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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
THE WEST SINGHBHUM DISTRICT:
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The West Singhbhum district carved out of erstwhile Singhbhum District forms the southeastern
portion of Chotanagpur. Old district of Singhbhum extended over 11456 square
Kms and had a population of 24.80 lakhs according to the census of 1951. Presently the
population of carved out district of west Singhbhum is 20.83 lakhs as per 2001 census of
which ST population is 53.40% and SC population is 4.9%. There are a total of 4.05 lakhs
households.
Public Facility Available in the District :
According to census report public facilities availed by people of Jharkhand are 27%
household use drinking water, 15.4% use latrine - Govt. of India, survey report says that
only 12.1% flush latrine used by people of Jharkhand, 84.6% depend upon open fields.
According to survey report (1991) only 18% people live in pucca house, 82% have no
pucca house, 14.6% house are not fully pucca. Two third population live in huts.
75-80 percent people of districts like Godda, Gumla, Deoghar, Palamau, Giridih,
Hazaribagh and Lohardaga have neither proper house and nor safe drinkable water.
Only 23.6% of the population have electricity facility. 75% population of Ranchi district, 94-
95% population of second capital city Dumka and 96% population of district Gumla have
no electrity.
Dist. Singhbhum
(Drinking water, electricity & latrine facilities) - Dist. West Singhbhum
Population Electricity Drinking Water Toilets Percentage Having
Owing a House no facility
Rural 295680 6.79% 45.78% 2.47% 51.28%
Urban 52895 59.44% 70.29% 50.68% 14.81%
Total 348575 14.78% 59.50% 9.79 % 45.74%
Statistics of West Singhbhum District (including new district of Saraikela Kharsawan):
Geographical Area: 9907 Sq km
Population
Total Population : 17,87,955
Population Density : 180
Women Ratio : 965
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
Social Classification
Social Class Population Percentages
General Caste 2,67,489 14.96%
Backward Caste 4,52,901 25.33%
Scheduled caste 89,496 5.01%
Scheduled Tribe 9,78,069 54.70%
Religion by population
Hindu 10,18,492 56.96%
Muslim 42936 2.40%
Christian 52960 2.96%
Population Density and Growth of West Singhbhum (including Saraikela Kharsawan)
Population Density Growth Rate - 1991-2001
2001 - 1991 Total Rural Urban
210 - 180 16.35 14.88 24.17
Birth Rate & Fertility Rate
West Singhbhum
Birth Rate Fertility
33.88 4.46
Ration of Women/1000 Men
1901 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
West Singhbhum
1026 1014 1009 983 977 965 976
Agriculture Scenario of Singhbhum District (Undivided Dhanbad)
Total Geographical Area 1344000 ha
Land use under Residential 7575 ha 0.56 %
(non Agricultural)purpose
Land available for Agriculture 913308.50 ha 67.95%
Waste Land 88199.50 ha 6.56%
River & Pounds 8372.00 ha 062%
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
Crop by land distribution
Land for Kharif 866877 ha
Land for Rabi 23923 ha
Two crops 23923 ha
Cultivated Land 866877 ha
Gross cultivated land 840800 ha
Density of crop 94.92
Literacy Scenario of District West Singhbhum
District Literate Pupation
Percentage
West Singhbhum (in lakhs)
Total Male Female Total Male Female
Rural 6.32 4.35 1.97 44.65 61.38 27.85
Urban 2.40 1.41 0.99 78.92 87.61 69.17
Total 8.72 5.76 2.96 50.70 66.23 34.81
Schools & Colleges
District Primary Upper Secondary Higher Total Degree
Primary Secondary College.
West
1855 389 97 10 2351 8
Singhbhum
ROADS & RAILWAYS :
N.H. 33 connects Chaibasa with Ranchi, the state capital of Jharkhand. Other N. H.
75 connects Chaibasa with Jainthgarh. Other Highway, which is prominent, is Chaibasa
Saraikela Road. HOWRAH-NAGPUR main line of the S.E. railway traverses the region from
east to west. While CHAIBASA-GUA railway line is used mainly for mineral transportations.
