located In Regarding the size of the population of the vil North Eastern Metropolitan Regzon. of ?a~utt; ~~~ lages, it is found that only two of the 11 villages, viz., Dhapa Manpur located in the hmter an . 0 Hatiara and Dhapa Manpur have comparatively urban centres of Salt Lake Town a~~. Knshnapur. higher popUlation than other villages of the region, Krishnapur, itself basking in the s_unflshllie o~hCalfri~~~ but both the villages are under the influence of a has hardly any potentiality to In uence e number of urban gel}tr~s. Barring these two villages, villages. CHAPTER·XIV CONCLUSION The vast arrary of data in the foregoipg chapters galvanised Krishnapur into action and shook the encompassing some aspects of the history of growth traditional village from its age-old stupor. First, the of the town, amenities and services, economIC life, construction of V .I.P. Road tore as under the isola socio-economic and demographic characteristics en tion and drew Krishnapur nearer to Calcutta. Next visage primarily, though not exclusively, to highlight came the founding of the Salt Lake Township which, the salient features of a young town in the regional with its razzle-dazzle, focussed the attention of out and sub-regional perspective, bringing into focus the siders on the rural non-entity of Krishnapur. The die process of urbanisation as also various forces of for the magic transformation of Krishnapur was cast. interaction not only with the metropolitan city of By an overnight change of circumstances, Krishnapur Calcutta but with the surrounding urban centres as achieved the long-cherished proximity to Calcutta well. It also analyses various other factors like with radical improvement in transport network population composition, social organisation, environ along V.I.P. Road. Now only two urban centres, viz., ment, technology, cultural values, behaviour and South Dum Dum City and Salt Lake City separate attitudes, neighbourhood pattern as also the ethos Krishnapur from the City of Calcutta. Hence, three and aspirations of the people. factors, namely easy access to Calcutta, easy avail ability of residential plots at a comparatively cheaper The emergence of a medium-sized urban centre price and the surrounding urban culture directed the out of the shell of a fishing and agrarian village trekking migrants Krishnapur-bound. Krishnapur amidst the marshy swamps of the vast salt water happened to be the first intervening village from lakes in course of the preceding two decades or so Calcutta in the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region is so unique an event that it defies the applicability after South Dum Dum City and Salt Lake City. of any rational model for the growth of urban centres here. Krishnapur was a village which grew A modest village of 3,674 persons as far back as into a town by sheer accretion of population without 1951, Krishnapur had a seven-fold increase in popula any concomitant growth of urban infrastructure. tion within a brief span of three decades· The With no higher educational institution, no hospital fantastic growth rate of population as an aftermath or health centre, no Government office or adminis of continued inmigration has resulted in deterioration trative centre, no cinema hall, no facility for drain of ecological balance in the town. Krishnapur, once age or conservancy, no municipal civic administra characterized by extensive green belts of varieties of tive body, no good road or marketing centre, not herbs and shrubs, trt1es and plants specially along even a medium-sized industry, how Krishnapur could the canal side and with stretches of vacant khas land draw so many inmigrants remains a puzzle to any is now almost devoid of green specially in the newly student of urban geography. Still, people rushed here settled areas. The large-scale inmigration of the dis in a frenzy in hundreds and thousands and the placed persons and of the urban popUlation in search village Krishnapur under the appellation of an urban of a living space has further aggravated the conges centre was christened as a town. But what magic tion in housing. Again to meet the needs of the - force pulled so many people to Krishnapur? And people of the lower socio-economic strata, specially why did urban Krishnapur grow where it is, and in the unskilled and the casual labourers who are able the manner it did? neither to pay high rental nor to construct their own houses, some of the unscrupulous landlords have For a long period, Krishnapur remained a lonely constructed dingy shanties in some pockets creating secluded village, so near but so far from the metro near-slum and hazardous living conditions. In the politan city. The solitary daily launch service along absence of any municipal body to rigorously enforce the Krishnapur Canal connecting the Sunderbans the rules and regulations relating to housing, the eco with Calcutta and the skeleton service of the Barasat logical balance is bound to deteriorate in the coming Basirhat Light Railways along the Baguihati Bazar years. as far back as the fifties served as the slender thread of communication with distant villages beyond and The two Gram Panchayats with the existing staff with Calcutta around. The process of migration of one Panchayat Secretary and one Job Assistant in started fortuitously in the fifties when many uprooted each continue to be the civic institution for the households from former East Pakistan came to referent town and five adjoining villages. For a vast Krishnapur, got somehow sheltered in the temporary area of 15.66 sq. kms. covering a population of 35,910 camps erected on vast stretches of vacant land on persons, a paltry sum of less than three lakhs 01 both sides of Bagjola Canal and got engaged in the rupees as the annual Panchayat budget, one-third work of excavation of the Canal. being spent on routine administrative expenditure, seems to be too inadequate to cope with the ever But the virtual isolation of Krishnapur continued increasing civic demands arising from growing ur upto the sixties, till two momentous developments banisation and increasing influx of people to this 132 area. Consequently, denial of the mInImUm basic villages. It .has already been discussed in Chapter civic amenities like drainage, sewerage, conservancy XIII that Villages located in the orbi,t of a number of and street lighting continues to be a persistent feature urban centres e~hibit greater urban influence, com of the referent town. The residents of the town are par~d to those sItuat~d in the orbit of a single town. psychologically oriented gradually to a switch-over to BeSides, the urban mfluence of Krishnapur has not municipal administration knowing fully well that it percolated much to the tributary villages in so far as will involve the residents in an incidental liability of most of these villages have no easy access to the enhanced taxation. - town for lack of transport net-work. Considering the size of the town and the grow The popUlation composition of the town is tri ing popUlation, the basic amenities like higher edu dimensional in nature. As far back as 1951 the cational facilities, medical facilities, internal transport popUlation of Krishnapur comprised entirely , the facilities and recreational facilities are still not avail original settlers, mostly belonging to the schedule'd able, while facilities relating to piped water-supply and castes_ popUlation. The first to inmigrate were the dis power-supply at best cover half the popUlation of the placed and the uprooted persons from the erstwhile town. With only one branch of the United Bank of East Pakistan in the middle of the fifties while in India and two subsidiary Post Offices, the position is migration of residents mostly from the neighbouring no better in respect of banking and postal communi urban centres including Calcutta continued unabated cation facilities. In the context of the meagre facilities since the early sixties. The i,nmigration of so many and amenities available to the average resident, people within so short a time reduced the original as good as Krishnapur is a populous village. settlers to a minority status. To start with, 'in-group out-group' relationship characterised the pattern of As pointed out earlier, the history of growth of interaction between the original settlers and the Krishnapur into a town provides a classical example inmigrants. But in course of two decades, the in of the metamorphosis of.a rural area into an urban migrants have built up their own houses and have centre where sheer inmigration of residents of other so much integrated themselves into the social structure urban areas with their urban non-agricultural voca of Krishnapur that there is now a mosaic of three tions and ways of life without any change in super distinct strata of population. structure of the villlage has baptised Krishnapur into a town. In the context of such a typical evolution of Tbe two segments of Krishnapur, viz., Old Krishna an urban centre, classical concepts of urban growth, pur and New Krishnapur represent, mote or less, two such as those of Chrystiler, Burgess and other writers distinctive socia-cultural entities and ways of life. do hardly fit in the case of Krishnapur. The hypothe Old Krishnapur, inhabited largely by the old settlers, sis of Burgess according to which cities grow in a represents the traditional rural ways of life, habi,tats, series of concentric zones, as maintaining pressure of material culture, beliefs and practices, rituals and population and land value, converging from all direc festivals of the inhabitants and to that extent typifie::. tions on the city centre and thereby leading to a the ~ocial structure of the Rajarhat-Bhangar country segregation of different uses of land, working outward side, while New Krishnapur, inhabited by inmigran~s from the central business district to the city suburbs, mostly from the urban areas of Calcutta and the is partly true in the case of the metropolitan city of sub-resion represents, more or less, the urbanised se(' Calcutta upto a point that the pressure of popUlation tion of popUlation 9f the North-East Metropolitan is maintained on the city centre. But, it does not negirm. New Knshnapur encompasses urban hou~i~ exactly fit in the case of a young town with hardly standards, white c()i;ar jobs, formal social relationship, any scope for different uSes of land. Again, the urban material culture etc. The res~dences in Old hypothesis of Harris that cities grow up like a series Krishnapur, by aTld large, are clustered on ethnic of cells which are expanding outward, each from its consideration resulting in the persistence or predomi nucleus, joined up with others in a living organism nantly ethnic localities, like Mondal Para, Rajbanshl with the most powerful nucleus, drawing the rest Para, Pal Para, Sardar Para etc., while the residences together and giving them a certain integration may in New Krishnapur do not exhibit any such also be true in the context of Calcutta and may caste-wise alignment of population. The persisteJ;lce explain the growth and evolution of its satellite urban of the ethnically homogeneous localities in Old K,rish centres, but is hardly applicable to the referent town. napur has given rise to neighbourhoods which have So also the hypothesis of Hoyt that growths migrate evolved some sprcific norms and distinctive culture along the radial routes into and out of the centre patterns, and a strong sense of distinctive self-~dentity does not apply to the referent town. through prolonged and intense interaction in socio cultural and socia-economic spheres. But, the few As regards the adjoining villages of Krishnapur, eeighbourhoods in New Krishnapur are characteris<-d it has been observed that most of the villages are by greater ethnic heterogeneity, higher rate of mobility, subject to the integrated influence of a number of higher density of population with less intensi.ty ~nd towns and as such, it is very difficult to identify the frequency of interaction in different spheres of life. influence of Krishnapur individually. Krishnapur, itself Any semblance of neighbourhood has failed to emerge a satellite dormitory town of Calcutta and yet to in Rabindra PaW which happens to be the largest evolve into a fully urbanised unit, has not yet segment in New Krishnapur. Various socio.