Geo-Physical Feature of The Jalgaon District. 31 CHAPTER II GSO-PHYSICAL FEATURE OF THE JALQaQH DlgTRIQf Introduction * Jalgaon Is the headquarters of this district. It lies between 20° and 21° North Latitude and 74°-65* and 76® -28* East Latitude spread over an area of 11373*3 sq.Kras* This region was formarly known as Khandesh wltii the headquarters at Jalgaon and Ohule. Jalgaon was the headquarters of East Khandesh and Dhule as 'Jest Khandesh. However, with the formation of State of Maharashtra In 1960, headquarters* region were renamed as Jalgaon and Dhule district respectively. Recent survey of Tapi and the G im a, Waghur valleys have brought many facts about the district. Strechlng nearly about 128 along the Tapi river and varying in breadth from 112 Km. to 144 Km; Jalgaon fonns . as upland basin, one of the most northerly sections of the Doccan table land. Along the vfriole nor then frontier, the district is bounded by the Satpuda range, a mountain tract from 48 to 64 Km. \d.de. On the Horth-Estem side, the district is bounded by the temotories of the Madhya Pradesh State. Quite a ma^or portion of the northern boundary is marked by the tributary Aner which In the West countrlea to 32 separate Jalgaon from Dhulc district till it Junction with the Tapi. On the East and South-East a range of low and detached hills and some major streams« without any marked natural boundary, separate Jalgaon from the districts of Vidharbha. To the South, the AJanta, Satmala and Chandor ranges nay roughly be said to mark the line betweon Jalgaon and the Marathwada territory. On the West, Jalgaon shares its boundary with the Nasik district over a stretch of about 40 Km., and then the Dhulia district for about 80 Km. The Panjhara river is the only natural feature demarcating it over a major stretch. TOPOGRAPHY * Althou^ Jalgaon district belongs to the Deccan uplands of the Maharashtra State, it is distinguished from the rest of the upland districts by its Westward aspect. Wliile the rest of the upland region is drained by the xaajor rivers to the Bast, the Tapi and its tributaries drain the Jalgaon region to the Vfest towards Arabian Sea* The landscape is typically that of the Deccan lavas with residual teill ranges and broad valleys, with trap dykes introducing a sharp local contrast as smsJLl chains of hillocks. Thus Jalgaon includes varied topographical features and landscapes consisting if hills and wild forests, rich garden and groves, low rolling rocky hills and tensly gullied (bad land) topography near major river banks. Regionally, from Bast to West, parallel 33 with the Tapi) are three well-marked belts of country; In the centre the rich Tapi valley, in the North the high and wild Satpuda and In the South and South-West bare ridges and rich well-watered yalleys flanked by the AJanta range are the distinguishing features of this district* m k '■ The Soil of the district are essentially derived from the under-lying basalt, which can be broadly classified into categories of deept blacksoil, medium black, forest, loame and sandy. The central belt of the wide Tapi valley, aTxiut half of the whole area, consists either o f black allui^ial clay highly retentive of moisture, op of a loam overlying a stratum of yellovrish clay of good depth. On this soil, which for richness cannot be surpassed, wheat is extensively grown in soEiG places fran year to year, without the aid of canute or (Siange of crop. On the Northern border lies the Satpuda Hill region with its characteristic feature of relief art drainage. Much of tnis region is under forest cover ani substantial portion of these forests are under the managec.ent of forest departmont. South of the main Satpuda range, lying within the district, there is a piedmont belt, out-ward edge o f \riiich is of interest from the point of view of economic ^ and human ttops? development. Soil are rich, cultivation is extensive, villages are large sized and better looking and means of comuni cation are developed. The well-developed 34 alluj^ial soil supports extensive agriculture with cotton as as a principal crop* The large sized villages reflect the economic prosperity of the land and this is further emphasized by the flourishing market centres like Raver, Savada, Paizpur, Chopda in the North and Amalner, Parola, Erandol, Dharangaon, Jalgaon, Na^irabad, Dhusaval and Varangaon in the South* The Southern zone o f the district again develops a hilly character, in which the Gima valley occupies a special position mainly on account o f developii^nt o f canal irrigation* Bordered on both sides by residual hills, the Gima has developed rich agricultural land on either banks, where sugar-cane and horticulture