THE OLD DISTRICT OF SINGHBHUM :
In 1949, the feudatory States of Saraikela and Kharsawan, which were part of the
State of Orissa, were integrated to Singhbhum. Singhbhum district had four administrative
units. The Kolhan, a Government estate occupied the whole of the south and the revenuefree
estate of Porahat on the north-west of the district. Most of Kolhan was in the Sadar
subdivision with headquarters at Chaibasa. Jamshedpur is the major town near Chaibasa.
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
The administrative headquarters of the district was at Chaibasa but this was shifted to
Jamshedpur owing to the great importance of Jamshedpur in the Second Great World
War, due to the Japanese threat to bomb the works. The administrative headquarters was
again shifted to Chaibasa in September, 1953.
The old district was bounded on the east by Midnapore district of West Bengal, on
the west by Ranchi and portions of Orissa State, on the north by the districts of Ranchi and
Purulia, and on the south, by portions of some of the districts of Orissa State (Mayurbhanj,
Keonjhar and Bonai). Presently Jamshedpur (East Singhbhum ) form eastern boundary, and
in north-east part new district of Saraikela Kharsawan has been created recently.
The boundaries for the most-parts follow the crests of unnamed hill ranges which wall
in the district; but the river Subarnarekha marks a portion of the northern and southern
boundaries, and with one of its tributaries, the Godia, separates Singhbhurn. from the former
feudatory estate of Mayurbhanj which is now a district in Orissa, for some distance on the
south-east. Farther west, the Baitarani river forms the boundary between Keonjhar district
in Orissa and the district of Singhbhum, while one of its tributaries, the Kongera, separates
it from Mayurbhanj. On the extreme northwest the North Karo and Phuljhur rivers form a
natural boundary between Singhbhum and Ranchi.
The name Singhbhum, that is, the land of the Singhs, is most probably derived from the
patronymic of the Rajas of Porahat, to 'whom the north of the district was once subject.
Another theory is that the name is a corruption of Sing Bonga, the principal god-head, of
the Hos, the Adivasis of Singhbhum district. In the early accounts the name Singhbhum is
applied to the territory originally ruled over by the Singh Rajas of Porahat (that is, the Porahat
estate and the estates of Saraikela and Kharsawan), as distinguished from the Kolhan and
Dhalbhum.
CONFIGURATION
The district forms the part of the southern fringe of the Chotanagpur plateau and is a
hilly, upland tract. There are hills alternating with valleys, steep mountains, deep forests on
the mountain slopes, and, in the river basins, some stretches of comparatively level or
undulating country. In the north-west the highest peaks have an altitude of more than
2,500 feet and in the south-west; there is a mass of hills, rising to a height of nearly 3,000
feet, around Saranda, which is famous for the best Sal forests in Asia.
The centre of the district consists of an upland plateau enclosed by hill ranges. To the
west they approach to within a few kms of Chaibasa, but to the east, north and south they
are more distant with higher hills beyond them. This central strip, extending from the
Subarnarekha River on the east to the Angarbira range to the west of Chaibasa, is one of
the most fertile parts of Singhbhum. It consists mainly of well cleared open country. The
area wherein the most of Chaibasa South Forest Division falls is, to the south of Chaibasa
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
and is a higher plateau of similar expanses of rolling country, the level of which rises to
1,500 feet at Gamharia and falls to 1,000 feet in the Baitarani valley in the south.
In the extreme south-west the country is fairly open, while the south-eastern extremity
is a fertile alluvial plain. To the west the rolling uplands give place to a hilly, almost
mountainous tract in places clothed in virgin forest. Porahat to the north-west consists of
hills, valleys and plateaus, with hill ranges and outlying spurs running in all directions. There
is a fairly open belt of country stretching from north-east to south-west, through which the
South Eastern Railway runs; but with this exception there is no level tract of any size, and
where it is not hilly, and the surface is undulating. In the south-west, in the Saranda, the hills
culminate in a massive mass of hills and mountains covered with forest and jungle. This
area is very thinly peopled, containing only a few small villages scattered on the hill slopes
or nestling in deep valley.
To the north, there is a fairly extensive undulating plain formed by the Sanjai valley,
flanked on the north by a mountain chain, which contains part of Porahat, Karaikela,
Chakradharpur, a part of Kera, and about two-thirds of the former Kharsawan State. These
all lie to the north of the Sanjai, which forms the boundary between them and Kolhan.