-cultural and developed the potentiality of infinencing the tributary historical factors have contributed to the growth of 133 generic neighbourhood around Old Krishnapur, based The traditional economic base of farming and fi"billg on sentimental and psychological factors and of village Krishnapur was atrophied by the immigra reinforced, all the more, by the virtual encroachment tion of a large number of outsiders as also by the on homesteads by the inmigrant outsiders and also by foundation of Salt Lake City. Consequently, land, the sudden crisis of loss of identity on the part of the formerly utilized for cultivatIOn, has been changed original residents. Consequently, the neighbourhoods into homesteads of the migrant nouveaux riches, while in Old Krishnapur are more compact and integrated, the marshy swamps in the Salt Water Lakes aCCou'lt· while the same in New Krishnapur, are, more or less, ing for fishing activities of the erstwhile village discrete and loosely formed localities. ' provided land for the foundatIOn of the Sale Lake City. The two events proved cataclysmic to the About the nature of families in the town, it has traditional occupations of the original settlers. With been observed that intermediate or joint types are no education, capital or other expertise, the village predominant (57 per cent) among the original popula people could not easily withstand their occupational tion, while simple or nuclear families are most preva displacement. Some people sold their homestea:ds and lent (59 per cent) among the inmigrant population. receded further back into remote villages, while others took to odd non-traditional jobs of labourers to build The socio-cultural zone of the town, demarcated the mansions in the Salt Laice City. The femalo with the help of the marital zone of the sample house members supplied the domestic labour to the affluent holds, extends to the adjoining rural area of the residents of Salt Lake City. The rest have s'i,itchcd contiguous police stations of Rajarhat and Bhangar in over to trading and commercial activities. case of the original settlers, forays into the rural areas of a number of police stations bordering Bangla Desh In a town where the wave of inmigration started in respect of the displaced persons in camps and is from the early fifties and where the inmigrants account confined to the urban continuum of the North-East for nearly three-fourths of the total population, the Metropolitan Region with Calcutta reigning supreme basic nature of the economy of the town is largely in the socio-cultural scenario, in respect of other shaped by the occupatiom of the inmigranls. lh~ inmigrants. displaced persons are mostly engaged in a number of occupations like day-labour, masonry, curpentry, Again, all the residents iri the town are not tled domestic service, household 11ldustry, trade and (;om together with a stlOng thread of prolonged contact, merce, etc. The inmigrants from the nearby urban common destiny and local roots. With so many centres are largely engaged in service, trade and localities and neighbolurhoods but without a common commerce and manufacturing activities. organisational platform for yielding socio-political power and also ror being concerned with the problems In the face of tremendous increase in popu~ation, of development of the town, no lead.;rship has as yet the economy of Krishnapur responded by manifold emerged cutting across the boundaries of the localities increase in trading and commercial establishments on and sub-localities in the town. An elite structure is the one hand and manufacturing establishments on still in its rudimentary formati,ve stage. When inter the other. The total number of trading and com neighbourhood and inter-locality relations have not mercial establishments in the town i.s 520, that of yet crystallised, different political parties now play manufacturing establishments is 388, while the num some sort of a bridge role among different sections of ber of other establishments is 507. population in different neighbourhoods and localities. The emerging leadership in the present context appears The total employment generated by all the estab to be oriented to political parties rather than to any lishments, various educational institutions and offices caste or class. including bank and post offices is approximately 3,000. In 200 sample households there are 329 workers while The economy of Krishnapur is anything but vibrant. 49 others are looking for jobs. These two groups The town has hardly any viable economic base to together account for 35.43 per cent of the sample absorb even a section of the growing popUlation. The population. Hence, for full employment, jobs for twin economic pillars are provided by tbe tradivg 35.43 per cent of the total population are required. and small-scale manufacturing establishments 011 tho! In other words, the total population of the town as one hand and by the casual odd jobs handled by the per 1981 Census (25,277) requires 8,953 jobs for toiling mass of labourers on the other. In fact, the sustaining the total population of the town at the inmigration of urban population with a mix of varkj present rate of employment. Even if it is assumed economic and occupational characteristics from that the residents of the town are employed exclusively Calcutta and other towns has inevitably led to the in the offices and establishments in the town, the increasing economic diven,;ification and transfOlma·· economy can hardly offer one-third (33.5 per cent) tion of a traditional farming and fishing economy of the jobs required to employ the working force. It into a non-agricultu~al economic structure. thus exposes the severe limitation of the economy of the town in providing each worker with a job in the The economy of the town is largely tri-dimensional town. in nature with manufacturing, service and trade being the main economic props and agriculture and fishing The discussion about the place of work of the activities providing marginal support to the peopl~. workers in the sample households has supported the 134 contention that the dependence of the workers on RICH OR SOLVENT CLASS Krishnapur is minimal for both the migrant and the non-migrant households. Only 22.8 per cent of the A household satisfying all the criteria of high workers are engaged in some gainful eConomic acti salaried jobs, or ownership of a large factory or busi vity within the town while the rest (77.2 per cent) ness, with limited members, spa£ious building and are'tied to the economy of the areas outside, Calcutta possessing all'the.amenities, material equipments and City and Salt Lake City together supporting nearly 52 costly and luxury goods is classified in this group. per cent of the workers in the migrant households. UPPER MIDDLE CLASS If the majority of the workers in the referent town are under compUlsion to move out of the bounds of The di.viding line between the rich and the upper Krishn'apur for their livelihood, Krishnapur assumes middle class is thin and rests mainly on the possession the attributes of a dormitory . town, economically of most of the amenities, material equipments and dependent on and functioning, more or less, as a costly goods. residential suburban satellite of the metropolitan city LOWER MIDDLE CLASS of Calcutta. A ·househeld with some members in a regular Last but not the least, an attempt is made here service or job, owning or p0ssessing at least a two to Classify the sample households according to socio roomed apftrtment with some amenities, and owning economic status. Income may be the best criterion one or two lUXUry items lik~ radio, watch, etc., or more to ascertain the economic status of a household but is categorised as such. in the urban_ context, any question on income is too delicate to elicit the right response. An alternative POOR. to the income approach is a Composite Status Ap Pursuit of regular jobs with lower salary, or pur proach, taking into consideration the following para suit of odd_ jobs, larger number of members, one meters: roomed rented hutment, non-possession of basic items of furniture except a cot and a hurricane lamp and 1 Occupation of the members sometimes a transistorised radio set are adjudged the 2 Number of members in the households socio-economic characteristics of the poor households. 3 Type of ownership of house 4 Various amenities available to the households, VERY POOR (Kitchen, bath room, lavatory, source of drinking water, electric connection) Households pursuing odd, menial unskilled jobs 5 Material equipments for domestic use (Furni with large number of 'members, larger number of ture including sofas and almirahs) t:hildren, living in hutments in sub-standard living con 6 Type of utensils and dress ditions. and possessing no bedding worth the name, 7 Luxury and costly goods, (Watch, radio, tele sleeping on ground, and possessing a kerosene lamp vision, gramophone, tape--recorder, car, scooter, and a few aluminium or enamel u.tensils have been etc.) classified as very poor. On the basis of the composite status approach, On the basis of the composite criteria, the house the households have been grouped into five economic holds have been categorised into different economic categories. groups shown in Table XIV.!. TABLE XIV.I Economic classes of the people No. of Househdlds c,ategorised as Segments of· population households r-----..---...,____,___.--..---...... _._._.-...A...,.._.._..,-... ____,___.--..- __-... _ _..;., Rich or Upper Lower Poor Very poor solvent middle middle class class 2 3 4 ------5 6 7 Old and original residents 33 2 11 10 Percentage 100.0 6.1 63.6 30.3 Camp refugee~ 63 1 10 45 7 Percentage 100.0 1.6 15.9 71.4 11.1 Inmigrants 104 3 17 53 26 Percentage 100.0 2.9 16.3 51.0 25.0 4.85 Grand Total. 200 3 20 84 81 12 Percentage IGO.O 1.5 10.0 42.0 40.5 6.0 -~------~--- 135 Among the old resident population of the town, while 40.5 per cent are poor and 6.0 per cent are y 6.1 per cent belong to the upper middle class and very poor. The preponderance of households in the 6 belong to the lower middle class, while 30.3 lower middle socio-economic class is another salient cent belong to the poorer sections. Likewise, feature of this service-oriented residential town. )ng the camp refugees, only 1.6 per cent belong the upper middle class, 15.9 per cent belong to What then is in store for the future of Krishnapur ? lower middle class while majority of the people In the context of the geo-physical environment and the ,,5 per cent) are either poor or very poor. limited availability of any further open space, there is no scope for the establishment of any medium or Among the inmigrants, on the other hand, 2.9 large-scale industry in the town nor is there any im cent are affluent, 16.3 per cent belong to the mediate prospect for the setting-up of any adminis er middle class, 51.0 per cent belong to the lower trative centre or office. Tbe upshot is tbat Krisbna dIe class while only 29.8 per cent are poor or pur, an unknown village two decades ago, has grown '{ poor. This picture of better socio-economic into a residential town with majority of the residents us of the migrant population is inherent in the resi drawing their economic and socia-cultural sustenance tial nature of the town where most of the migrant from Calcutta and other adjoining urban areas of the ulations are engaged in relatively better-paid sala- sub-region. The single factor of "easy access to the jobs and owning houses of their own. metropolitan city" has transformed the village Krishna pur into a residential dormitory town in the form of a For the town as a whole, 1.5 per cent of the house suburban satellite of the metropolitan Calcutta. And is are rich, 10 per cent belong to the upper middle Krishnapur will continue to live under the shadow of s, 42.0 per cent belong to the lower middle class Calcutta for many more years to come. PHOTOGRAPHS 17(a) 9 Ce~us/88 Krisbnapur comes into view From atop a building a view of New Krisbnapur 9 Census/8R 17 (b) A view of Purba Narayantala Part of Bagjola Refugee Camp The pucca road separates Salt Lake City from Nayapati The ajruI Islam arani (The V.I. P. Road) on way to Dum Dum Airport ~ -~ -,-,.,..._'_- ~ .' _ ..,.... . •. 'C'_ Krishnapur Road leading to Mission Bazar in the eastern extremity Krisbnapur Road near Rajbansbi Para Krishnapur Canal marks the great dividing line between the unplanned Krishnapur town and planned Salt Lake City • A wooden bridge over Bagjola Canal Jinks Bagjola Refugee Camp with tbe backside of Rabindra Palli Bus terminus on V.I.P. Road at Baguibati serving Krisbnapur too Passengers waiting for tbe rigbt bus at a stoppage on V. I. P. Road Crowded thoroughfare on Baguihati Road-on the right hand side lies Kri~hnapur town A bullock cart lumbering along Baguibati Road Dusky return of a cycle-rickshaw over the wooden bridge on Ba&iol_1ol Canal Ferrying back home from Salt Lake City 9 census/88 17(C) The calf and its keeper awaiting the boatman \ Cycles can ply on roads but not on water Not a junkyard but a garage for tbe bicycles Office of tbe town-fathers-Mahisbatban Gram Pancbayat o. J Seat of civic power-Office of the Mabishbathan Gram Panchayat No. II be Jeepy canal-side Toll Office at Kudghat The branch office of the United Bank of India Prafulla 'Kanan Post Offic\l Houses of the neo-settlers of middle income group in Pascbim Narayanta!a A cluster of butments of the Rajbansbi-Tiyars in Nayapati A cluster of hutments of the Rajbanshi-Tiyars in Old Krishnapur A view of Bagjola Refugee Camps in Purba Narayantala Another view of Bagjola Refugee Camps in Purba Narayantala A distant view of butments ()f tbe displaced persC)~$ in Siddhartba Colony 17(d) ! Ownership flats on the rise in Rabindra PalIi Qw~cr s hip fI~~s !~ ~he making in ras~bim Narayanta!a for the affluent A shantly on the V.I.P. Road A modern house of the rich in Paschim Narayaniala A house-type of the upper-income group in PrafuJla Kanan A house-type of the middle-income group in Gbosh Para The bouse of an old rich fish-monger, now in ruins JIouse-type of the displaced persons in Camp Number Three A house-typ2 of the Rajbam hi-Tiyars in Nayapati A tank in Prafulla K,man being used for bathing, washing amI cooking A ~ank in Monda] Para in use for a bath Tubewell used for drinking water Improl'ised latrines 011 cjlmd side used by the displaced persons Along the Bagjola Calla) flow the sewage waters of Calcutta 9 Census/8S 17(e) The abandoned Health Centre in Camp No. Three, now in occupation of squatters Facfo ry Qf t~e J:lanejrnan Laboratories Ltd. manufacturing homoeopathic medicines A mosaic tile factory in Prafulla Kanan A disfant view of tbe old market in Mission Bazar A view of tbe grain market of tbe town Anotber view of tbe grain market of tbe town A garage of the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority in the town for the repair of concrete mixers, road-rollers, dumpers, etc. Temple of Radba Krishna of Jalla Kalyan Sangbasram in Purba Narayantal!l TIle temple of Lord Siva in Pascbim Narayantala The temple of Sitalu in Ghosh Para The temple of Baruni in Nayapati The temple of Kali at Prafulla Kanan The Emmanuel Church at Mission Bazar The Kshudiram Smrity Library in Ghosh Para Side view of the two High Schools-one for boys and anotber for girls in Prafulla Kanan 9 Census/ 88 17(t) VOla Sankar Mission School in Paschim Narayantala Primary School at Nayapati Assembly of God Church School (primary) in Christian Para ..., Krishnapur Yubak Samity, it club in Mondal Para day Sangha, a club in Bagjola Camp Masterda Smriti Sangha, a club in Prafulla Kanan flaying of cards on the wayside-most favourite {lastime of the people in tbe town ) Another -View oCcard-playing on tbe canal side 9 census/S8 17(g) Cltildren of Bagjola Camp at play . - Children gathered round the grandfather for a story-telling session ; APPENDIX-I TITLE URBAN POTENTIAL OF THE RURAL AREAS AROUND CALCUTTA AND STRATEGY FOR PLANNING-STUDY IN RURAL URBAN CONTINUUM by A.K.DUTTA Deputy Director of Census Operations Wes1 Bengal 9Censtls/s!I URBAN POTENTIAL OF THE RURAL