Chopra (community development block)
| Chopra চোপড়া সমষ্টি উন্নয়ন ব্লক | |
|---|---|
| Community development block | |
  Chopra Location in West Bengal, India | |
| Coordinates: 26°24′N 88°18′E / 26.4°N 88.3°ECoordinates: 26°24′N 88°18′E / 26.4°N 88.3°E | |
| Country |
 India |
| State | West Bengal |
| District | Uttar Dinajpur |
| Government | |
| • Type | Community development block |
| Area | |
| • Total | 378.40 km2 (146.10 sq mi) |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 223,046 |
| • Density | 590/km2 (1,500/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Bengali, English |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Darjeeling |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Chopra |
| Website |
uttardinajpur |
Chopra (community development block) is an administrative division in Islampur subdivision of Uttar Dinajpur district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Chopra police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Chopra.[1][2]
Geography
Chopra is located at 26°24′N 88°18′E / 26.4°N 88.3°E. Chopra Block established in the year 1964 previously it was under the jurisdiction of Purnia District of Bihar, in the year 1956 it was transferred from Bihar and comprised with West Bengal under the former west Dinajpur District. The Block surrounded by Bihar, Darjeeling District and Indo-Bangladesh Border. Most of the families of this Block involved with cultivation and small Tea Garden. Graphic of Socio Economic Condition of the inhabitants of this Block is gradually growing up.
There is established two nos of Hydel Power Plant for Generating power on canel of Teesta Barage Project and Dock Barage Project.
Chopra Assembly Constituency is only the constituency of this District which pertaining to the area comprised in 4th Darjeeling Parliament Constituency.
41.36% of total population of this Block is literate which gender ratio is Male 50.19% Female 32%.
Boundary: It is bounded by Darjeeling in the north (being demarcated by Mahananda), Kishanganj district of Bihar in the West, Islampur Block in the south and Panchgarh district of Bangladesh in the East.
Border Stretch of Chopra : Bangladesh-65 km, Bihar-26 km, Darjeeling-14 km.
Rivers: The main rivers of Chopra are Dock & Mahananda. The other are Nagar, Karotown, Kachana Khari and Barong
Chopra community development block has an area of 378.40 km2.[2]
Gram panchayats
8 nos. of Gram panchayats of Chopra Block/ Chopra Panchayat samiti are: Chopra, Chutikhore, Daspara, Ghirnigaon, Haptiagachh, Lakhipur, Majhiali and Sonarpur.[3]
Demographics
As per 2011 Census of India Chopra CD Block had a total population of 284,403 of which 278,626 were rural and 1,214 were urban. There were 147,073 males and 137,330 females. Scheduled Castes numbered 50,818 and Scheduled Tribes numbered 20,043.[4]
Literacy
As per 2011 census the total number of literates in Chopra CD Block was 140,560 out of which 81,939 were males and 58,621 were females.[4]
Transport
Length of roads: - (separately for each category, black-top, morrum, morrum-blulder, brick paved, concrete, others) (others should be specified)
NH 31 passes through the block.
Tourism
Sap nikla forest is under Chopra block. The lake and the forest attract tourists.[5]
Little-mag
'Unmukta Dwar' is the only little magazine which published from Chopra. Editor Alok Sarkar. He also published child-magazine,'Rosgolla'. In 1997 Alok and his three friends are started that publishing work. But first little-mag of Chopra is 'Ankur', that was handmade, Editor Pradip Shikdar who was headmaster also.
Chopra Nagorik Committee
A brutal rape case came into light at 2012 at Chopra for the first time in the history of Chopra, people were frightened and people formed Chopra Nagorik Committee to protest unitedly against any misdeeds at present or in future. Mustaque Alam, an advocate of the High Court at Calcutta and Alok Sarkar, a reporter of AAJKAL Bengali daily founded Chopra Nagorik Committee(C.N.C.). A student of Chopra Girls High School while returning home from school was abducted on way and raped mercilessly in a tea garden near Kalagach. Mustaque, Alok and Abhijit took out a protest rally against the brutal rape and their mouth were tied with black tags. People from all class joined the rally independently and demanded arrest and punishment of the accused. The accused was arrested within a week.
Mustaque became the founder Secretary and Alok the founder President of Chopra Nagorik Committee. After the rape case Chopra Nagorik Committee raised its voice for Thetor Majhi, a 75-year-old man living below poverty line who was not getting OLD AGE PENSION because he was dead in the Government records though he was alive. Chopra Nagorik Committee raised the issue strongly and media also take the issue seriously. He was deprived from all government benefits as he was dead in the eye of law. It was not only Thetor but there were about 800 more people who according to investigation report, was deprived likewise. The agitation of Chopra Nagorik Committee helped them to get justice and they again got their life in the government records and started getting OLD AGE PENSION and benefits of other schemes of the Government as well.