Porahat :
Except for the North Karo valley and some 20 kms in the Koel valley, the Porahat area
is a hilly tract extending to the Chotanagpur plateau, which is reached in the area of
Bandgaon. On the extreme north the Phuljhur river comes down from the plateau in a
cascade, which forms a pool supposed to be unfathomable and the subject of many
legends. The only level or gently undulating land of any extent is found in the upper valley
of the Sanjai near Sonua and Goilkera on the South Eastern Railway, and in Chakradharpur,
an outlying portion of the Porahat area on the north bank of the Sanjai.
Kolhan :
The Chaibasa South Forest division is a part of Kolhan. The Kolhan consists of an upland
tract sloping gently up from the Sanjai and Kharkai rivers on the north and north-east, as
far as Gamharia, 34 kms south of Chaibasa. Then there is a downward trend to the south
and south-east, towards the boundary of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts in Orissa, which
reaches its lowest point on the Baitarani river at about 1,000 feet above the sea level. The
north-western portion of the Kolhan is occupied by a mass of hills extending from near
Chainpur on the Sanjai, 20 kms north-west of Chakradharpur, to the South Karo river, which
is the boundary between Kolhan proper and the Saranda .
In Chaibasa South Forest Division, to the east another range of hills extends from the
Singhasan Hill, north-east of Gamharia, in a south-easterly direction to the Mayurbhanj
border. For the most part, however, the surface consists of undulating ridges, between
which the drainage runs off to join the larger streams, such as the Sanjai, Roro and Kharkai
to the north, and the Kongera and Baitarani to the south.
6
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
The physical features of the Kolhan vary greatly. To the north and north-east the
country is for the most part open and gently undulating, covered with numerous prosperous
villages, and well cultivated, with hardly a trace of jungle. The southern portion of it is flat,
open country, almost devoid of hills, also thickly populated and well cultivated. The southwestern
part is very rocky and is covered with jungle, while the east-central portion is
open and undulating, and is well cultivated. The western and south-western parts of it are
mountainous and thickly covered with jungle, and are very sparsely inhabited. The southwest
of the Kolhan is known as Saranda Pir. It is a mountainous country with practically no
undulating land except along the railway line in the valley of Koel, and in some groups of
villages in the Koina river valley. This scenic area is fondly described as "Saranda of the
Seven Hundred Hills", it had a formidable game preserve.
Water Resources & Utility In Jharkhand :
Jharkhand is full of forest. Forest needs water, and 11 rivers run in the State of
Jharkhand. On an average 1200 mm rainfall is recorded in the State, better than the states
like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana etc. Frequently many Districts of Jharkhand suffer from
draught. In the year 1769-70 to 1860 In India country wide draught occurred and lakhs of
people died, but in Jharkhand death by scarcity of food or draught was not recorded
thanks to good water management in Jharkhand.
The major 10 rivers across the Jharkhand are as follows:-
Name of the River Major River / Bay
being the mouth of the River
1. Gumani Ganges
2. Mayurakshi Bhagirathi
3. Ajay Bhagirathi
4. Shankh South Koel
5. South Koel Brahmani
6. North Koel Sone
7. Barakar Damodar
8. Kharkai Suwarn Rekha
9. Suwarn Rekha Bay of Bengal
10. Damodar Bhagirathi
Availability of Water
1. Total Surface water available 260162 lakh cubic mtrs.
2. Total Underground water available 49924 lakh mtrs.
Water availability for AGriculture from various sources
Big & Middle Irrigation Projects - 33727.80 lakh cu. mts
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
Minor Irrigation Projects - 5915.8 lakh cu. mts
Use of surface water - 39643.60 lakh cu. mts
Use of ground water - 7715 lakh cu. mts
Used by Households
Surface water - 824 lakh cu. mts
Ground water - 5561 lakh cu. mts
Use by cattles
Surface water - 585 lakh cu. mts
Use for Industries & Railways
Surface water - 6713 lakh cu. mts
Ground water - 1.00 lakh cu. mts
Total Non Irrigation purposes
Surface water - 8122 lakh cu. mts
Ground water - 5562 lakh cu. mts
Surface water
Use by own Basin - 54670 lakh cu. mts
Use by other Basin - 8375 lakh cu. mts
Surplus Water
Surface - 197117 lakh cu. mts (inside Basin)
2090 lakh cu. mts (outside Basin)
Ground surface - 36641 lakh cu. mts
Only 23.4% surface water used in State and unused 76.6% water runaway to the sea.