AREAS AROUND CALCUTTA AND STRATEGY FOR PLANNING-STUDY IN RURAL URBAN CONTINUUM A K. DUTTA Deputy Director of Census Operations West Bengal • Urbanisation in the State of West Bengal is in It is, therefore,· interesting and at the same time effect confined mainly in the two areas, namely, rewarding at this stage, to look into different facets Calcutta City and its surrounding districts and Rani of transformation of the neighbouring rural areas gunj, Asansol belt in Burdwan district. But the bulk around Calcutta City, so as to determine the actual of the State's urban concentration is found in the state of rural areas at different distance gradients former region with Calcutta City as its core which from the City core (Sealdah Station) with the help of has cent percent urban population. selected indicators, and to find out the urban potentials of these rural areas and pinpoint the locations and directions, with a -view to evolving a strategy for planning for the development of the area. M Although, the location of Calcutta City enjoys Calcutta's hinterland is extensive which took shape neither a nodal or a central position, nor the focal as eady as 19th Century, it is, therefore, proposed in point of traffic net-work, yet as Dr. Karl puts it "the this paper to confine to the rural areas around early economic growth acting as a geographical Calcutta up to a distant zone of 25 kms. marked into momentum, the strong industrial base, a thriving five concentric zones 0: 5 kms. each, since the maxi commercial and trading centre have more than com mum influence of Calcutta is felt confined in this area. pensated for its eccentric location and most unfavour able environment", the City and its adjoining regions are formed by the districts of 24-Parganas (now ANALYSIS OF DATA: bifurcated into North and South 24-Parganas), Haora and Hugly. These regions are characterised by the The area under consideration which forms a largest concentration of industries and traffic net-works circle of 25 Km. aw<.y from city cure of Calcutta, of the State. It also enjoys most of the central constitutes apart from Calcutta district (WhICh is functions and a unique position in respect of urbani entirely urban), parts of Haora, Hugly and 24-Par sation and population concentration. Although the ganas district. The total area thus covered works intensity and complexity of the urban centre~ are out to 2,014 sq. kms., urban being 700 sq. kms. and felt in the City proper, nonetheless its influence in rural 1,314 sq. kms. This area apart from the Calcutta the surrounding regions has been of great significance. City has 118 urban un;ts (cities, towns both municipal In fact, veering round the City of Calcutta, a large and non-municipal and town outgrowths) and 831 area has already developed into urban areas and still rural units (villages) 2. The distributions of these larger a,rea is in the process of being transformed into urban and rural units, in each concentric zone of urban areas from the rural state. increasing distance gradients, are mentioned in Table-I. 1 Kar. N. R. Calcutta Conurbation in India Regional Studies Ed. R. L. Singh, I.G.U., Calcutta. 2 Data based on 1S 81 Census of India, W.B. Paper-I of 1982. Final Population Totals and Paper-II-Provisional Population Totals Series 23, W. Bengal, Census of Indila, 1981 by urban ulnits what is meant here is either a municipality and some other bodies of equivalent status, all notified areas, cantonment, etc. which have been created by a definite legis~ation, or such areas which are urban as per census definition, a specific geographical area llike a mouza) must fulfil the. following three conditions simultaneously. (i) a population of 5,000 or more (ii) a density of population of at least 400 per sq. km. and (iii) at least 75% of the male working persons in that area must be engaged in non-agri cultural persuits. This urban unit ,is called a non-municipal town. There is however exception to this rule. If a specific area has de'Veloped anto a town due to existence of some project. Further, for the first time in 1981 Census, the con cept of urban outgrowths has been ,introduced in West Bengal which should be physically contiguous to anyone of the urban areas as defined above and should have a minimum of 600 population or so. 140 TABLE·l Distribution of urban and rural units and population in different concentric lones and Calcutta with increasing distance graclirnls Regions in the varying distance gradient Area in No. of Population Area in No. of Population sq. km. unit sq.km. units 2 3 4 5 6 7 0- 5 Km. 104.00 3,305,006 5-10 Km. 170.62 22 1,828,889 32.25 26 47,051 10-15 Km. 183.34 41 1,568,368 203.80 132 284,169 15-20 Km, 117.08 28 557,375 427.14 254 483,715 20-"25 Km. ;. 125.14 27 844,994 651.55 425 887,369 Upto 25 Km. .100.18 119 8,104,632 1,322.74 831 1,702,304 Distribution of urban & rural population, as well adds further dimensi,on to the undtr~tanding of the as, the. num~er of units in different concentric rings urban potential of the area. of varymg dIstance gradients, is a study in contrast. The. former decreases with the increasing distance When the rural areas in different concentric zones gradIents and the latter slides down in the reverse order. It is important to note, however, that the are viewed and compared taking into account this largest number of urban Ullits are found in the di~- demographic variables and modernisation index ta~ce zone between 10 to 15 km. away from Calcutta (Table 2 in the appendix), it is observed that decadal ~Ity, wher~as. ,the number or rural units (villages) percent growth of poulation decreases from 57.09 in lOcreases sIgmticantly in each concentric zone with the rural zone 5 to 10 km. from Calcutta to 24.78 th' . d' t" in the farthest distance zone. In comparison, the c: lllcreasmg IS ance graOIcnts. There is no rural parts ~f districts namely 24-Parganas, Haora and umt up to a distance gradient of 5 km. and the largest number are found in tIle farthest concentric Hugly which constitute these rural areas have deca- zone away from Calcutta City. Since the urbanisa- dal percent growth of population 19.62, 15.41 and tiOl~ of a ~lace is understo.od, as a process of concen- 18.43 respectively2 which meanSi that the population tratIon wh~ch t~kes place lO two ways-concentration growths in the rural areas around Calcutta far exceed of populatIOn 10 a place and incre3se in the numuer the district growths. Further, it also indicates that of such. individu~l places. It is, therefore, necessary population growth decreases with the increasing tha.t to. form an Idea of the urban potential of a place rlistance from Calcutta. Likewise, concentration of WhICh IS not urban by definition or notification one population per sq. km. decreases from 1,555 sq. km has. to take into account the following demog;aphic in the concentric zone 5 to 10 km.' from Calcutta to ~ana?les namel~ decadal population growth, popula. 1,362 per sq. km. in the farthest zone. These figures ~on ~oncentratIon per sq. km., sex imbalance, when compared with the density per sq. km. of rural lOcreaslOg participation in activities other than agri- areas of the district which constitute the area under culture vis-a.vis high literacy rate, augmented with study reveal that they bear a close resemblance to ·the level of modernisation of the area. For this pur. the urban areas in this regard. The same trend is pose, modern amenities available in the area, discernible in lespect of sex ratio which increases such as road net-work (pucca), communication facio with the distance slightly tough. The lowest sex lities (Post & Telegraph Office, Rly. Station Bus Stand ratio is evinced, howeveJ;, in the rural areas in the etc.) ,ei\:ctricity, educati,o~ f~cIliti"s (highe~ secondary distance zone lying between 5 to 10 kms. This zone schOOls & colleges), drInklng watel (tap, tubewell is also unique in respect of other demographic vari· and well) and .medical facilities (primary health abies namely, highest p~rcent literates and least centre and hospItal) are taken into account and participation in agriculture activities. Further, this quantified .by assigning reasonabk weights depending zone is marked by a higher level of modernization upon th0 Importance and role of ,j';(ch such amenitici as evident from the index in Tpble 2, Appendix. The in .the process of modernisatian of the area so as ta mral areas in distance zone lying between 15 to work out of a suitable indexi • Contextually this index 20 km. on the other hand, appears to have the ------1 Each rural unit (i.e., village) is given maximum score 2, in respect of modernization. Each item considered for the purpos 2 P-41, Series 23, Paper I, 1981 Census, West Bengal. 141 lowest urban potential. Contrary to the expectations, may be the reason why the rural areas in the North however, the rural areas in the farthest zone away West, North-East and South-West are so significant from Calcutta City show comparatively a higher urban in regards to the urban developments. Whereas potential than the preceding zone. It may be men South-East sector, which is least fortunate in these tioned here that this zone harbours some of the respects shows comparatively, a lower potential. most important industrial units of the region which have contributed, besides Calcutta, to the urban potentials DISCUSSIONS AND STRATEGY FOR PLANING OF of the rural areas of this zone. THIS AREA: The analysis of the data in the concentric zone The analysis of the data in conjunction with the in different distance gradients has its own short modernization index of the rural areas under consi comings. It gives an idea as if the trend is uni deration reveals clearly that although the rural areas formly distributed throughout the area but in reality have urban potentials, it is, however, most discernible that is not the case. It fails to pinpoint the location in the immediate neighbourhood of Calcutta City up and the direction. However, this defect can be to a distance of 15 km. or so. Precisely, the con rectified by shuffiing the areas sectionwise i.e., North centric zone within the distance gradient 10 to 15 East, North-West, South-East and South-We."t with km., i'& mmt potential in. 'ihi.." rcgaId.. However, the Calcutta City being its core. Accordingly the results potentials are not uniformly distributed but con may be seen in (Table 3 in appendix). The .rural fined mainly in the North-Western and South-Western areas in the North-West sector have the hlghest sectors and partly in the North-Eastern sector. These potential for the urban transfonllation. All the areas places are characterised by the heavy concentration within this sector have more or less similar poten of traffic net-work such as railway lines, national and tials, but the pitch is felt :i.n the areas Immediately state highways passing through Calcutta City to diffe- around Calcutta City up to a distance zone of 15 km. rent directions within the region. Further, it is also or so. The next order of higher potential is evident to be noted that the important industrial urban umts in the South-West sector which infact up to a distance are confined mostly along both the banks of the zone of 10 km. has already been transformed into river Hugli and transport net-works in the sectors urban area. The rural areas in the immediate neigh mentioned above. It underlies the fact that the bourhood of Calcutta City in this sector lying between influence of Calcutta City and other urban units are 10 to 15 km., as expected is most potential. It may channelised through the corridors in the main. be noted, however, that of late, this sector is not experiencing much population growth. Though the It may, therefore be expected that the influence growth has been still higher than the average growth of Calcutta City and the other important urban centres of the' rural districts comprising this area during the would be felt maximum on the surrounding rural last decade, it is not, however pronounced. In com areas along the corridors and their immediate parison, however, the rural areas in the North-East neighbourhood. In other words the rural areas in sector up to a distance of 15 Km. show a very high and around the corridors will have more urban poten growth of population, high rate of literates, high rate tials and have a greater chance for transformation of modernisation and comparatively low participation into urban centres than the others. It is also ob rate in agricultural activities. Whereas, the rest of served that there is a definite positive but weak cor the area beyond this distance gradients is not so relation between the size classes of settlements and marked in this context. The South-East sector on availability of modern amenities within the areas under the other hand, presents a very interesting situation. examination. Except the rural areas between 10 to 15 kms. zone, others have but very low potentials. Contrary to As far as the demographic variables and level of the expectation, it is further interesting to note that modernisation of the rural areas are concerned, it the immediate neighbourhood of the Calcutta City is seen that the characteristics found in the rural between 5 to 10 kms. in this sector shows compara places in the area under examination compare well tively a'lower level of potential. This may be due with the characteristics found in the urban centres to the fact that this area is under the umbrella effect leaving aside however, Calcutta City. There is ~ of Calcutta City. While maintaining their rural charac definite trend of increasing growth of population 'in teristics these places derive the benefits of Calcutta creasing population concentration, decreasing agricul City. It may also be noted in this connection that ture participation, increasing literacy rate which in this area (South-East sector) particularly towards the turn is, indicative of the fact that the rural places East is not developed in respect of road net-work. in this area are failing to maintain therein distinctive rural characteristics as envisaged in the Census defi Sectorwise sifting of data reveals, that the areas nition. This has been greatly influenced by the which are provided with traffic