| Achalpur and Paratwada | |
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| Coordinates | 21°16′N 77°31′E / 21.26°N 77.51°E |
| Country |  India |
| State | Maharashtra |
| District(s) | Amravati |
| Population | 107,304 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Area • Elevation |
• 369 m (1,211 ft) |
Achalpur, formerly known as Ellichpur and Illychpur, is a city and a municipal council in Amravati District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It has a twin city known as Paratwada.
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Geography
Achalpur & Paratwada as a twin city is located at 21°15′26″N 77°30′31″E / 21.25722°N 77.50861°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 369 metres (1210 ft).
Demographics
As of 2001 India census,[2] Achalpur had a population of 107,304. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Achalpur has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 54% of the males and 46% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Transportation
Achalpur is the northern terminus of the 762 mm narrow gauge railway known locally as the Shakuntala railway. This line is composed of two legs intersecting with the Mumbai–Kolkata standard gauge railway at Murtajapur — the 76km northern leg to Achalpur and the 113km southeastern leg to Yavatmal. As of 2004 this line was still owned by a London-based company which had leased the line to India's Central Railway since 1903.[3]
Paratwada is connected to Nagpur, Amravati, Yavatmal, Akola, Aurangabad, Chandrapur, Indore, Bhopal by the bus.
Economic Activity
The town had been major trade center for Palmarosa oil in India. The major commodities for trade include
History
It is first mentioned authentically in the 13th century as one of the famous cities of the Deccan. Though tributary to the Muslim Delhi Sultanate after 1294, it remained under Hindu administration till 1318, when it came directly under the Muslims. It was afterwards capital of the province of Berar at intervals until the Mughal occupation, when the seat of the provincial governor was moved to Balapur. The town retains many relics of the Nawabs of Berar.
As the Mughal empire deteriorated in the 18th century, Achalpur along with the rest of Berar came under the rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad. In 1853, Berar came under British administration, although it remained formally part of the Hyderabad kingdom until 1903. Achalpur, known by the British as Ellichpur, became part of East Berar District, with Amraoti (Amravati) as capital of the district. In 1867 East Berar was split into the districts of Amraoti and Ellichpur, with Ellichpur as the headquarters of Ellichpur District. The district had an area of 2605 square miles.
In 1901 Achalpur had a population of 29,740, with ginning factories and a considerable trade in cotton and forest produce. It was connected by good roads with Amraoti and Chikhaldara. Berar was annexed to British India in 1903 and merged with the Central Provinces, and in 1905 Ellichpur District was merged into Amraoti District. The civil station of Paratwada, 5 km. from the town of Ellichpur, contained the principal public buildings at the beginning of the 20th century.
After India's independence in 1947, the Central Provinces became the province, and after 1950 the state, Madhya Pradesh. The 1956 States Reorganisation Act redrew the boundaries of India's states along linguistic lines, and the predominantly Marathi-speaking Amravati District was transferred to Bombay State, which was renamed Maharashtra in 1960 when it was split from Gujarat.
Paratwada
Paratwada is quite a modern city. Its existence being due to its selection as a military camp when Salabat Khan's reformed troops were converted into the Achalpur Bridge and made a part of Hyderabad Contingent. The city is divided into seven puras or quarters named Chhota Bazaar, Motha Bazaar, Mogalaipura, Gatarmal pura, Vakil line, Pension pura etc. The civil station is well laid out area with broad roads and excellent bunglows and public offices. There are two temples of Lord Datta and Vitthal. The Paratwada Municipal Council was established in the year 1893. Now both, Achalpur and Paratwada Municipal Councils are amalgamated.
During the reign of the British in India a military camp was established on the outskirts of the city. It has been said that British camp was set up in the Civil Lines area of Paratwada and a big American Hospital was also built in Civil Lines which is now converted to the Maharashtra State Electricity Board office. Presently it is one of the most developed (largest city) civil townships in Amaravati district as well as in Maharashtra. It provides milk and milk related products to the market. Paratwada is the biggest supplier of Honey and Teak wood to all over Asia. There is a famous hill station nearly an hour away known as Chikhaldara. Also a famous religious Digambar Jain Tirth known as Muktagiri is located about 20 km from Paratwada. Various dams are being built on the outskirts of the city which is becoming a well known picnic spot.
India's President Pratibha Patil on 6th September 2008 laid the foundation stone of the Finlay textile mill at Paratwada/Achalpur in Amravati district of Maharashtra. The textile mill, which was initiated as a private enterprise in 1903, was closed down in 1959. Then, it was taken over by the Government of Maharashtra and brought under state textile corporation in 1972 and subsequently nationalised on April 1, 1974 and was known as Vidharbha Mills. The unit was closed down once again in 2003. The new Finlay mill is now being relocated on this spot with the sophisticated machinery through the investment of Rs 326 crores. The plant, which has a potential of around 1250 employees, is expected to start production from March 2009. "Kandli" is small village attached to the paratwada.
'KOTHARA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL NEAR PARATWADA'
The Central India Korku and Hill Mission originally established the Kothara Community Hospital as a leprosy home in 1898. It functioned as a leprosy asylum until the 1970s when it was converted into a leprosy hospital. Presently it is a 90-bed multi-speciality Community hospital providing high quality, comprehensive and compassionate healthcare to the mainly rural and tribal community. The Hospital has grown from being a purely leprosy referral hospital, with no scope for self-sufficiency. Today it is a well reputed community hospital providing secondary level care in Ophthalmology, Dermatology, General Medicine and Tertiary level care in Leprosy. This progress towards financial self-sufficiency indicates the great strides that hospital has made over the last few years.
The Hospital is the only Christian Mission hospital in this backward area. It is also located in a community with a low paying capacity. It thus has an important role to play in providing much needed services to the community. A well-equipped laboratory, general physiotherapy services, X-ray, ECG and optical services, supports the speciality services. Over 30,000 Outpatient visits were recorded in 2005 for various specialities.
The Hospital networks with other NGOs in the area to provide basic medical and healthcare to the tribal population, especially those living in the interior villages, where medical care is non-existent. Kothara Community Hospital offers tertiary level care in Leprosy and secondary level care in the specialties of Ophthalmology, Dermatology and General Medicine. General Surgery through visiting surgeons both from TLM and outside was also a service provided at set times. Specialized services like Diabetic clinics, Glaucoma clinics and special eye clinics for leprosy home inmates were run. Low vision services for the visually impaired who cannot benefit from surgery or spectacles was a new service provided. Computerization of all OP services and billing since November 2007 was a major change. Evaluations of the Base Hospital and the CCC project were completed in 2007. CMAI recognized 2 ½ year Diploma in Ophthalmic Technology course was started with 3 students enrolled in 2007. The hospital also had a change in leadership in the Superintendent, Dy Superintendent, Dy Superintendent (admin) and Administrative assistant posts.
See also
References
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Achalpur
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ "Indian Narrow-Gauge Lines 2002-2003". Simon Mortimer. Indian Railways Fan Club. February 13, 2004.
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4. go to Achalpur.blogspot.com
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