26.6% of ground water used and rest 73.4% ground water has been stored.
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
Water Resources & Utility In the District:
West Singhbhum (Chaibasa)
1. Chaibasa, 2. Tant Nagar, 3,. Manjhari, 4. Kumardungi, 5. Majhgaon, 6. Jagannathpur,
7. Jhikpani, 8. Nowamundi (Barajamdah) 9. Tonto, 10. Khuntpani, 11. Chakardharpur, 12.
Goyalkera, 13. Manoharpur, 14. Sonuah, 15. Bangaon
Suwarn Rekha- Kharkai River Basin
Suwarn Rekha River starts 15 km away from Ranchi (South East near Bandhia Village
and run through West Bengal, Orissa and meet to the way of Bengal, cover 395 km., 269
km travel in Jharkhand by the Suwarna River touching Ranchi (54%), West Singhbum 16.26%,
East Singhbhum 79.07% and Hazaribagh 0.83% of the land.
Kharkai River
Kharkai River starts traveling from Simlipal forest (Orissa) and join River Suwarn Rekha
near Adityapur (Jharkhand) total distance cover by Kharkai River is 57 km in Orissa, 11 km
Jharkhand Orissa border 98 km in Jharkhand. Kharkai River cover over West Singhbhum
(42.01%) East Singhbum (0.36%) and Ranchi (0.52) basin area.
Kharkai River Basin in West Singhbhum
1. Bandgaon 52.1% 10. Khuntpani 100
2. Chandil 2.4 11. Kuchai 8.00
3. Saraikela 94.00 12. Kharsawan 100
4. Gobindpur 92.00 13. Majhgaon 24.3
5. Kumardungi 42.8 14. Gamharia 46.8
6. Jhikpani 17.00 15. Manjhari 100
7. Goyalkera 10.10 16. Tonto 36.5
8. Chaibasa 100 17. Sonua 43.4
9. Tant Nagar 100 18. Chakardharpur 100
Suwarn Rekha River Basin
East Singhbhum (Chaibasa) West Singhbhum Hazaribagh
1. Chakulia - 45.70% 1. Kuchai - 92% 1. Gola - 27%
2. Dumaria - 100% 2. Gobindpur - 8.00%
3. Dhalbhum - 100% 3. Saraikela - 6.00%
4. Ghatshila - 100% 4. Chandil - 97.60%
5. Golmuri - 98% 5. Nimdih - 95.70%
6. Bahragora - 68.30% 6. Gamharia - 53.20%
7. Potka - 99.00%
8. Mosabani - 100%
9. Patamda - 30.20%
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
River basin covers as follows:
East Singhbhum
Block area under basin in Blocks
1. Baharagora 31.70
2. Chakulia 54.30
3. Patamda 69,80
West Singhbhum
1. Jagannathpur 61.30
2. Manoharpur 12.70
3. Majhgaon 75.70
4. Noamundi 7.30
5. Kumardungi 57.20
6. Nimdih
Large & Middle Irrigation Projects
Irrigation capacity
(thousand ha)
1. Suwarn Rekha Project fifth/ Singhbhum- 288.106 ha
(Multipurposes) commission
3. Jharjhara water Reservior Singhbhum -
4. Sonua water Reservior-1982 -do- 1.50 hac
5. Suru water reservior Singhbum -
6. Nakati - do- 1983 Singhbum -
7. Surangi - do- 1982
8. Satpotka - do- 1982
RIVER SYSTEM:
Singhbhum is drained by three river systems, those of the Subarnarekha, Baitarani
and Brahmani. The watersheds of these three systems originate near Gamharia in the Kolhan
and radiate north-west, south-west and east respectively from their common, centre. These
watersheds divide the Subarnarekha and its feeders from the Baitarani and its tributaries,
and the latter again from the South Karo and Deo rivers, which feed the Brahmani through
the South Koel. The tunnel on the South Eastern Railway pierces the narrow divide between
10
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
the Subarnarekha and Brahmani systems, and at this point the watershed leaves the Kolhan,
continuing in a northerly direction through Porahat and finally merging in the Ranchi plateau
between the Bicha and Tatkora hills. Of these three great rivers the Subarnarekha alone
flows through the district. The Baitarani forms for about 12 kms the boundary between the
Kolhan area and Keonjhar (in Orissa State) while the Brahmani drains the west of the district
through its tributary, the South Koel, and its feeders, the North Karo and the South Karo,
and the latter of which in its turn is fed by the Deo river.