net-work in the form C.alcutta City in the main. Although, of late, the of national highways, state highways, railway net CIty appears to have reached a saturation or near work, water ways show very high potentials. This saturation point in respect of population absorption, 14~ it has not, however, ceased to attract population. The nomical factors, there is a need for relatively higher result is therefore, that while the city offers many investments to those locations. "Such investments opportunities it has however, outdone its capacity are to be encouraged in irrigation and land develop in the matter of providing accommodations to all ment both private and public, in the aforestations persons within the city limit. The same is true for to improve ecological regime and in industries with the other urban centres within the area under consi potential to improve in situ".1 Although the econo deration as well. The inherent problems of Calcutta mies of scale are not in keeping with the development City and other urban centres are now encouraging of smaller urban areas but considering the welfare increased volume of commuters from the neighbour needs of the area, deliberate investment policies have ing areas. Because of the unplanned development to be evolved and implemented for the purpose of of the urban centres within 'the areas and acute developing the small urban centres and for providing shortage of housing amenities in these centres complimentary infrastructure, in order to help the might have a prompted the people to seek cheap transformation of the area as an organic whole accommodation, in the neighbouring rural areas. This smoothly. phenomenon has been further facilitated by the avail ability of a good transport net-work in the area under It is needless to emphasize that a proper reference. It may be also noted in this connection that spatial planning has to be thought of for the area, the rural areas &r:mnd Calcutta City, especially in the in relation to the city and the urban centres "as a distance zone between 10 to 15 kms. are having a sort of continuum with organic interdependence be large share of migrants in their popUlation composi tween the two, rather than a dichotomy".2 tion which is evident from the very high population growth and comparatively lower sex ratio in that area. SELECT REFERENCE' Further, it may also be noted in this connection that the settlers in the rural places near the city are com Mazumdar, N. (1969) .. "Urban Delhi - Past paratively recent immigrants, unlike those in the dist Growth and future ant rural places under consideration. Another point trends", SERI, Cal, which needs to be borne in mind in this connection Vol. 3, No.2, pp. 7. that there has been very steep rise of growth of urban population and proliferations of small and medium Ghosh, M., Dutta, A.K. "Calcutta-A Study in sized urban centres in the area under examination. & Roy, B. SERI Vol. 15, No.1, The growth of population in the rural area is, there 22, Calcutta, 1971. fore, a spill over effect of the neighbouring urban areas. Apparently, therefore, the increasing trend of population growths, high percent literates in the Ghosh, M., Dutta, A.K. Calcutta-A studies in population and low participation rates in agricultural & Roy, B. urban growth dyna activities in the areas are, not actual reflections of mic, Calcutta, K. L. Mukhopadhyay, 1970. the growths in regards to autochthones of the area. The increasing growth trends are contributed to a large extent by the persons whose feet are entrenched in Sdasyuk, G.P' "Urbanization and the the area but hearts belonging to either the city or the s1?atial structure of urban centres of the neighbourhood. This is fudeed Indian Economy" In ~ot a very healthy situation! Unless a proper strategy Memoir nos. 7, Cen IS evolved these trends which are otherwise detri sus of India 1961, mental to the interest and the development of the rural New Delhi, 1971. areas can be contained. It is, however, not pro' posed that ~easures should be taken as to prevent Mitra, A. Calcutta India's City, the ~re_nd entIrely but urged to plan in a manner, by New Age Publication, prOVIding greater opportunities along the economic Calcutta, 1963. gradients so as to channelise the trend to the mutual ~enefits of ~oth, failing which, such phenomena Das, Mira The Central business Instead of actmg as a catalyst in the development of district of Calcutta, the area will do more harm in the back-ground of 21st. International ~ighly ske~e~ in!er city-towns availability of ameni Geography Congress ties and dlstnbutlOn of land in the rural areas. Be of India, 1968. sides other i.n?, this will .lead to, if not planned National Committee properly, polItIcal unrest III the area and inroad of Geography Cal into the rural ways of life adversely. To counter cutta, 1971. avail such ecological, soci~, demographic and eco- 1 & • : pp. 166, 173 "Rural Migrants in Urban Setting" P. S. Mazumdar, New Deih~ 1978. 143 APPENDIX TABLE-2 Characteristics of the rural areas around Calcutta city in concentric zone of 5 kms. each in the different distance gradients (Based on census data of West Bengal, 1981) Demographic variables r- .A. .., Moderniza- Percent of Density Sex ratio Percent Percent tion index population per sq. km. (females per Literates population (in percentage) Rural Areas increase 1000 males) in agri- during occupations 1971-81 out of total male workers 2 3 4 5 6 7 0- 5 Km. 5-10Km. +57.00 1,555 921 37.88 49.47 43.00 10--15 Km. +31.51 1,394 901 45.76 41.33 46.36 15-20Km. +26.80 1,132 928 38.23 56.88 39.05 20--25 Km. +24.78 1,362 930 39.13 49.01 40.82 All areas +27.17 1,297 925 39.95 50.00 42.46 APPENDIX TABLE-3 Characteristics of the rural areas around Calcutta b distance grapients by sector (Based on the census data of West Bengal, 1981) Rural areas around Percentage decadal Density of population Sex-ratio Calcutta in the distance growth (1971-81) per sq. km. (1981) gradients per km. .------0- ~ , 0- ~ r------0------~ NE NW SE SW NE NW SE SW NE NW SE SW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 0- 5 5-10 +62.05 +53.16 +32.04 2,057 2,898 601 913 938 907 .10-15 +48.85 +33.09 +44.88 +26.12 1,110 1,946 829 1,779 924 918 886 893 15-20 +39.19 +29.56 + 18.57 +24.69 1,025 1,236 743 1,336 921 940 937 917 20-25 +32.24 +25.20 +23.73 +23.18 1,019 1,239 1,278 1,753 917 936 935 928 All areas +33.96 +27.99 +27.13 +23.95 1,113 1,312 1,067 1.636 919 934 923 921 Percent participation in Modernization index Percent Iitcrates agricultural activities (in percent) 0- , 0- ~, .A, .- ~ NE NW SE SW NE NW SE SW NE NW SE SW 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 39.87 42.26 26.07 50.29 12.36 62.04 63.63 75.00 16.25 40.59 49.84 42.48 51.69 50.35 19.34 48.98 37.19 30.36 50.74 52.38 46.38 33.88 48.26 32.51 34.00 63.29 52.28 72.09 47.96 32.55 56.5~ 34.42 33.66 32.25 44.89 34.87 40.71 59.90 44.86 64.04 36.00 42.44 46.07 29.37 48.36 35.27 46.79 36.06 40.04 57.99 43.85 62.54 39.66 45.83 50.91 34.27 43.57 NE-North-east sector SE-South-east sector NW_North-west sector SW-South-west sector APPENDl X-II TABLES 9 Census/88 147 APPENDIX TABLE NO.-! Distribution of workers and non-worke;s by sex ------Census Total populatlOn Total workers Total non-workCls Place Year r-----'--.A.-----, r---~-,.A. ------, r------.A.------, P M F P M F P M F 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Krishnapur _ 1961 8.062 4.308 3.754 1,716 1,637 79 6.346 2.671 3,675 (l00.0) (l00.0) (100.0) (21.3) (38.0) (3.0) (78.7) (62.0) (97.0) Barasat Subdivision (U) -do- 139.813 73,455 66,358 32,462 30,318 2,144 107.351 43.137 64,214 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (23.2) (41.9) (3.2) (76.8) (5S.1 ) (96.S) 24-Parganas Distt. (U) -do- 1,997,957 1,150,205 847,752 620.115 592,443 27,672 1,377.S42 557,762 820,OSO (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (31.0) (51.5) (3.3) (69.0) (48.5) (96.7) Krishnapur 1971 14,905 7,775 7,130 3,323 3.146 177 11,582 4,629 6,953 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (22.3) (40.5) (2.9) (77.7) (59.5) (97.1) Barasat SubdIvIsion (U) -do- 250,847 130,S16 120,031 57,200 33,005 4,195 193,647 77,811 115,836 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (22.8) (40.5) (3.5) (77.2) (59.5) (96.5) 24-Parganas Distt. (U) . do- 2,970.320 1,956.813 1,313,507 800,042 760,855 39,187 2,170,278 895,958 1,274}20 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (26.9) (45.9) (3.0) (73.1) (54.1 ) (97.0) Krishnapur . 1981 25,277 13,010 12,267 6,340 5,784 556 18,937 7,226 11,711 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (25.1) (44.5) (4.5) (74.9) (55.5) (95.5) Blfa~at Subdivison (U) -do: 384,460 197.973 186,487 96.:179 87,043 9,336 288,081 110,930 177,[51 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (25.0) (44.0) (5.0) (75.0) (56.0) (95.0) 24-Parganas Distt. (U) -do- 4,169,482 2,257,654 1,911,828 1,142,979 1,063,176 79,803 3,026,503 1,194,478 1,832,025 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (27.4) (47.1) (4.2) (72.6) (52.9) (95.8) Notes :- (1) Figures in brackets indicate percentage. (2) U stands for Urban. (3) P stands for Persons, M for Males and F for Females. (4) Workers of 1981 include marginal workers. 148 APPENDiX TABLE 'NO.-Z Distribution of worJrers by industrial categories --- '__--~ Total workers r--....- ______- ____,.A..- ---____ -, 1961 1971 1981 r-- - __ ._A __ ----; Indu~trjal Category r--.-----""------; r------"------, P M F P M F P M F 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I Cultivators 102 102 80 80 57 57 (5.9) (6.2) (2.4) (2.5) (0.9) (1.0) 1I Agricultural Labourers 130 130 850 789 61 298 294 4 (7.6) (7.9) (25.6) (25.1) (34.5) (4.7) (5.1) (0.7) III LIVes to::k, forestry. fishing 6-l 6} 3 72 69 3) etc. (3.7) (3.7) (3.8) (2.2) (2.2) (1.7) t 1 IV Mining and quarrying Nil Nil Nil .. J V (a) Household Industry 11 8 3 148 135 13 96 91 5 (0.6) (0.5) (3.8) (4.5) (4.3) (7.3) (1.5) (1'.6) (0.9) (b) Manufacturing other 380 368 12 643 631 121 than household indus- (22.2) (22.5) (15.2) (19.3) (20.1) (6.8) I try \ VI Construction 58 58 137 135 21 (3.4) (3.6) (4.1) (4.3) (1.1) I VII Trade and commerce 171 149 22 543 522 21 ~ 5,848 5,305 543 (10.0) (9.1) (27.8) (16.3) (16.6) (11.9) (92.9) (92.3) (98.4) VIII Transport, storage and co- 101 100 I 306 303 3 m'Jnicati0n (5.9) (6.1) (1.3) (9.2) (9.6) (1.7) 1 IX Other services . 699 661 38 544 482 62 J (40.7) (40.4) (48.1) (16.4) (15.3) (35.0) I Total worker~ 1,716 1,637 79 3,323 3,146 177 6,299 5,747 552 (100.0) (100.0) [(100.0) (100.0) (100.0) [ (100.0) [(100.0) (100.0) (100.0) Note .'-- Figures in brackets indicate percentllge. 149 APPENDIX TABLE NO.-3 Distribution of workers by se" and industrial categury in !lample I1clls{hc!cs Number of Workers Pcrcenta!,e Percentage Percentage Indu~trial Category (Sample households) of workers of workers of workers r-_--__,.A. ____----, 1971 1981 P M F 2 3 4 5 6 7 I Cultivator 3 3 0.9 2.4 0.9 II Agricultural Labourers 25.6 4.7 III Livestock, forestry, fishing etc. 13 10 ·3 4.0 2.2 N.A. IV Mining and quarrying 2 2 0.6 N.A. V (a) H(lusehold industlY . 5 5 1.5 4.5 1.5 (b) Manuracturing other than hou~ehold industry. 82 74 8 24.9 19.31 VI Construction 52 48 4 15.8 4.1 I VII Trade and commerce 50 49 15.2 16.3 ~ 92.9 VIII Transport, storage and communication 36 34 2 11.0 9.21 IX Other services 86 58 28 26.1 16.4) Total workers 329 278 51 100.0 100.0 100.0 Note :-P stands for Person" M for Males aod F for Females and N. A. denote not available. APPENDIX TABLE NO.4 Distribution of workers in different age-groups 1971 census Population Workers Non-Workers Age-group r- ,A. r-----,A. -. r'--~-,A.------. Persons Males Females Persons Males Females Persons Males Females 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total 14,905 7,775 7,130 3,323 3,146 177 11,582 4,629 6,953 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (22.3) (40.5) (2.5) (77.7) (59.5) (97.5) 0-14 6,466 3,244 3,222 36 31 5 6,430 3,213 3,217 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (0.6) (1.0) (0.2) (99.4) (99.0) (99.8) 15-19 1,385 745 640 166 161 5 1,219 584 6.35 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (11.4) (21.6) (0.8) (88.6) (78.4) (99.2) 20-24 1.232 648 584 388 370 18 844 278 566 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (31.5) (57.1) (3.1) (68.5) (42.9) (96.9) 25-29 1,183 601 582 497 470 27 686 131 555 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (42.0) (78.2) (4.6) (58.0) (21.8) (95.4) 30-39 1,832 1,023 809 988 938 50 844 85 759 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (53.9) (91.7) (6.2) (46.1) (8.3) (93.8) 40-49 1.225 724 501 701 659 42 524 65 459 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (57.2) (91.9) (8.4) (42.8) (8.1) (91.6) 50-59 709 394 315 361 340 21 348 54 294 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (50.9) (86.3) (6.7) (49.1) (13.7) (93.3) 60+ 873 396 477 186 177 9 687 219 468 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (21.3) (44.7) (1.9) (78.7) (55.3) (98.1 ) Note :- Figures in brackets indicate percentages 1'50 APPENDIX TABLE NO.-S Distr ibution of workers by age-groups and se" in sample ilOuseholds PopulatIOn Workers Non-workers Agc-g!Oup~ ,-______..A. _____ --- -, ,-_-______--"-______-, r------"'------, Persoll' Males Females Persons Males Females Persons Males Females 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ------ 0--9 211 100 111 211 100 111 10--14 132 79 53 S 2 b 124 77 47 15-19 128 64 64 22 17 5 106 47 59 20- -24 103 52 51 33 30 5 70 22 48 25- -29 94 44 50 40 38 2 54 6 48 30-34 80 46 34 51 45 6 29 28 35-39 69 39 30 42 39 3 27 27 40--49 109 57 52 73 57 16 36 36 50--59 76 42 34 45 37 8 31 ) 26 60-64 23 11 12 11 9 2 12 2 10 65 and 42 17 25 4 4 °1 38 13 25 above ------_------'------Total 1,067 551 516 329 278 51 738 . 273 465 --_ 151 APPENDIX TABLE NO.-6 Distribution of workers by type of occupation, sex and age-group in sample households ---- Age-group .---- .-_.J'______Type of occupation Sex r-~---.---- .- -.., 10~14 15-19 20--24 25-29 30-39 40--49 50--59 60 and total above ------r ------ 2 3 4 5 6 7 S 9 10 11 _------.