East Singhbhum
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
East Singhbhum (पूर्वी सिंहभूम) is one of the 24 districts of Jharkhand, India. Jamshedpur, a leading industrial city of India, is the district headquarter of East Singhbhum. It was created on 16 January 1990, when the old Singhbhum district was bifurcated.
Location
The district is bounded on the east by Jhargram district, on the north by Purulia district, both of West Bengal, on the west by Seraikela Kharsawan district, and on the south by Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.
The district is a mineral rich and industrialized region. Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular biosphere reserve known lively for its animals. Dalma Hills is stretching over Jharkhand and West Bengal. It is on the northern region of Jamshedpur. A lot of minerals are found here.
Administration
East Singhbhum district consists of 11 Blocks. The following are the list of the Blocks in East Singhbhum district:
- Baharagora
- Chakulia
- Dhalbhumgarh
- Dumaria
- Ghatshila
- Golmuri cum Jugsalai
- Gurbandha
- Musabani
- Patamda
- Potka
History
One tourist attraction is Chitreshwar temple situated in Chitreshwar village in Baharagora Block 12 km from Baharagora. The temple is said to be one of the largest natural Shiva linga. Many devotees of Shiva come daily. Chitreshwar temple is believed to have the largest Shiva linga after Ligaraja Shiva linga in Bhubneshwar. It has another temple called Bhuteshwar which is in Baharagora Block. Ghatsila a famous tourist spot is also situated in the district which was once inhabited by renowned Bengali novelist Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. Rankini Temple located near the mining town of Jadugora and Ghatshila are also worth mentioning. Goddess Rankini is held in high esteem and worshiped by the tribal and non tribal people inhabiting the district.
Economy
More than 50% of the district is covered by dense forests and mountains, where wild animals once roamed freely. It is known for being a centre of industry since Jamshedpur, the most populous city in Jharkhand, is located here.
East Singhbhum district has a leading position in respect of mining and other industrial activities in Jharkhand state. Jamshedpur, a leading industrial city of India, is the district headquarter of East Singhbhum. An almost five-decade old copper refinery of Hindustan Copper Limited is in Moubhandar, Ghatsila, another town of the district. The Singhbhum Shear Zone, a geological feature lying between river Subarnarekha on the northeast and Dhanjauri ranges on the southwest houses the mines of Copper and Uranium. Most notable copper mines are Banalopa, Badia, Pathargora, Dhobni, Kendadih, Rakha and Surda in Musabani. Of these, only Surda remains operational. Surda is currently operated by India Resources Ltd (www.Indiaresources.com.au), an Australian mining company. Uranium Corporation of India explores uranium in Jadugora, Narwapahar, Bhatin, Turamdih and Baghjanta.
Chakulia, an important town in the southeastern part of the district, is famous for its rice mills, oil mills, washing soap factories, and bamboo production.