All the rivers are fordable throughout the year except for-a few hours at a time
during the rains when they rise and fall suddenly after heavy rain. The banks are generally
steep, and the beds are almost always strewn with boulders or consist of coarse shingle.
None of the rivers dry up altogether in the hot season, but in most of them the water is very
low in the hot season. In particular, the Sanjai though it rises in forests, runs very low in the
hot season, and so does the Roro. The Koina, however, contains plenty of water in the
height of the hot season even when no rain has fallen for many months. It has many more
feeder streams than the Sanjai which may account for the difference. The catchments
area of the Roro and its feeders, on the other hand, is almost entirely deforested.
The main perennial rivers that drain this division are Baitarni in the South, the South
Karo and Deo in the South West and West and KHARKAI on the North East. In addition to
these rivers there are numbers small nallas and rivulets, which are mostly dry during summer
but are subject to heavy floods during monsoon or after a heavy shower.
The rain, which the area receives, drains out rapidly in all directions from the Centre
of the tract, by these small nallas and rivulets causing floods in the main rivers. This causes
heavy Soil erosion in the area, which needs immediate attention and careful study.
Kharkai:
The principal tributary of the Subarnarekha is the Kharkai, which is formed by the
junction of two mountain streams rising in the eastern Kolhan range of hills,, namely, the
Terlo and the Koranjia, of which the latter forms for about 30 kms the boundary between
the Kolhan and Mayurbhanj. The Terlo joins the Koranjai on the boundary, and some 7kms
lower down at the trijunction point of Seraikela, Mayurbhanj and the Kolhan, the river is
known as the Kharkai. It continues in a north-westerly direction, forming the boundary of
the Kolhan and Seraikela with several sharp bends one of which brings it within 8kms to
the north-east of Chaibasa. A few miles further north, it enters Seraikela running north and
then east in the Subarnarekha. It is joined by the Sanjai near Lengtasai about 8 kms south of
Gamharia station. The length of the Kharkai proper is about 80 Kms and it is fed by several
streams from the Kolhan, among which may be mentioned the Iligara, the Jamiragara and
the Roro. The Roro or Raro is about 58 Kms in length and is joined by the Jamira just outside
Chaibasa, which is situated on its eastern bank.
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
The Sanjai rises in the forest clad hills of Porahat, north-west of Sonua. It flows in an
easterly direction forming for about 48 Kms the boundary between the Kolhan on the
south and Porahat and Kharsawan on the north. It passes out the Kolhan and falls into the
Kharkai near Lengtasai.
Baitarani :
The Baitarani for 13 Kms of its course is the boundary between the Kolhan area and
Keonjhar. It drains about 1024 square Kms of the Kolhan estate through a number of feeder
streams, the chief being the Kongera which also forms part of the boundary between the
Kolhan and Keonjhar.
The Brahmani drains about 3072 square Kms in the west of the district mainly through
the Koel or Koil, which is called the South Koel to distinguish it from the river of the same
name in the Palamau district.
The Deo river rises in the Kolhan on the western side of the Gamharia plateau and
flows into the South Karo river after a course of about 35 miles. It receives the Puilgara, a
fair-sized mountain stream, from the Santara forest block.
General Vegetation in the District:
The hillocks on the plateau mostly form part of the dolerite dykes that run criss-cross
all over the plateau. They are very low and in chains. Their top boulders are exposed. The
thin soil has scrubs and bushes, chiefly some chasmophytes.
The hills fringing the central plateau are granitic in nature, low and covered with a
few small trees or are completely barren. Lantana and other exotic weeds are seen. The
wooded hillocks show sal or a mixed forest of deciduous species or bamboos. The hills in
other areas like North Seraikela, North Kharsawan, North Porahat and North Dhalbhum are
made of sedimentary rocks and by weathering have collected some soil. They are covered
with thick forest and have been excessively and unscientifically exploited in the past.
More and more of the level lands were brought under cultivation by deforestation. Such
areas are prominent by the presence of lots of young Butea plants and Phoenix acaulis,
Khajur, Tar, and bamboos being left over. In these areas because land is under upland
crops and no bundhs are made in the fields erosion is progressing rapidly and in places the
rocks lying below have been exposed.