--- Unskilled manual M 6 12 5 12 12 10 3 61 F 6 5 1 7 6 6 2 34 Skilled manual M 5 9 13 26 13 15 3 85 F 2 4 1 7 Lowest professional and administrative posts M 2 3 1 7 F 2 4 Small business . M 3 4 5 15 9 , 2 2 40 F 2 3 Higllly skilled and supervisory manual M 1 F Clerks and shop as~istants , M 2 2 7 12 9 6 1 39 F 1 2 Intermediate professional and related posts , M 3 4 7 F Medium business M 2 4 10 3 2 22 F Highly professional and salaried posts. M 3 4 F Owners of factory and lal ge shops M 2 4 2 9 F " Cultivators M 3 F Total M 2 17 30 38 84 57 37 13 278 F 6 5 3 2 9 16 8 2 51 ------ Nole :--M stanJs for Males and F for Females. 152 APPENDIX TABLE NO.-' Distribution of workers by type of occupation and level of education by sex in sample hOllseholds Educational level of workers r-______A ______-, S.F., Literate Matric Diploma Type of occupation Sex Illiterate without Primary Middle and Graduates Post or Certi- Total level Higher Graduate ficate Secondary ----- 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Unskilled manual Male 20 14 7 19 1 61 Female 24 8 2 34 Skilled manual Male 18 19 7 33 6 2 85 Female 6 1 7 Lowest professional and Male 2 4 1 7 administrative posts Female 2 2 4 Small business Male 4 7 8 14 6 40 Female 3 3 Highly skilled and Male supervisory manual Female Clerks and shop Male 2 1 7 14 15 39 assistants Female 2 2 Intermediate profe- Male 4 2 7 ssional and related Female 1 1 posts. Medium business Male 5 1,0 4 22 Female Higher professional Male Z 2 4 and salaried posts Female Owners of factories Male 2 5 2 9 and large shops Female Cultivators Male~ 3 Female _-_--- Total Male 46 46 24 88 40 29 4 :<78 Female 33 9 2 4 3 51 153 APPENDIX TABLE NO.8 Distribution of workers by caste and sex in sample households Population Workers Percentage .. -~~ -----, ,----_.._._.--...... --..---~ of workers Name of Caste/Community Persons Males Females Total Males Females to total population 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kayastha 207 104 103 64 54 10 30.9 Chhetri • 1 1 1 100.0 Brahman 94 45 49 29 25 4 ~O.9 Goala 62 32 30 17 15 2 27.4 Saha. 34 16 18 10 10 29.4 Mahisya. 13 7 6 4 4 30.8 Karmakar 20 9 11 7 7 35.0 Napit 15 9 6 6 6 40.0 Gandhabanik 29 15 14 7 7 24.1 Jugi . 19 12 7 4 4 21.1 Baidya 18 11 7 6 5 33.3 Tanti 12 7 5 4 4 33.3 Teli . 11 6 5 3 3 27.2 Sadgope. 15 10 5 2 2 13.3 Kumbhakar 5 2 3 3 2 60.0 Sankhari 5 2 3 1 20.0 Majhi 3 1 2 1 1 33.3 Benia 4 2 2 3 2 75.0 Scheduled Castes-. Namasudra 247 132 115 81 59 22 32.8 Poundra. 112 57 55 28 25 3 25.0 Tiyar 96 49 47 33 28 5 34.4 Kaora 16 6 10 4 4 25.0 IaIia Kaibartta 4 2 2 1 I, 25.0 Muchi 1 1 1 100.0 Malo 3 2 1 1 33.3 Christian 21 12 9 8 6 2 38.1 Total 1,067 551 516 329 278 51 30.8 .9 Census/8S ~O ... 154 AP'pENJ)fX TA8LE~.!) DistributiQa Q{iI9u$eholds by emDloymeat.deptIJs (J. e. No. »f wDdiers in household) No. of workers In No. of households by sIze & No. of adults havmg No. of workers noted In Col. 1 No. of workers the household r----~---~-----~---~--~------~--~-~ All household 1·3 4·6 7·10 11 and above 1 ~ 3 4 S 6 7 Nil 8(21) 6(13) 2(8) 1 103(303) 77(177) 23(103) 3(23) 103 2 S5(~03) 27(72) 25(109) 3(22) 110 3 22020) 1(3) 16(82) 5(35) 66 4 10(62) 1(3) 5(22) 3(26) 1(11) 40 5 2(15) 1(5) 1(10) 10 Total 200(724) 112(268) 72(329) 15(116) 1(11) 329 --- Note :~The figures for nurober of adults aged 15 and above are gIven III parenthesIs. APPENDIX TABLE NO. 10 Employment status of worker by locality and sex Workers Employer Employee ~ ______.A. __~_-.. ____ ~-____A_ ____ Locality r--I~_-______A. -. Persons Males Females Persons ,Males Females Persons Males Females 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 Bagjola Camp. 88 68 20 8 5 20, 14 6 Siddharthanagar Colony and 18 13 5 4 2 2 Camp No.3 Old Krishnapur 98 90 8 8 8 53 50 3 Rabindra Palll 3S 32 3 5 5 27 2S 2 Paschim Narayantala 35 31 4 5 5 20 17 3 Purba Narayantala 28 22 6 20 6 Plafulla Kanan 27 22 5 4 4 21 16 5 Gr!md Total. 329 278 51 29 29 165 138 27 TABLE NO. 18-contd. i:mPloyment status of workers by locality and sex Single worker Family worker Cultivator Agricultural labour Locality ,..... -. r-----A """'I r- .A. """'I r-----.A.---"""'I Persons Males Females Persons Males Females Persons Males Females Persons Males Females 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Bagjola Camp. 54 46 '8 8 2 6 Siddharthanagar Colony and 13 10 3 Camp No. 3. Old Krishnapur 35 30 5 2 2 Rabittdra Palli 3 2 1 Paschim Narayaq.tala 10 9 1 Purba Narayantal~ 7 7 Prafulla Kanan 2 2 Grahd Total 124 106 18 8 2 6 3 3 _--_ .. --- APPENDIX TABLE NO. 11 Type of occupation and distance fr8DI Place of work by locality ,..... __~ ______Average distance from place i.A. of work hy locality______(in kms.} ""'\ Name of occupation Total Bagjola S. Colony P'rafulla Rabin&a Purba Paschim Krishnapur Camp' and Camp Kanan Palli Narayanta!a Narayantala No.3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 UnSkilled manual 95 3.8 3.7 1 1.3 3.0 5J 3.7 Skilled" manual • I 92 5.3 3.0 ID.2 4.8' 3.2 5.8 Lower professional and 11 9.0 5 9.0 4.0 1.0 administrative Small business 43 1.8 3.6 13.0 7.0 28.S 4.6 Highly skilled and supervisory 1 13 manual Clerks and shop assistants 41 7.5 ." 9.3 10'.7 15.6 15.6 7.0 Intermediate professional and 8 15.0 13.5 salaried posts Medium business 22 3.3 4.0 1.5 3.3 Higher professional 4 '.' 11.0 13.6 18.& Owners of factories and large 9 10.0 8.0 8.6 77.3 shops Cultivators 3 15.0 ·(0 APpENDIX TAlJLENO.12 Type of occupation, mode of transport to place of work and time taken to rea Cler~~ and shop assistlp1ts 41 6 Intermediate professional and 8 1 1 salaried posh • Medium business 22' 8 2 4 Higher professional 4 'J Owners of factories ano large 9 shops Cultivators 3 1 Total 329 103 35 13 12 TAlJLE NO. 1'2-tolltd. Bus Train and Bus Home Remarks Name of Occupation r------0---~---__.. r------,0------. upto 31 min. 1--Ii more upto 31inin. I-It mOre 30 min. to 1 hr. hours than 30 min. to 1 hr. hours than It hr. It hours 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 of Unskilled manual 1 9 2 1 .. 10 *The case does I not arise in the Skilled manual . 1 ~2 13 2 2 6' case of 14 rick- ~haw pullers. Lowest professional and adminis 2 3 .. 1 1 trative I Small business . 1 6 3 1 1 1 to, High!:y. skilled and supervisory .. .' . manual Clerks and shop assIstants . 3 27 -2 1 2 Interm~diate professipnal and 1 2 2 1 salaned posts .. Medium business 1 4 2 Higher professionl\l ..... 3 1 I. Owners of factories and large 2 4 1 .. ' 1 shclPs Cultivators , 1 Total 12 79 26 6 1 3 4 20 ls7 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 13 No. of persons seeking employment for the first time by age, sex and ed ucational level ------"----- Age-group Persons Males Females Illiterate LWL Primary Matric Diploma Degree and Certi- and ficate above 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A-PPENDIX TABLE NO. 14 ).>ersons seeking emploYment by age, sex, educational level and registered with employment exchange Registered with employment exchange E4ucationallever ...... r---,__...... ------...--....._...__....)t..------_____.___. ___ _..__. _____ ~ r----""'---.,Upto 14 r----""'---.,15-24 .. ---""'---.,25-34 r----""'----,35+ M F M F M F M F 1 2 3 4 5 6. 7 8 9 llliterate . Literate without level Primaty . 5 ," School Final or Matriculation or 6 4 3. 3 Higher Secondary Degree and above 4 2 1 4 Diploma and Certificate 1 Total 15 7 4 7 TABLE NO. 14 Not registered with employment exchange Educational level r-----..-...-. ------...... ----...... ------_..-.,...... - ----~ Upto 14 15-24 25-34 35+ r-----"-..;..--., r----.,-....--__" .. _-,_""' ___..., .. __._.A. - - --- M F M F M F M F 1 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Illiterate • 1 1 Literate without level 1 Primary. 3 2 1 1 School Final or Matriculation or 1 1 Higher Secondary Degree and above 2 1 Diploma and Certificate Total 1 5 5 2 2 159 APPENDIX. TABLE NO. 15 LocatwD of otber than household manufacturing establishment Number of establishments located in National Natme of establimment Total r-- - ~--.-----_____ oAo ___ ~ ______-, lndustritll No. ?t' New Krhhnapur Refugee Settlements Classifi estabhsh- r-- --~--.-..A.------, r---- ""' ___-""-;, cations meots Prafulla Paschim Purba Rabindra Old Kanan Narayan- Narayan- Palli Bagjola S. Nagar Krishna tala tala camp and Camp pur No.3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20-21 Food products (swiletm~at, 33 7 6 1 7 bakery, grain products). 10 22 Beverages, tobacco and its pro- 8 2 .. ' 3 ducts 3 23 Cotton textiles. 2 1 26 Textile products 40 4 8 2 8 3 2 13 27 Wood and wood products, furni- 24 5 8 2 3 ture and fixtures 2 4 28 Paper, paper products and print- 8 2 3 2 1 ing 29 Leather products 2 1 1 30 Rubber, plastic, petroleum and 10 j 3 coal products 31 Chemicals and chemical pro- 15 4 3 7 ducts 32 Non-metallic mineral products 9 5 1 1 1 34 Metal products and parts 13 7 2 2 3S Machinery, machine tools and 7 2 3 parts 36 Electrical n;mchinery, appliances 15 3 3 2 4 and parts 2 37 Transport equipment and parts 2 1 38 Other manufacturing industries 31 2 7 13 8 39 Repair 65 11 9 2 14 '1 2 20 Total 284 59 50 25 66 12 8 64 160 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 16 Location of household manufacturing establishment Number of household establishments located in National Nature of establi~hment Total r----- ...... , Industrial No. of Prafulla Paschim Purba Rabindra---- Refugee Settlements Old Classifi- e&tablish- Kanan Narayan- Narayan- Palli , ___oA- __--, Krishna- cations ments tala tala Bagjola Siddhar- pur Camp tha Ngr. and Camp No.3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20--21 Food products. 8 1 5 22 Beverages tobacco and tobacco 17 17 products 23 Cotton spinning 26 23 3 26 Textile product~ 14 2 1 2 7 27 Wood and bamboo products, etc. 19 13 6 28 Paper products . 13 11 2 38 Others 7 5 Total 104 3 1 3 81 13 2 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 17 Distribution of manufacturing establishment by number of workers National Nature of establishment Total Total no. of Non-household industry Household industry Industrial No. of workers r----"-----, r----"----., Classifica establish. No. of No. of No. of No. of tions ments e:.talbish- workers establish. workers ments ments 1 2 .. 3 4 5 6 7 8 -21 Food products ". 41 123 33 112 8 11 22 Beverage. tobacco and its products 25 42 8 19 17 23 23 Cotton textiles 28 40 2 5 26 35 26 Textile products 54 125 40 102 14 23 27 Wood and wood products 43 98 24, 76 19 22 28 Paper products and printing. 21 46 8 2~ 13 17 29 Leath.::r products 2 14 2 14 30 Rubber and plastic products 10 35 10 35 31 Chemical products 15 138 15 138 32 Non-metallic mineral products 9 25 9 25 34 Metal product and parts . 13 46 31 46 35 Machinery, machine tools and parts . 7 33 7 33 36 Electrical machinery, appliances and parts 15 66 15 66 37 Transport equipment and parts 2 6 2 6 38 Other manufacturing industries 38 85 31 74 7 11 39 Repair 65 78 65 78 Total 388 1.000 284 858 104 142 161 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 18 Other thaD household manufacturing establishments classified by registered factories, unregistered workshop and size of emplo),ment One Person 2-4 Persons 5-9 Persons 10 and above Nature of Total Registered Unregister ,-_-__,A._ ...... ,--...... ---...... ,-_oA--__., ,---A. __., establish factlXies ed work No. of Persons No. of Persons No_ of Persons No_ of Penons ment Major shop establish- employed establish- employed establish- employed establish- employed Gr<>up m"nts ments ments ments -ofNIC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 20-21 33 32 9 9 17 50 5 29 2 24 II...: hall t 22 8 8 3 ,3 5 16 23 2 2 2 5 26 40 40 1.9 9 28 77 3 16 27 24 24 3 3 14 35 7 38 28 8 8 7 22 1 7 29 2 2 1 2 1 12 30 10 10 8 24 2 11 31 15 1 14 11 35 3 23 80 32 9 9 9 25 34 13 13 12 38 1 8 35 7 7 5 17 2 16 36 IS 15 'S 3 3 11 8. 42 10 37 2 2 2 6 3S 31 31 11 11 18 54 2 9 39 65 65 52 52 13 26 Total 284 1 283 90 90 155 443 34 199 5 126 ------ 9 Census/S8 21 162' AI'1>E1WIX TABLgNO.tv ClassifkatiOWl of eStab1i~ No. of other than household manuf~cturing establishments ,!sing- No. of household establishments using Natute of , .. r- ---A- ..' Estahlishment No. of Electri- Liquid Coal Other manual No. of electri· coal, manual Major Group units city fuel vvcod.etc. power units city wood ofNIe 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10' 11 'W'-Zl 3J 7 2~ 8 3 5 22 8 8 17 11 23 2 2 26 2~ 26 40 4 36 14 14 ... ~ .. / 24 7 11 19 19 28 8 6 2 13 11 29 2 2 30 10 7 3 31 15 4 11 32 9 9 34 13 9 1 2 35 7 6 36 15 IS 37 1 3J 32 6 19 7 1 ~ 4 39 65 11 2f 33 ~------lotal 284 82 2 66 133 10"4 '6 98 ------~63 ~PPf.IJ.IX T4B~ 00.20 Location of the trading and commercial establishments Nature of establishment Total ,..-______No. ----oA.--. or establishments______located in -, ,..- _,.A. No. of Major .Ii> Mioor Group of Establish- NeW Ktishnapur Refugee Settlements " "Group of N.I.C. ments r------,.A.------, (---~- ----. N.I.C. Prafulla Paschim Purba Rabindra Bagjola Siddhar- Old Kanan Narayan- Naraya,tlr - PaJli Camp tha Na$ar .Krishl:!,a- tala tala a.ndCamp PUT Number 3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 &5 650 (a) Grocery 84 7 15 4 9 13 7 29 Retail trade in (b) Grainstore 59 *27 7 3 22 food & tobacco 651 Vegetabl~ and fruit 55 2 1 19 3 1 29 stalls 652 Dealers In fish, meat, 47 14 33 poultry 653 Dealers 4J. sweetmeat, 8 Z 4 i dairy products and eggs 654 Pan, Bidi, cigarette 43 8 5 4 9 3 2 12 shops 659 Other food stalls 10 1 3 2 4 66 660 Dealers in non-ready- 8 1 4 3 Retail trade in made textiles textiles 661 Dealers in ready-made 17 1 1 ':} 6 garments 67 670 Dealers in fuelwood, 26 2 5 2 6 2 8 Retail trllde in coal amd kerosene fuel and house- oil hold utilities 671 Utensil ~ps 7 1 2 4 673 Electric and electronic 7 2 3 1 shops 674 Furniture shops 9 1 5 2 t 1 676 Footwear shops 4 2 2 679 Others (hardwar() 8 2 1 2 2 68 680 Medical &~OPs 14 1 1- 6 4 Retail trade in others 681 Stationeries 39 5 3 18 2 2 8 682 Dealers in building 15 2 3 4 4 materials 689 Others 8 2 4- 1 69 690 Restaurants, cafes and 52 3 8 3 13 4 5 f(5 Restaurants and other eating homes IJ9teljl ------T~ 520 38 82 16 13& 36 21 189 Note : *Th~re are two establishments which operate both on wholesale and retail basis. 164 APPENDIX TABLE NO.ll Community, social and persona I servites and other establishments, classified by DO. of 'Workers Nature of establishment (Major Group of N.I.C.) No. of establishments No. of workers 1 2 42 Water works and supply 1 2 50 Construction 3 9 70 Land transport (bullock-carts, rickshaws and hand-carts) ,372 372 71 Water transport 1 3 75 Commupications 2 6 80 ' Banking. 