are much in evidence* Bhadgaon is an important comercial centre and Pachora, its Eastern counterpart serves as a collective centre for the surrounding cotton zone. The region between the Tapi valley and the Ajanta range is a fairly well-tilled plain with Jamner and Bodwad as local coEasieroial centres* At the outskirts of the Ajanta range there are minor hilly features mainly given to shurb and rougji grass land* c l im a t e t The climate of this district is generally dry except in the monsoon* The year may be divided into 4 seasons* The cold season from December to February is followed by the hot season from March to May* Jxme to September is the Mansoon season and October and November from the post-iaonsoon season* Jalgaon has the only meteorological observatory in O r* 60 the district. The data of this station may be taken to be fairly representative of conditions prevailling in the district. December is the coldest month while May is the hottest month* As the district is far away from the coastal track, large variation is noticeable in the day and n i^t temperature. It vould be observed that the average annual rainfall of the district is about 826.8 mm; and out of it about 7 ^ is received during the Monsoon alone. Rainfall in the district is not as certain as in the Kokan or in South Gujrath with result that the district cannot be said to be immune from famine. The rainfall is not uniform in all parts of the district. The central part of the district comprising the talukas of Jalgaon, Bhusawal» Jamner and Pachora receives ©mparatively more rainfall followed by the talukas of the East and West of this central division. The district receives rainfall almost entirely from the South-i^est Monsoon^which is very powerful during June- September. gQsasis i About 17% of the geographical area is covered by the forests, and they are found on the slopes of Satpudas in Chopda, ITawal and Edlabad tahasils. There are also some forests in Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Jamner, Pachora, Chalisgaon, Amalner and Erandol tahasils, which are on the pa plains. 3G The main species are teak, tlwas Dhawada, Salal, Haldu, Slsajny Blbla, AnJaHy Slssu. The total geographical area of the district Is 11771 sq.Km. divided Into 13 tahaslls. The district consists of 1423 In habltated and 28 unhabltated villages t)esldes 15 Urban areas* Since independence there was only one territorial diange In the composition of the district, which took place In the year 1950, when 13 villages of Challsgaon Tahasll wore transfered to Aurangabad district* As per 1931 population census, the population of the district was 26.19 lakhs of wiildi SL% vqtq male and remaining 49JC ftemales* According to population, the percentage of Scheduled castes and Sdieduled tribes was about 4 ^ and 6 ^ respectively during 1971 census* Ho variation is observed In tlie percentage of taale and female population, which remains to be 515^ and 49^ to the total population respectively. However, the percentage of urban population has Increased by one percent in 1971 census. Over 1961 census* 24 percent population is residing in urban areas while 76 percent in villages. The percentage of literacy is also high in this district. The literacy percentage, which was already moderate (3^^ of total population) in 1961 has further gone up to 45^ of the population in 1971 and in 1981 the percentage literacy Is 47^ , liowever tiiere is a dooreaso in the percentage of vioriclng poimlatlon. The percentage of working population in 1961 has gone down by 10^ in 1971. (36^ of the total popiaation). This decrease in percentage can be attributed on the change in defination of the vorl®rs in 1961 anti 1971 censuses in 19S1. The percentage of workers is 40?C. In 1961 census, all those seasonal workers who had some regular work of more than one hours a day throughout tho greater part of season were treated as worker, where as in 1971 census, the persons \Aio had worked in the current or last working season for the greater part of the season were treated as workers. Thus in 1961, a number of housewives and students who helped in cultivation or other family business for an ho\ur or more were included as workers, while In 1971 census, persoiB primarily engaged in household duties or those who were students and helped the family in economic activity but not on a full time scale were treated as non-workers, as their main activity was other than economic activity. The following table giving the information of Urban and Rural Population fbr Census 1951 to 1991. Ia W a ■I'L-.Si.l rear Rural Population fe.u^V^t-of Orban. Popula- Total txon iji Jalgaon Maharashtra Jalgaon Kahafasfilira % _ _ dist.