Next was the turn for Chopra College. There are 16 High Schools in the Chopra Block and near about 1500 students passes Higher Secondary every year but does not get opportunity for higher studies because there is only one college in the whole sub-division of Islampur and students from Chopra, Islampur, Dalkhola, Panjipara, Kishanganj try their luck for admission. Though a college was proposed to be formed in the year 2006 but till 2012 it was used as an election agenda. Chopra Nagorik Committee observing the whole scenario started to collect status report regarding Chopra College from the local authorities and one day in the month of August 2012 organized a hunger strike at the Chopra B.D.O. Office premises, 400 students across the Block participated in the strike. The pressure was mounting and the Chopra College Committee was at the target point. They turned a deaf year towards the skyrocketing demand of college at chopra, but Chopra Nagorik Committee did not. Chopra Nagorik Committee under the leadership of Mr.Mustaque Alam went to Kolkata to meet the Minister-in- Charge of Higher Education Department of Govt. of W.B. to demand the approval for the college at Chopra. The MIC was astonished with the fact that the students of Chopra suffered so much from years and also thanked Chopra Nagorik Committee for their steps taken and making the Government aware regarding the prolonged demand of inhabitants of Chopra which the local authorities failed to do. After returning from Kolkata Mustaque and Alok organized many street corners (POTH SABHAS) across the Chopra Block and made the people in general aware about the situation and gained mass support. It put immense pressure on the local bodies and political parties. They were bound to comply with the formalities to get the approval of the College. A Pal family donated required land for College and the College was named after the memory of their mother Kamala Pal. The college gets approval of Government in the year 2013 and Chopra Kamala Pal Smiriti Mahabidyalaya started taking admission from 2013 session. 300 students were admitted and in 2014 the number was 700.
Now Chopra Nagorik Committee has started to raise demand for upgradation of CHOPRA BLOCK PRIMARY HEALTH CENTRE to a GRAMEEN HOSPITAL. Already Mr.Mustaque Alam, the Secretary had met the Minister of State for Health Department, Smt.Chandrima Bhattacharya and demanded the same. The MOS had assured Mustaque that he will do the needful.There is no O.T. no Labour Room, No sufficient beds etc. at the BPHC at present.
Besides agitation and protest movements Chopra Nagorik Committee used to perform some programmes every year i.e. felicitate the meritorious students of the block and the people of various field who had done beneficial work for Chopra, giving award to the sera Durga Puja Committees, organizing Legal Aid programs, cultural programs, supplying books to the needy meritorious students, Pradip Kumar Smiriti Swarak Boktrita etc.
Chopra Nagorik Committee has such a place in the mind of people of Chopra that whenever any injustice is done to any member of the society, its reported to the members of C.N.C.
Syed Saroor Ahmed
The most famous religious place for the Muslims is the Haptiagachh Mazar Sharif, situated under Haptiagachh GP of Chopra Block. The Mazar is of Hazrat Syed Shah Manzoor Ahmed and Hazrat Syed Shah Shahood Ahmed. The father and the son are known as Pir Sahabs(Sufi saints) who are of Silsila Kadriya and blood relations of Muhammad. The yearly URS MUBARAK of Hazrat Syed Shah Manzoor Ahmed and Hazrat Syed Shah Shahood Ahmed are held on 1 and 2 March every year. Thousands of people come to get blessings on the said dates across West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bihar, Jharkhand specially Hazaribagh. Both the Pir Sahabs has many MURIDANS(followers). Both the father and the son is known to be WALI-A-KUTUB. Now Syed Shah Saroor Ahmed is the Gaddinashin. So he is the Pirzada and Sajjadah Nashin. He used to live at Khanquah Alia Quadria Manzooria, Barabilla under Haptiagachh Gram Panchayat.
References
- ↑ "Contact details of Block Development Officers". Uttar Dinajpur district. West Bengal Government. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- 1 2 "Provisional Population Totals, West Bengal, Table 4". Census of India 2001, Uttar Dinajpur district (04). Census Commissioner of India. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- ↑ "BRGF Allotment Order No. 5". Government of West Bengal - Department of Panchayats & Rural Development. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- 1 2 "C.D. Block Wise Primary Census Abstract Data(PCA)". West Bengal – District-wise CD Blocks. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
- ↑ "Uttar Dinajpur". District administration. Retrieved 2011-03-12.