1 8 82 Real estate and bu~ipess services 42 92 90 . Public administrations (local bodies) 2 7 91 Sanitary services (bagjola sewerage treatment plant) 1 26 92 Educational services. 14 ISO 93 Medical and health service (dispensaries and nursing homes) 27 53 9S Recreational service (library) 1 2 96 Personal services : Laundries 11 19 Hair-cutting saloons 14 2S Photographic studios .. S 9 Home decorations 10 31 ---- Total '507 814 .\ ) ~ , 165 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 22 DuratiOll]of establisnments No. of Type of establishment establishments Within 2-3 4-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 More (Minor Group of NJC) for which 1 year years years years years years than data 20 years collected 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 650 (a) Grocery 51 5 12 8 13 4 1 8 (b) Grain store 10 1 1 4 3 1 651 Vegetables and fruit stalls 5 1 3 652 Dealers in fish, meat, poultry 34 2 3 6 8 5 4 6 654 Pan, bidi, cigar stalls 26 3 6 6 7 2 2 659 Others (loose tea, livestock food) 7 6 660 Non ready-made textiles 7 2 2 2 1 661 Ready-made garments 4 1 1 670 Dealers in coal, wood and kerosene 16 1 4 4 3 3 1 671 Utensil shops 4 1 2 1 673 Electrical, electronic shops 2 2 674 Furniture shops 4 2 1 676 Footwear shops 4 2 1 679 Others (hardware) . 8 2 3 1 680 Medical shops 14 4 2 1 6 681 Stationery items 29 5 5 5 6 4 3 682 Dealers in building materials 10 1 4 2 1 2 689 Others (iron rods, bottles papers, etc.) 7 2 2 1 2 690 Restaurant (tea stall, cafes, etc.) • 28 4 4 3 9 5 2 696 Personal services : (a) Laundries 8 1 3 3 (b) Hair-cutting saloons 14 2 3 2 3 1- 3 (0) Photographic studios •• 2 1 1 , (d) Decorators • • 4 1 1 1 1 ---- Total 298 43 58 56 71 33 9. 28 ·1.66 PPMlJlX T.Jl~NO;~ Distribution of estabii~ Jt;y ...~ _gion, caste of owners No. of No. of owners Naole qf estabtishments establish whose mother IIMl\ItS .bmgues a.te 2 3 4 5 6 8 650,(a) Groceuy 51 50 49 2 :n 26 ~b) Grain stores 10 10 10 .t 9 651 Vegetable and fruit stall 5 4 1 4 2 2 652 Dealers in fish, meat,,poultry 34 34 32 2 on 5 654 Pan, bidi, cigar 26 25 25 1, 43 7 659 Others 7 7 7 l' 4 660 Textile shops 7 7 7 .) 5 661 Garment shops 4 4 4 2 2 670 Coal, wood shops 16 12 4 16 5 111 671 Utensil shops 4 4 4 2 2 673 Electrical and electroniC shops 2 1 2 . 2 674 Furniture shops . 4 4 4 3 676 Footwear shops . 4 4 4 2 2 679- Others 8 8 8 .j 5 3' - " I 680 Medical shops 14 14 14 3 11 681 Stationery items . 29 29 27 :2 "1' 20 682 Dealers in building materials 10 10 9 1 I ~ 7 68~ Others 7 6 7 ~ 5 690 Eating houses 28 28 27 1 2'1 6 696 Personal services : (a) Laundries 8 8 8 6 2 (b) Hair-cutting saloons 14 12 2 14 14 (c) Studios 2 2 2 2 (d) Decorators 4 4 4 2 2 Total 298 287 11 ~ 3 1, 136 152 APPINlJl:R TABLE N6. tl-conrd. D istributiol\ or esf_illNt.cs tY "~;riI_, C!aste of owners NtJ. t>r ()wn~fl of esfaolishmtil~ who bIllang to ,.-_____.._...._~ __ ~_...._...... _._..J:...:...... _L...~._ _ _...... ,.__.._J\:._.._ I --t~ _____~ ___~ ___ _ Bcah- Kay- Man- Bai- Benia Goala Saha Teli Karma- Tiyar Nama- Kaont 'poun- Rajak Napit Oth~ man astha isya dya kar sudra dra (Pod) 169 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 25 Age, sex and marital status ( sample household) Total Never married Married Separated or divorced Widowed , __ J. _. __ ....., , ___,A._. __ ~ Age-group r----,.A.---~ r---''"''----~ ,--'""------. Males Female~ Males Female~ Males Females Males Females Males Females 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 41 0-4 50 41 50 70 5-9 50 70 50 10-14 79 53 79 53 64 15-19 64 51 13 64 20-24 43 21 9 30 52 51 50 25-29 26 6 18 42 44 30-34 10 36 32 46 34 R2 35-49 7 87 66 4 2 ~l 96 50-59 2 36 24 4 10 42 34 21 60- 69 16 6 15 17 16 70+ 7 4 15 11 Total 331 243 209 214 6 11 53 551 516 APPENDTX TABLE NO. 26 Distribution of population by age, sex and educational level <,samPle household) Total populatic·n Illiterate Literate withollt Primary educational1e\ el ,-___.__.A. ____-. r----,...... --.A.-- ~- ~ Age-!!r,1Up ,----'""------. ,----..... ----~ r P M F P M F P M F P 1\1 _--- 13 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 251 141 110 All age~ t 1,067 55! 516 284 98 186 261 139 122 0-4 91 50 41 82 45 37 9 5 4 2 5-9 120 50 70 21 3 18 97 47 50 2 22 10-14 132 79 53 12 2 10 51 34 17 57 35 2.1 15·--19 128 64 64 16 2 14 15 6 9 43 22 11 14 20--24 103 52 51 15 6 9 18 14 4 25 I~ 25-,34 174 90 R4 30 7 23 21 8 13 47 29 19 35--49 178 96 82 50 16 34 '23 11 12 43 24 14 50 and 141 70 71 5!l 17 41 27 1"- 13 34 20 above 22 9 Cen~u~/88 170 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 26-contdo (Distribution of p()Pulation by age, sex and education:!1 level ( sample household) Middle School Final or Grad\late and above Non-Technical Higher Secondary Diploma Age-gr,)up ,_ - __OA- • ____ ., , ___._._ ..A.. ____., ,-.-.--,_A.._.__ ...... , ____ ..A.. ___•• __ , P M F P M F P M F P M F ----- 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 All at!;es • 103 64 39 107 67 40 59 41 18 2 1 0-4 5--9 10-11 12 8 4 15·- 19 39 25 14 15 9 6 20-24 13 5 8 23 12 11 8 4 4 25-34 16 10 6 36 21 15 24 15 9 35-49 IS 12 6 22 15 7 21 17 4 .1 50 and 5 4 11 10 6 5 alJcJ\e APPENDIX TABLE NO. 27 Age at marriage as related to educationa11evel Males '-_o__ o_o ___ o __ o o ____ • ______..A.. ____ _._. ______, o Educational level Age at man iage ,-_____ 0-__ 0 0 ______• 0 o ___,_A.. __ - __ 0 __ 0 __ 0 __ o_o_o_o_o_. ____ , Below 14 14-19 20-2425-29 30-·34 35-39 40--44 45+ Total 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Illiterate 0 2 22 16 42 Elu::ation without level 6 2 10 Below Pr imary . 16 9 27 Primary 0 3 39 31 12 86 Matriculation 6 8 2 17 High~r Secondary 6 3 3 12 Diploma ani Cel·tificate Degree and abov~ 3 13 5 3 25 Total 7 98 82 26 6 220 ------171 ~APPENDIX TAULE NO. 27- contd. L... ~ 2: Age at marriage as_related to=educatioD!11 level Females r------..A..------... Educational level Age at mal riage r------..A..------"'"l Below 14 14-19 20-·24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40--44 45+ Total 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 ------Illiterate . 39 66 s 110 Education without level 3 11 14 Below Primary 3 17 4 3 27 Primary . 8 60 18 2 88 Matriculation 7 4 2 13 Higher ,Secondary 3 2 4 9 Diploma and Certificate Degree and above 9 3 12 Total 53 164 42 14 273 APPENDIX l TABLE NO. 28 Average age at marriage as related to educational level and time of marriage No. of married Average age at marriage of AVerage age at marriage of currently married males who currently married females married Educational level r----..... --., r- __.A., -. r' ..... Males Females Earlie! 15-29 Within 15 Married MarrIed Married than 30 years years earlier within 15 within 15 years than 30 to 29 year~ years years 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ------Illiterate 42 110 23.8 24.3 23.3 13.2 15.8 16.0 Education wi)hout level 10 14 25.4 29.0 21.0 14.6 16.0 17.0 Below Primary 27 27 22.0 25.6 23.6 15.2 18.3 1'~.4 Primary and Middle 86 88 23.4 22.9 25·9 16,0 16.8 18.3 Matriculation 17 13 24.0 26.5 28.? 16.0 18.3 20.9 Higher Secondary and P.U.iJ.A. 12 9 24.2 25.6 21.7 2.25 Diploma and Certificate 31.0 Degree and above 25 12 25.5 28.0 30.6 22.0 22.3 24.3 ------ Total 220 273 23.8 24.4 25.4 14.1 17.0 18.S ------172 APPENDIX TABLE NO, 29 Educational standard among individual scheduled castes (sample households) ------Total Population Illiterate Literat( without level Community - r--~-----~------~--, ,-____-A... ____-") r------A...------, Persons Males Females Males Females Males Females 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 --- Namasudra 247 132 115 35 59 38 33 Raj banshi-Tiyars 96 49 47 8 27 22 7 Poundra Kshatria ., 112, 57 55 14 -26 15 17 Kaora 16 6 10 3 8 2 2 Jelia-Kaibarta 4 2 2 1 1 Muchi .. 1 .• 1 1 Malo 3 2 2 ,', ---- Total 479 248 231 63 123 77 60 APPENDiX TABLE NO. 29 Matriculation or Primary Middle Higher Secondary Graduate and above Community r-----""'----"""'I r----v'---_"""'I r---v'-~-"""'I r---v'--_"""'I Males Females Males Females Maid Females Males Females 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Namasudra 33 19 15 9 1 2 2 Rajbanshi-Tiyars 12 7 3 4 ,2 4' Poundra Kshatria 23 10 2 2 2 1 Kaora 1 lelia-Kaibarta 1 Muchi Malo Total 70 36 20 7 11 3 7 2 l?j APPENDIX TABLE NO. 30 Knowledge of subsidiary languages and educational score Knowledge of Hindi number Educational score English number Educational score subsidIary languages Mother tongue r----..A..-----., ,--~.--0_~--.--. ..__ ~.A._ ~ __ '...., , ___..A._ -- --. r---J.....----, P M F PM F PM F PM F P M F 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Bengali 268 178 90 163 98 65 2.6 2.8 2.2 8 6 2 5.0 5.0 5.0 (1,036) Hindi. 27 18 9 (31) APPENDIX TABLE NO. 30 English and Hindi Bengali Burmese ..~ ______,A------.-~ ____.,...., .._- __~_0_ ___.., ..~~_0______-, Number Educational score Number Educational score Number Educational score Mother ,---""'~----...---0_ ___--,r ___ v\. ___--... __ _""_ ____"" ___..A. ___--.r- __, _.A. ___--. tongue PM F PM F PM F PM F PM F PM F 1 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 '32 33 34 Bengali 95 73 .22 43 4.6 3.4 2 1 1 .2.0 2.0 2.0 (1,036) Hindi 27 18 9 1.0 1.2 0.6 ., (31) Note.-Figure in Bracket indicates number of speakers. 174 APPENDIX ,_ ...... o!!. TABLEiNO. (31 . filii COOllllUDity-wise distributiOll_or~defauItjng households ------No. of households having No. of households Both male and female children Children of School-going age having but failed to send to school Community No. of No. of ,.------...... -~~---, ,~~___....A.. __ __., r-----~~ ...... ~ House- House- Male Female Both male Only male Only Only male Only Both holds holds not only only and children female or some female having female put defa- children males or some any child ulting to put defau- females of school- send some Iting to going age or all to send some school or all to school 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ..-._--- _j Brahman. 20 9 3 5 3 1 Kayastha . 40 16 8 10 6 1 Goala 9 2 2 2 3 1 Saba 5 3 2 1 Mahisya 4 3 1 Baidya 4 3 1 I •• Karmakar. 4 3 1 Gandhabanik 4 1 3 Jugi 3 1 1 1 Tantubaya 2 1 Teli . 2 Sadgo'pe 2 1 1 I Napit 3 Kumor 1 Sankhari 1 • J Majhi 1 Benia 1 1 .. .. Scheduled Castes: Namasudra 46 11 10 7 18 3 2 1 6 Poundra-Kshatriya 21 6 4 6 5 3 Rajbanshi-Tiyars 18 7 5 5 1 1 1 Kaora . 2 1 Jelia-Kaibarta 1 Muehi 1 Malo 1 Christian 4 2 1 1 Total 200 72 41 39 48 4 11 2 11 --2 175 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 32 Distribution of household by locality and place of birth of heads of households ------Number of heads Other districts Other states Other of households countries Locality Total Non-mig r~--~A---~ r--~--~ r--A--~ r---A--, no. of rant (born Within .jistrict BanglaDesh house within (24-Parganas) r---.A.--, holds town) r--A__"" Calcutta rural urban rural urban rural urban rural urban 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ------Bagjola Camp 52 3 1 3 1 44 Siddhartha Nagar Colony and 11 2 9 Camp No.3 Sub-Total 63 3 2 3 1 53 ------Paschim Narayantala 25 2 7 5 2 3 6 Purba Narayantala 18 2 2 1 13 Prafulla Kanan 17 14 Ra bindra Palli 23 4 14 2 ------Sub-Total 83 2 11 11 4 4 47 2 ---- Old Krishnapur 54 31 6 4 2 9 1 ------Total 200 33 20 17 9 6 109 3 ~------ APPENDIX TABLE NO. 33 Migrants by place of last residence and educationallevel ------Educational level of the migrants Place of Last Residonce Rural Total no. ,----- ...... ------~ Percentage or of Illiterate Literate Primary Middle Matri- Gra- Diplo- of Urban migrants without culate duate mas Literates level or or Higher- above secon- dary ------2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ------Elsewhere in the District (24-Prgs.) Rural 119 48 15 8 37 10 67.3 Urban 98 23 22 10 20 15 8 Calcutta Urban 254 27 39 8 89 54 36 89.4 Rural 52 24 7 3 14 3 Other districts of the State 56.9 Urban 6 1 ~ Rural 19 9 7 2 Other states of India 59.3 Urban 8 2 2 3 Rural 61 28 10 5 12 6 Other countries • 56.3 Urban 3 3 ------TotaL 620 162 102 38 177 89 51 1 73.9 --_------~ 116 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 34 Classification of the migrant workers by occupational divisions and last residence ----._--_- Occupational division r-'------.A. ______, Last Residence Persons 0-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 and 9 6. Farmers, fishermen and related workers. 7-8-9. Production and related workers, transport equipment operators and lal:ourers. 177 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 35 Distribution of h()useholds by nUlIlber of members, migration and place of birth of head of household ,- Number of households having .;-..------~~-~~ ... Migration status and place of birth Total Single 2 3 4 5 6-7 8-9 10-12 13 of head of household No. of member mem- mem- mem- mem- mem- mem- mem- members house- bers bers bers bers bers bers bers and above hold~ ------~------2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ------_-_- A. Non-migrant (born in the town) 33 3 4 10 9 3 2 B. Migrant- (1) Born outside the town in the district : (a) Rural 20 3 3 3 2 7 2 (b~ Urban 1 .. (II) Born within the state in (i) Howran (a) Rural 2 1 1 q» Urban Oi) Calcutta 17 5 4 2 4 1 (iii) Barddhaman (a) Rural 1 1 (b) Urban .. (iv) Medinipur (a) Rural 5 1 3 (b) Urban (v) Nadia " ' (a) Rural (b) Urban 1 (vi) MaIda (a) Rural 1 (b) Urban (III) Born in other states : (i) Bihar (a) Rural 5 1 (b) Urban (ii) Uttar Pradesh (a) Rural .(b) Urban (iii) Madhya Pradesh (a) Rural (b) Urban (iv) Born in other countries (i) BangIa Desh (a) Rural 109 3 8 5 22 21 38 6 5 (b) Urban 3 3 Total 200 6 12 19 35 41 63 15 7 2 9 Census/SS 23 178 APFENDIX TAQ LE NO. 36 Distribjl~iop qf IIp.t\WbQ\M ~y lUItpjl~ oi meulllers, migration status and last residence of head of households ------Number of households having r- ;A, ., Migration status and last residence Total Single 2 mem- 3 mem- 4 mem- 5 mem- 6-7 8-9. 10-12 13 mem- of htJlld of hou~eholds No. of member bers bers bers bers mem- mem- mem- bers -and hQuse- bers- bers bers above holds 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 A. Non-migrant (BQrn in town) 33 3 4 10 9 ~ f I B. Migrant- (I) Last residence outside the town but in the district (a) Rural 21 2 2 3 4 6 3 1 (b) 1 3 5 4 9 Urban 24 1 .(II) Last residence outside the district but within the state district Haora (a) Rural 7 2 2' 2 (b) Urban 1 1 District Medinipur (a) Rural 2 1 1' (b) Urban District Birbhum (a) Rural 1 (b) Urban District Hugli (a) Rural 7 1 2 1 3 (b) Urban. District Bankura (a) Rural . 2 2 (b) Urban. , District Calcqtta(U) 10 2 5 12 11 12 19 5 3 District Nadia (a) Rural (b) Urban . ..1 (III) Last residence other s.tates : Bihar- (a) Rural 2 1 1 (b) Urban. Uttar Pradesh (a) Rural 1 ,. (b) Urban • (IV) Last residence in other countries : BanglaDesh (a) Rural 26 8 5 10 11 (b) Urban Burma (a) Rural {b) Ur~an 1 1 "'u.~ __ ~a __ ~--- .... -.. _---. Total 200 ti 12 19 35 41 63 IS 7 2 MPENiJIX TAlJLE NO. 37 bistribulion or households by migration status and duration of stay of any member who has staYed longest Non-migrant No. of households with last residerlce in Rural areas witt duration of stay of any member who has stayed longest (born and last .. ______oA- ______~\ No. of member residence in the town) Less than 1-5 years 6-:-10 years 11-20 21 years Total 1 year years and above 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 . 1 2 3 2 1 3 3 3 1 2 3 4 4 1 3 3 7 14 5 9 2 1 4 7 14 6-- 7 9 2 4 19 25 8- 9 3 1 2 4 7 10-12 2 1 1 13+ 1 -----,--- - .------~ Totll;l ,', 32 5 8 15 42 70 TABLE NO, 37 No. of households with last residence in Urban areas with duratibn of stay of any .. -member___ whoOA- has stayed'-______-. longest No, of Qlember 'Less than i-s years 6-10 years 11-20 years 21 years and Total 1 year above 1 9 10 11 12 13 14 --_._------1 2 j 2 2 4 2. 8 3 1 5 2 2 3 13 4 2 4 7 4 17 S 5 8 5 18 1 1 11 11 5 6-7 " 29 8- 9 3 2 ',- 5 10-12 1 4 IH 1 Total, 4 8 31 34 21 98 J:8() APPENDIX TABLE NO.,- 38 Place of last residence of members related to Place of birth _- ',' Place of last residence r---- .A -----t Place of birth Same as place of birth Different from place of birth ,-__ __,.Iw _, r-~-.A. -----. Male Female Male Female ------_ -. 2 3 4 5 ------_.-- Same place (Krishnapur) 258 189 4 2 Same District: 24-Parganas R 21 63 8 14 U 10 13 .3 7 Other Districts- (a) Calcutta 64 73 6 8 (b) Haora R 2 2 1 U 2 1 (c) Barddhaman R 2 ·1 U 1 (d) Nadia R 2 2 U 1 ·1 (e) Medinipur R I. 1 1 6 2 U (f) 'Cooch Behar R 1 U tI (g) Darjeeling R 1 U ·°1 (h) Murshidabad R 1 U 2 (i) Bankura R U U) Birbhum R 1 U (k) West Dinajpur R U (1) Maldah R U Other States- -- Assam R . 1 U . .1 1 Maharashtra R U 1 Madhya Pradesh R 1 U , Bihar R 6 3 5. 3 U 1 , Uttar Pradesh R 4 1 U 1 " Other countries- ,It 13angla Desh R 38 20 96 86 U 5 10 ' I Burma R U 1 Total 408 375 143 141 'APPENDIX TAbLE NO. 39 Migration stages of households haUing (rom ontside ------Number of households migrating during 1966-1970 Total No. of No. of house r------____..A.------. Place from where the household hallmg households holds migrating directly from In 2 In 3 In 4 or in 1965 place stages stages more stages or earlier of origin 1 2 3 ,4 5 6 7 Referent town • I 33 24-Pargan,as Rural 22 7 6 1 24-Parganas Urban Calcutta 10 2 1 Haora,Rural 2 " Medmipur Rural 5 Nadia Urban 1 Barddl'laman Rural 1 Maldah Rural 1 U.P.Rural 1 Bihar Rural 5 Bangia Desh Rural 116 3 2 I Bangia Desh Urban 3 ------Total 200 10 3 TABLE NO. 39 1·1 Number of households migrating during 1971-1975 durfg 1976 and later Plac\} from where the household hailing r'_J...-_-__""_ -, r- ""------, directly In 2 stages In 3 stages In 4 or directly In 2 sta~es In 3 stages In 4 or from place more from place more of origin stages of origin I. stages 1 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ,_------_------~---~---. IL Referent town .~ .. ,II 24-Parganas Rural . 1 , , " ,I .4 1 24-Parganas Urban ." II Calcutta ,, 1 ", 6 'I', HaoraRural 1 1 ", Medinipur Rural ..' f,'j .4 Nadia Urban -:. .,-.' Barddhaman Rural . I Maldah Rural ,1 . II " 1 U.P. Rural Bihar Rural 3 BanglaDesh Rural . 2 15 6 6 I' I, lq 3 4 BanglaDesh Urban 1 1 Total 2 20 3 2 9 30 8 7 181 Broad t:~y df ~ frodi where the household hails, time and reason for leaving the Place of origin Number of households leaving the J5lace of origin b(cause of Broad ~ategory of time of no. of r------.----.--'-----""------'------, the place from migration householC:s in search I igh rent, (dut2titlD service ur fear of to escape inarriage t artmon, where the househ<>ld from place who left of lhtli- dearth of occupa- extremist ostracifm migr 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rural areas of the Prior to 1966 13 6 1 2 1 3 district 1966-70 6 6 (24-Parganas). 1971-75 2 1 1 1916-till date 1 1 Calcutta Prior to 1966 3 3 JJ 1966·70 1 1 .. . . .1911·75 1916-till date 6 ~( "..... Other districts of Prior to 1966 5 4 '1 U1eslale l'Triti-Wl 1 1 .. r~'1;t5 i 1 1-916-till date A 3 Other states of the Prior to 1966 3 3. \(" .. II country , 1966-')'0 ...... r 1911·7' '2 2 1976-till date 1 1 Otber countries Prior to 1966 101 2 5 .. .. ~ (Balllia Desh) 1966-70 IS ,. • l~ 1971-7~ 1 1 1976.ti11 date 2 1 -- ToUI 1~7 3d II) Id 1 1 Iii IR3 ARDEN/liZ TAllU: Na. 41 Broad category of place from wber.e the Itousdkolll hails, time IIJId reasOll of migration to the referent (uwn Number of households migrating to the town because of Broad category of timj;of no. of r------_,.A._ - --.-.-:-- - -...,...,....- ----""") place from where the migration households In search better, consttuc- marriage to occupy routine place of household hails to referent migrating to of live- spacious tion of migration vested camp service or town referent lihood and cheap- Qwn house land transfer occupa- town er accom- in refe- tion modl'tion rent town 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 Same district (24-Parganas) Upto 1965 7 3 3 1 1966-70. 8 7 1 1971-75 1976- 6 4 1 1 Calcutta • Upto 1965 2 2 1966-70 1 .t' 1 1971-75 1 1976- 6 5 1 Other districts of the state Upto 1965 1966-70 .. 1971-75 2 1 1 1976- 8 6 2 Other states of the country Upto 1965 2 1 1 1966-70 1971-75 1976- 4 4 Other countries Upto 1965 54 11 8 35 (Ban~l~ Desh) 1966-70 12 6 1 i 1911-75 23 7 .9 rJ 1976- 30 16 14 Total 167 14 42 46 3 17 40 s 184 .'APPENDIX TABLE NO. 42 Places of work of workers in ~aDlple. households ------no. of workers Place of work no. ot workers percentage from sample percentage total no. Remarks sample from non-mIgrant of workers migrant households households 2 3 4 - S 6 7 A Within the same Town 54 20.0 21 35.6 75 22.8 B Urban areas outside the town but 105 38.9 17 28.8 122 37.0 within the same district Bidhan Nagar Township 44 16.3 11 18.6 S5 16.7 (Salt Lake City) 2 South Dum Dum City 25 - 9.2 2 3.4 27 8.2 3 Jyangra 25 9.2 2 3.4 27 8.2 4 DumDum 5 1.9 5 1.5 5 Khardaha City . 2 0.7 2 0.6 6 Panihati City 1 0.4 0.3 7 Kamarhati City 1 1.7 0.3 8 Madhyamgram . 1 0.4 0.3 9 New Barrackpur 1 0.4 1 0.3 10 Gobardanga 1 0.4 1 0.3 11 Budge Budge 1.7 1 0.3 C Adjoini'ng rural areas within the same 8 3.0 15.3 17 5.2 district '\ D Other urban areas outside the district 102 37.7 12 20.3 114 34.7 but within the state 1 Calcutta City :96 35.4 12 20.3 108 32.9 2 Haora City (in Haora District) 4 1.5 4 1.2 3 Pandua (in Hugli District) . 0.4 1 0.3 4 Kalyani (in Nadia District) 0.4 1 0.3 E Other urban Oleos outside the state 1 '0.4 1 03 Dhanbad (in Bihar) 1 0.4 0.3 Total 270 100.0 59 100.0 329 100.0 APPllNDIX TABLE NO, 43 Relationship with heads of households Numb~r of households where migration status of pead is Nature of relationship of members to head of household r--~----~~..A..~------.. non-migrant migrant 2 3 Self 6 Self, spouse 5 Self, spouse, unmarried sons and daughters 13 74 Self, spouse, married son and son's wife with or without unmarried sons and daughters 2 13 Self, spouse, married brother, brother's wife with or without unmarried sons and daughters 1 3 Self, spouse, married brother, brother's wife, married son, son's wife with or without unmarried sons and/or daughters Self (male), unmarried son/daughter 5 Self (female), unmarried son/daughter 11 Self, spouse with or without unmarried son/daughter and widowed father 3 Self, spouse with or without unmarried son/daughter and widowed mother , 9 23 Self, (male) unmarried brother/sister Others: (a) Self, spouse, married son and son's wife with or without children, widowed sister, sister's son and widowed mother (b) Self, spouse, married son, son's wife with or without children, and wido~(d brother's wife 1 Cc) Self, spouse, married son, son's wife with or without children, and widowed mother 1 Cd) Self, spouse, with or without children, unmarried brother and or unmarried sister 2 5 (e) Self, spouse, married brother, brother'S wife, with or without children and widowed mother (I> Self, (male), separated sister, sister'S son and widowed mother (go) Self, spouse, separated daughter and her unmarried sons 2 (h) Self, spouse, widowed mother, and her Widowed father ',' (i) Self, spouse, wife's married b,r~ther, wife's brother's son 1 (j) Self, spouse, children and married brother's wife 1 (k) Self, spouse, children and maIried daughter with or without children 2 (I) Self, spouse, children and wife's unmarried brother (m) Self, spouse, children, un.lIl81ried brothers apd married ~a.ther (n) Self, spouse, married son, divorced daughter and her daughter (0) Self, spouse, married son and son's wife with children, married daughter, daughter's husband and children 1 (p) Self (female), unmarried children and widowed mother 1 (q) Self (married male) and his friend (r) Self (widowed female) and her dal1ghter's son , 1 (3) Self (married male), wil1l>wel1 brother, brott-et's son, \lon's w\fe (married) and children (t) Self (married male) and children, married brother, brother's wife, unmarried brother and widowed mother (u) Self (widowed female), married daughter, daughter's husband, children and daughter's husband's sister's SOD Total 33 167 9 Census/S8 24 186 tfPPENlJ1X COlllllositiou.of househoV.s by age and sex, status of members VIS-a-VIS migration status and place 01 b,r.h of head ofhousehoJds ------ No. of households accordm g to composItIOn by seX and age at members ~ ______0).... ______, MIgratIOn status and place of blrth of head of adult male adult male adult adult aouft male adult household and female and femaJe male/maJes female/ and mmor female and ~ and mmor only female, lllQJ.e. ~ mlllfN: male. male/ onr" or remar~ andror female 'iicmalll: ------~------,- ! 2 3 4 5 6 1 A.~ Non-mIgrant 26 7 B MIgrant " Born III 24-Parganas dIstrIct Rural 16 1 2 201 Urban , ; II Born III otber dlstncts Howrah (rural) 2 2 Calcutta (urban) 11 5 ):7 Barddhaman (rural) " J Medmlpur (rural) 4 5 NadIa (urban) 1 •. I, I •• Maldah (rural) III Born III other states BIhar (rural) 4 5 U.P. (rural) ,. M P (urban) Born III other country BanglaDe~h 81 24 1 H2 ------Total 150 38 5 5 t 200 ii7 APPENDIX 'l'ABLE NO. 4S Distribution of housebolds by caste/tribe/t'Ornmunity of head of hou~ehO'W Nu rier of households where head.of household >belongs to r------"""------.------.., Type ot lousehold Total Nama- Kayas- Brah- Poundra Rajban- Goala SaRa Mahi- Karma- Napit No.of sudra tha man Kshya- shi sya kar household triya Tiyar ------_---~--- 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 '9 10 11 12 ------~------Nuclear 93 23 22 9 10 6 3 3 2 1 Supplemehted Nuclear 54 .11 7 8 6 8 3 .3 1 1 Sub-nuclear . 17 5 5 2 1 Single Pel'8OD 6 2 2 Supplemeltted Sub-nuclear 11 1 2 CollateraUoint ~ 1 1 1 Supplemeftted Collateral Joint .2 Lineal Jomt . 15 4 2 1 Supplemented 'Lineal Joint 3 Lineal colateral Joini *1 Supplem~ed lineal collateral joint Others: (a) A mar.riel! male .widowed bro- ther, :brotker's son, SOD'S wife (marr4ed) and son's son. (d) A m8l'ried male,(wife in -native home3 plus an unrelated person Total 200 46 40 20 21 18 9 5 4 4 3 --_------ TABLENO_4S r------,.A.------Number of households where head of household belong to ----, Gandha- Jugi Baidya Tanti Ttli Sad- Muchi Kaora Malo Jelia Kumba- Sank- Majhi Bmia Chris- Banik gope ,kaiblartta kat ari tian 13 14 15 1:6 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1 3 I 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 ,. 4 3 4 2 2 1 2 4 *Married couple, married son and son's wife, married daughter and daughter's husband plus unmarried Children. 188 ~( .... ·c _ o~"O N ...... , 00 t-- .., "'11<1 0'''''0 ~ .,., \Q 8 >. S "0 5.c: ... '"C'I ...... C'I '"co ;)!; N ,D 8{ r-.Z.c: "0'" '0 tllll.c: J, f... .c:., .c: eo '" ID ~ .,., 00 <"l M ..... '¢ 8 N ..... '''' ... ~ 5l~Q '" - ... -- '" 0 "".... 0 ., ~ C'I ... .c: N .., ... '" "'f~ ... 10 .c:~ CI) !(oS S~~ ... .s o ...... OJ ...... lOp.,"d ~ :s'" 0 ....0 C'I i N ~ :s :E 0 III A ...... o 1<1 -5 ._ 0 0\ .... ~ - '" "el ...... N 0 g Z ~' .S ::I o r~ .~ =I.d_ "d a., ..0 00 .g -s .;:: ~ 'S o , ....;:.- ;... r- ILl ... at .... N -::; :€ i~ N .:0 :l ~ ~1! I .~ u0 ., ..c: ._a .S ~ \0 r<> ~ " "el .... .1 ... .,., :J E ~:g r<1>::1 I '" ., .....>< ::go. I t Q 0 j ,gl .c: Z ...... ~ 0 ...oj ., ~ r.l 0 .,., ...:I ~ til ...... tl ..., N .c: ~ fa ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ :g'" 'Ol' ...... N ~ CJ N .,., ~ £ lc;! .;a » U £ "Q -, ... ..,'" ... :s.... '0 ~.~ N C'I 00 .., Q J:l ...... \0 QI ~ ,Q,D~@ o.~ .51 ~] .<:> ,Q,Q "§' ....o·_ t: .. ..0 ~ ~ 6 ~ .8"0 ~ .!:! ~ ~~ -..: 6 ~ .!:! ._ ... ~ oS ::I I::~ ~ e 0. ~ ~ :;: <¢ I: S - ';;i 0 ~ ~ ~ '" ~ <::! ~ ~ .§ ~ .!! i; OJ:; ~ :;:;'" ~ <::! ~ :§ ii oQ .5 ~ 0 ~ ~ ....l ~ s ~ ~ ~ ~ r... Q; ~ 6 ~ 189 -...... ...o ...... 00 I. 00 .... 00 I- I i I ....o , ...... 'J o 00 ", N 00 'f a. CI 0, .... l>O~ < ~ 0 C; '0 ~ 1-< :>'I " f .,.. <'"l N 'N M 0 ~"<.) 0) r'"~o. :..= ...... :a ~ I I u.:: I I· a ! I ~.8 ~]-{:3~ I ric.... ,J:J ~ • til 0 o~ I CI) ..... :s I ;'!; 0...... 6"'{~ I ~='8g.g N r ;;:~I L~.g·=o I ~e ~ 0<11 "c M ...... ,.. M ..... 0...... M M I Z L§ I "'"M Z CfJe>'" ..... f .QUJ.. ~ ~ 0 -'2 I g El ~ ~ .....~~,;;;:,r"'" ~'3.E ... .8 0.d8'" ...... \0 10 0'\ 10 0:2=6 El .... "'" N Z ~._.d Lz ::il;:l_'_ gel 0 o!i~ .... ,b 0 .,.. ..., 0 ~a:9 .... M 00 t- N V) ..... N ...... ;;t; M ~.s.8 - 'O~ • ::I ('oJ M .... .,., 00 t- .... 8 ..... (W ('oJ V) M .... V) ~ll - "'" '"'"l ~ .. a~ g .... ~ ..!:: APPEN'PTJI.' TABLE' NO. f'J l'}iflri~ of I\otl!ielfbr pmfmninGnt m_riIrfw fry tomftY Predominant Material of Floor Predominant Material of Wall r------______,A.-~--__ ----. r----___..A.. --, No-. of MUQ Cement Mossaic Mud Grass, Brick H~ Tiles leaves, or reed and Cement bam1:too 2 3 4 5 Bagjola Camp 52 49 3 6 43 3 Siddartha Co/any and Camp No. 3 11 11 3 8 Paschim Narayantala 2S 9 10 6 2 6 17 Prafulla Kanan 17 4 8 5 3 1 13 Purba Narayantala . 18 2 10 6 16 Rabindra Palli 23 3 16 4 3 20 Old Krishnapur 54 22 23 9 17 1 36 Total 200 100 70 30 33 63 104 T'AftENO.$ Pr~domil'ar.t MateriaJ P[~litominant Material Predominant Material Remarks of__ R.oot:..A.o ____ , of Ceiling ofDoor/Wirldqws Locali!ty ,-_. r---.A---, r--- --, Grass, wood, Tiles. CI RCC Wood. Split Wood Splft Till Ply- leaves, reed, Sheet bamboo bambgQt Wood thatclr 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Bagjola Camp 2 48 S 3 46 4 2 Siddartha Colony and Camp No.3 11 5 2 "1 3 Paschim Narayantala 14 10 19 2 No. door-2 Prafulla Kanan 5 12 17 Purba Narayantala 7 2 9 17 Rabindra Palli 4 19 2 20 2 Old Krishnapur 28 7 19 3 54 Total 3 117 10 70 11 8 178 9 3 8 .~~ = :::: c:s: ...... 192·.. AP.EENDTX TABLE NO. 50 Housebolcis,c1assified by no. of members, no: of ro.Qm~ and locality Total Households with -- _ - - Hou.eholds with :_ memqeJ;s . one room two rooms Locality No. of r __r:--. o.A.~-, No. of .r----_- ...... --.----, ,--_~-,A.----_, house-, '. ,M . F roqm~ No,o( " M F No. of M F holds 1. house, house- holds holds 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Bagjo/a Camp 52 152 130 78 36 91 84 12 43 29 Siddhartha Colony and Camp No.3 11 21 27 12 10 . 18 24 1 3 3 Sub-Total 63 173 157 90 46 109 108 13 46 32 Paschim Narayantala 25 67 62 51 13 28 29 5 15 14 Purba 'Narayan/ala 18 45 43 33 9 22 25 5 1'2 10 RaJ/ndra PaW 23 62 60 57 6 14 10 9 -21 26 Pra/ulla Kanan 17 45 44 47 5 11 8 3 4 7 \ Sub-Total " 83 219 209 188 33 75 72 22 52 57- Old Krishnapur 54 159 150 123 16 35 36 23 71 W --_-'------' Total 200 551 516 401 95 219 216 58 169 149 TABLE NO. 50 HouseholQs with Households with Households with Households with Households with ,-__three----..A. rooms ____ -. four rooms fIve rooms o.A. ______six rooms-, ,-______seven o.A. ____ rooms -, ,-___ ..A.-__~-. , No. of M F No. of M F No. of M F No. of M F No. of M F house- house- house- house- hOlls!"- holds holds holds holds h(llas 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 3 3 2 7 7 8 7 .. 1 3 3 2 7 7 ..1 8 7 2 8 7 3 8 6 2 8 6 3 7 6 4 2 2 8 6 4 14 12 2 3 3 3 2 5 8 6 21 18 4 j 9 28 27 13 43 36 4 14 11 2 7 6 8 23 27 3 10 10 2 2 4 4 2 14 11 18 54 57 18 60 53 5 16 13 3 11 10 3 22 18 ~--~ 193 r ..... '" 0 "''''loa .... <"l ' 00 ro . 0\ .- ~ E "ObO",105t .... .;:'" O.S S J Z S.£:l .... ,.Q ~ i:;:8-{ ~~~i~bf1'J .... "0 8 .... 1°"'-0 0 '" 's... :ij 0::1 '::10 .... ~ ,slz.8..c ..... fIl 0\ Iii ' = "-" ~o • .... .;:'" N I"- _g . S ;" <"l ';j" Ir) 00 .~ OOID1l) ,..... N 0 N (10 l:j ('0 E'" -0 (l,.) ,., .n ~ J . s..... :::: M N.. '" l~~ r~ S_g - I;::;13 ' ~ 1 , ... ~'" ,..... I I~;::g'000 ~ If") .... N oc ,..... N lz.J:: .=i 1l) • (/) r~.06 , C'-t QO ,...... " <.) I M ,_ If') 0'.",., ... ,., .... V) ~ 0:: I '" ..., , 013 Q) r< 0. 0,1) 'Z .c '" 'A 1"" a ~ 0 c.J i3! 1'O~", ,..... <: I I'O~.tl .::2_ ..,. ;x: C 00 .... [ lO 0 0 .... N N N .... .-< QO .... .: z.c:.<:: <"'I CJ 0 ;., '" :c: z ;:: ... 11 f ~ 0 ~ :Q oS r \'0,'. ,_ N .,., \C 'ot: .... 0 < ...;., I· 0 ij ~ '" or) "'" '" '" .... ~ ... r",';:":~Qlrze.o I d) ! r,..... I =-;'" N 0 '" 0 ., r S ~ \C 00 .... M 0 ! [.::I~ '"N ~ 0\ .... ,..... ~ .[ l z.c:.<::0 00 ::s! 0 i r ., I . 1'0' N =0 0' r. S '" ...... 00:> ...,.... 1""00 'OOJ~ '" '" :r: I ~t IZS~ I ~., ~ ItlS!'o~", <:t ~ N It"> I .~ I 0 ::1:2 .... L \.z_g,g l '- N I'l ,_ '" 00 ao N 00 '" N N a-. § 0.0 0 2 <:t '" oX: .... 00 .... . S - o. o Q) ... ZS _'0,)", N ..., r-. I'l If') N ...... <:> 0:: • "''t: "" I'l ... or. 0 0 N rZ..c;.c:"0 :5'0 ~ ~ .~v ~ ~ ?;, ~ ::s '§ ;;., ~ So ~ ':! l:; 0 t:: ~ ::... ::: ::'" ...,j J <:$' '} ::s .... ~ '3 cJ -<:: ~ ~ ..::: ::: .:(" ~ ~ ~~ ~ {;'" ~ .~ :§~ .:1 Q -<) ~ :t1~ ~'" ~'" ~ =0 i;:; ~ ~ 'I::'" c: Q 195 APPENDiX TABLE NO. 53" Availability of amenities by locality Localit~ No.of Having/not 1\ itchen Balhro(1ln Lavatory Source of Vi aler for Eltctmity hOllse having drinking washing holds water 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rbgjola Camp ,, 5~ Not having 25 35 4~ HavinJ;: separately 23 4 12 11 10 3 Sharing with others 4 13 40 41 42 ( Siddharlha Colony 11 Not having 1 6 2 11 Having separately 4 Sharing with others 5 9 11 11 Paschim Nat"aY(/fztaia . 25 Not having 11 7 Jl Having ,eparately 14 8 8 8 8 10 Sharing with other~ ]0 17 17 17 4 Pllrba Narayantala 18 Not having 7 5 Having ~eparately 11 7 8 8 8 11 Sharing with others 10 10 10 • 10 2 Rabif1dra Pa /Ii 23 Not having 2 1 2 HlIVing separate)}' 21 17 III 17 17 20 Sharing with others 5 5 6 6 1 Pra/l/lla Kanan . 17 Not having 3 Having s Old Krislmapur . 54 Not having 12 30 11 40 Having separately 41 22 34 21 19 14 Sharing with others 1 2 9 33 35 APPENDIX TABLE.... NO. 54 Existence of furniture by locality and duration-ofstaY'in the present residence No. of households having ,-___• ..--.._ .-.._-..._...,....._..__ ___._ • .J-.-_. ___ _ . ____ ,..__.. __ ,._ ____ •___ - ~ Locality Dliration of stav Total No. of jn the preseot . 1\)0. of hOll~e Chair l-able Bed Almirah Cot Dressing ~ofa Dinnill!!, re&id el1ce house holds ,teaj ta!Jle tabk hol·i, llM'jng no Furni· ture 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 1(, 11 12 RagJola Camp Less than 1 year 1-4 years 3 2 5 years + 49 8 19 13 6 40 Siddhartha Colony GI,d Less than 1 year CampNn. ':i 1-4 years .. 5 years + 11 3 10 Pasc/:illl Narayantala Less than 1 year 2 1-4 years 2 5 years + 21 11 ltl 8 9 12 :oJ 4 4 PI/rlla Narayamala Less than 1 year I· 1-4 years , .. S years + 17 2 13 11 'l 9 7 5 2 t. Rahindra Pall i Le;s than 1 year 1 1-4 years 1 5 years + 21 21 19 17 lR 4 13 4 5 Pra/lilla Kanan Less than 1 year 1-4.years 5 years + 16 14 14 10 10 6 9 2 3 (ltd Krisl1l1upur Less til an 1 year 1-4 years 3 2 2 2 5 vears "l- 51 37 29 15 17 35 12 3 Totai 200 15 122 99 63 74 121 4R 16 16 i~ 4PPEHDT>! TABr..r; NO. 5S Materials of uten8il$'for.servinltf'()od~bY localitY ,~~Percentage ______of households where• _____ materials ~ • .,A. of ______utensils for sei ving food are made of -, :l\ame of lotalitv Bell·metal 5taml(~~ Bell·n.etal' Alumillium German Aluminiu'l1l Pernntat:e st(el and stain- and german silver and and sttlin- less steel silver enamel les~ sted 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bagjola CalllP 1.9 3.8 30.9 34.6 25.0 3.8 100.0 Siddltartha CO/ Pascltim Narayantala 4.0 12.0 44.0 28.(} 8.0 4.0 100.0 P urbu Narayantala 5.6 66.7 16.6 11.1 100.0 R abindra Palli 87.0 13.0 100.0 Pra/lilla Kanan 88.2 5.9 5.9 100.0 o Ii Krishllapur 13.0 11.1 46.3 20.4 7.4 1.8 100.0 _.. _------~---_._-- APPENDIX TABLENO,56 Presence of luxury and costl)' goods by locality No~ of ltouseholds possessibg Total No. of ,--"_--.../;----'- --_____~ __ ---.A-~ - ___ ~ ______, No. of house- Wrisr Table Radio Tele- Gramo- Tape- Bicycle Sewing' Refri· Scooter LOliality house- holds watch Clock vision phone recorder macihne gerator holds lloS'sess- and ing no record ,ostly pla~er ggod~ 2 3 4 s 6 1 g 9 10 11 12 13 Ba~jola Camp 1 52 20 26 4 23 3 3 Sfddhartlra rolony 11 5 4 5 2 Paschirn Narayantala 25 6 17 8 17 6 2 4 3 Purba l\'arayantala 18 2 16 6 16 2 4 5 Prafulla Kanan 17 16 2 17 4 4 2 RabiJldra Pa lli 23 23 3 23 9 11 2 4 Old Krilh,wpur 54 10 42 R 42 4 6 22 ------Total 200 43 144 32 143 25 4 29 35 7 11 1 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 57 *List of members of Mahisbathan Gram Panchayat-I (as per election in August 1983) ~------.------ Name of the elected member Polttlcal party Office ApproxI QualtfitatJon Occupation RemarkS affilIated held mate to age 1 3 4 6 SrI ParJmal Deb Bhowmlck CPI(M) Pradhan 67 MatrIculate Retd. Govt. Servant Mrmal Kumar Das DlIto Upa-Pradhan 36 P.U. Service ., Sublmal Das Ditto Member 53 Intermediate Ditto " Bandlram Naskar Congress Ditto 49 class-VI Trader Scheduled Caste " DliJp Mitra Ditto Ditto 33 School Fmal DItto II Slslr Mukherjee • Ditto Ditto 56 Matnculate Teacher II DIilp Bhattacharya Ditto Ditto 40 B.A. Trader II Sudeb Ghosh Ditto Ditto 40 Intermediate Teacher Joydeb BagUl DItto Ditto 36 School Final Teacher Sudhanya Bagchl CPI(M) DIttc 48 Non-Matnc Contractur Scheduled Caste Smt. SaraswatJ Mndha Ditto Ditto 30 Pre-Ulliversity Service Sn Namgopai Pal Ditto Ditto 43 Non-Matnc Contractor Knshna Kanta Mondal Ditto Ditto 28 School Fmal Trader SchedUled Caste Sallen Blswas Ditto Ditto 40 Noo-Matnc Ditto Gopal Das Ditto Ditto 45 Non-Matnc Ditto " SanJlbrata Das Ditto Ditto '48 School FlllaI Ditto " SuranJan Chowdhury Ditto Ditto 47 Intermediate Ditto AbhlJlt Bhowmlck Ditto Ditto 26 MA. 'Student " Radhaballav Karmakar DJtto Ditto 42 School FmaJ Service Sushil Podder Congress Ditto 52 B.A. Trader " Dr. Sallen Roy DItto Ditto 45 DMS. Homoeopath Sri Rabmdra Nath Ghosh Ditto Ditto 38 Non-Matne SerVice Mrs, Swapna Chakraborty (Nom mated) CPI(M) Ditto 32 School FmalJ House-wlte Note: *The names of three other members from other constituents of the Panchayat, outSide the referent town are excluded. 199 APPENDIX TABLE NO. 58 "'List of members of Mahisbathan Gram Panchayat.n (as per election in 1983) !\ame of the Elected Member Political Office Approxi· Qualification Cccuyation RemarJ-s party held mate affiliated age to 2 3 4 5 6 7 ------_------_- ~ri Sankar Kumar Pramanicl< Congress Pradhan 45 CJass·X Trader Scheduled Caste Biswanath MandaI Ditto Member 39 B.A. Ditto Ditto Shyamal Kumar Naskar Ditto Ditto 39 P.U. Ditto Ditto Ani! Kumar Pramanick Ditto Ditto 65 Class-V Retired Ditto Amalendu Mandai CPI(M) Pitto 43 B.A. Teacher Ditto Samar Kumar Dea Ditto Ditto 33 Class·X Unemployed Smt. Puspa Bhowmick (Nominat(d) Congress Ditto 45 Class-VII Rouse-wife ------~- *The names of nine memters from other constih:ents of the Far.chayat, outs;ce the town are f) APPENDIX TABLE NO. 59 Voting Pattern in tbe Last Panchayat Election in 1983 .------.----- Total Votes Votes Percentage of Votes Polled Name of Area Votes secured by secured by , A------., Polled CP1(M) Congress (1) Total CPI(M) Congress (1) --.--.----.. ~------_- ~-----.-- 2 4 5 6 1 Krishnapur Town 17,160 8,755 8,405 100.0 51.0 49.0 New Krishnapur (Pallchayat-I) 13,468 7,070 6,398 100.0 52.5 47.5 Old Krishnapur (Panchayat·II) 3,692 1,685 2,007 100.0 45.6 54.4 200 APPENDIX .TAfBLE NO. 60 - __ ------_.-- ._---- Name Score Age Sex Religion Education Occupation Office held - ---~------_- - --_- 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sri Khagendra Nath Mondal 17 70 Male Hindu Matriculate Retired Ex-M.L.A. Parimal Kumar Deb Bhowmick . 15 67 Ditto Ditto Ditto Retd. Govt. Pradhan, Servant Gram Panchayat-I " Basanta Kr. Mandai . 9 63 Ditto Ditto Ditto Business Associated with Tech. Diploma organisations of SCheduled Castes " Bishnupada Bhattacharjee 9 55 Ditto Ditto Graduate Service Congress Leader " Harendra Nath Mullick 9 35 Ditto Ditto Matriculate Ditto Secretary. United Central Refugee Council " Sankar Kr. Pramanick 8 45 Ditto Ditto Class-X Business Pradhan, Gram Pant;hayat-I1 ------,------;;:--,--<-----~- APPENDIX TABLE NO.6l Respected persons in the town -----, Name Score Age Sex Religion Education Occupation Office held 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ------_-- Sri Khagendra Nath Mondal 20 70 Male Hir:dl Matriculate Retired . Ex-M.L.A. .. Profulla Ch. Mallick . 18 71 Ditto Ditto Ditto Retd. Srevice Political Suifu(J Subash Ch. Ghosal 15 52 Ditto Ditto M.A.B.T. Headmaster " of Loc1J1 High School Pari mal Kr. D_o Bhowmik 14 67 Ditto Ditto Matriculate Retd. Govt. PradJ an, " Servant Mahisbathan Gram Panchayat-I Prof. Krishnapada Sarkar 10 52 Ditto Ditto M.A. Lecturer Dr. Basudeb Chakraborty 6 46 Ditto Ditto M.B.B.S. Doctor No Sri Gouranga Mukherjee 6 53 Ditto Ditto M.A.B.T. Headmaster No ora High School 201 ... 10 ...'" d d ... 10 ...d cO o 00 v) § 00 0\ o 10- 00 on ...q ..... :qo o ... o ('I 00 IQ 11") <'i ~ '"r-: + ('I ... $ '"+ + + + ('I 00- ~ 00 '" ..q- 00 "V. '"""to.. t-- 00 O.- 00 '" o 00'" ~ " "., t-- <'i 0\ '" 00 ... o 00 10 N N 0\ IQ c\ i .." - ... '" '" ~ oS: .~ Cl :a oS: .0 ;:s 0;;:'" '" :a .... .0 0'" ;:s 0- ..I APPENDIX TABLE NO. 63 Economic characteristics of the north eastern metropolitan region (1981 censUs) Percentage of main and marginal Percentage of main workers engaied in wurkers r----- ___...A.. ______,_,,' Name of the Constituent parts r------.--~ ...... ----!---.-____. Total Males Females' Cultivation Agricultural Household, Other labour industry work 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Calcutta. 35.2, 55.7 6.3 0.3 0.2 1.7 97.8 Barrackpore subdivision 27.9 47.6 3.9 1.2 2.0 1.5 95.3 Barasat subdivision . 26.4 47,9 3.6 26.1 23.5 2.0 48.4 North ea1>tern metropolitan region 31.1 51.7 4.8 4.4 4.2 1.7 89.7 Krishnapur Town 125 .1 44,5 4.5 0.9 4.7 1.5 92.9 .4PPEI\'DIX TABLE NO. 64 Economic and demographic characteristics of Dum-Dum-Rajarhat sub-region Constituents of Dum- Area in .-______population-0- __ . ____-'--. Density per Ratio of Sex ratio Percentage Dum-Rajarhat sub-region sq. kms. s'l.km . households of urban Persons Males Females to hou~e to total population 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rajarhat P.S. 79.9 163,193 84,986 78,207 2,043 1.0 920 41.5 Dum-Dum P.S. 12.3 276,691 145,077 131,614 22,495 1.0 907 97.5 -Air Port P.S. 20.1 162,628 86,549 76,079 8,091 1.0 879 ,97.3 'Salt Lake P.S .. 43.7 35,770 18,809 16,961 8,185 1.0 902 ,92.7 Dum-Dum-Rajarhat 156.0 638,282 335,421 302,861 4,092 1.0, 903 '82.8 sub-region. TABLE NO. 64 Percentage~ t'onstituent~ of Dum- No. of Total No. Percentage .-______Percentage~ __of main~ workers _____ engaged..L ____ in____. Dum-Rajarhat sub-region urban of urban of literates of workers centres per centres Cultivation Agricultural Households Other 100 villages labour jndu~try work Ie 11 12 13 14 IS 16 17 Rajarhat P.S. S.7 4 '49.7 25.1 13.3 17.8 2.2 66.7 DumDumP.S. 300.0 3 72.7 27.6 0.1 0.3 2.1 97.5 Air Port P.S. 125.0 5 69.7 25.6 0.7 2.9 2.4 94.0 Salt Lake P.S •. 100.0 72.1 33.9 0.4 3.0 0.4 96.2 Dum-Dum-Raja,.hat 25.0 13 66.0 26.8 3.4 5.3 2.0 89.3 sub-region " 203 .....v 00 00 ..... o " o ...... vo ...... "": 0\.... o .,.; N 00 t'! 00 ~ 00 .,.; 00 \0 N N .... 0\ 00 N o Cf) \0 00 \0 .... N 1'-0 00 N V'I ..,._,.0 00 0\ lZltii V'I 00 ...... \0 00 ....'" -0\ 00 ...... ..... 00 CIl l~ .0 :cc ell ,J:1 U