The jungle lands taken over from the zamindars show a mixed forest, the predominant
species in which is Butea frondosa, either in pure stands or mixed with Diospyros species,
Bassia latifolia, Schleichera trijuga, Shorea robusta, or with Phyllanthus emblica. neem,
Bombax and Dalbergia sissoo. Vitex negundo, Gymnosporia montana, Anona squamosa.
Acacia arabica, Zizyphus jujuba, Holarrhena antidysenterica, form the under shrubs
especially towards the fringes. The climbers are Ichnocarpus, Combretum decandrum,
12
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
Aganosma caryophyllata and Zizyphus oenoplia. In these jungles the immediately useful
species like those used for cultivation of lac insect or silk worm are encouraged but it is
these species that are at a disadvantage being shorn off of their leaves and branches.
Pure stands of sal are seen here and there, but most of them are young saplings or poles.
The tanks in Chaibasa town and elsewhere are many and kept fairly clean. In town
private plantation are seen. Casuarina equisetifolia, Qupressus spscies, Michelia champaca,
Eleodandron serratus, Swietenia mahogany, Mimusope elengi, Pith-ecolobiurn dulce,
Albizzia lebbek, Ficus religiosa, F. bengalensis, Melia azidarachta, Pongamia glabra, Cassia
glauca, Tecoma stems, Plumeria acutifolia, Stereosp&nnum suaveolens, Salrnalia
malabarica Tectona grandis, Ponciana regia, as also Citrus aurantium, Ficus carica, Carica
papaya and mango, etc.
The major part of the plateau is occupied by cultivated fields surrounding isolated
villages, which are located mostly near the roads and railways. The northern and western
faces of the hills are covered over with almost pure stands of sal and other species
described in the chapter on Forest.
The North Kolhan area and the South Porahat area : The condition here is bad so far
as the vegetation is concerned. There has been much cutting and grazing. On the slopes
of the hills are seen, sal with Gardenia species, Dillenia aurea, Phoenix acaulis, Termi-nalia
chehula and Anogeissus latifolia. In the undulating valleys, sal with Gareya arborea, and
Dillenia pentagyna, asan harm, Itusum and Pterocarpus marsupium. On the even lands, a
few salai, dhaura, Cleistanthus collinus, Lannea grandis, Sterculia urens, Co-chlospermum
gossypium, bamboo and khajur are seen. Self-introduced herbs like Scoparia dulcis,
Ageratum conyzoides, C'lerodendron infortunatum are seen. More land has been
brought under cultivation and therefore there has been much deforestation. Though the
fields are giving good crops, there has been much erosion.
The salient features of the vegetation of the district.-Singhbhum lies in the Central
Indian sal tract and everywhere it shows broad leaved trees of which palas and mahua
are the main. Thorny species are rare, and are seen only on the southern slope of the hills
accompanied by the white barked trees with gouty stems and deciduous foliage. On the
northern slope and the valleys are seen evergreen trees. Sal is present everywhere in a
smaller or larger numbers. The plateaux are cleared of the jungles and cultivated. The
lower hills and the undulated lands are now being protected and gradually coming under
forests, chiefly the immediately useful species being encouraged.
The Gymnosperm, Gnetum scandens is found in this district in the valleys. The stemless
palm, Phoenix acaulis, though seen elsewhere also on the Chotanagpur and Palamau
plateaux is abundant. Especially in the area south of Tatanagar, Gassytha fillijormis, the
green thread like parasite, several species of loranthus and several epiphytic orchids are
seen here. The white barked gouty stemmed trees of Sterculia urens and Boswellia serrata
are very conspicuous against the background of the black rocks.
13
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
CLIMATE :
The year may be divided into three seasons; the cold season from November to
February, the hot season from March to May and the rainy season from June to October.
In the cold season, the early mornings and nights are cold, making huge camp fires most
enjoyable. The thermometer touches a minimum of 39°F. or lower. Hoar-frost may be seen
in the valleys but little or no fog and mist occur in the district during winter. This season is
very delightful, the nights being invariably cool and the air invigorating and exhilarating.
It is unpleasantly hot in the summer season with the hot westerly winds prevailing. On
account of the barrier of hills in the south-east no sea breeze can penetrate and the
atmosphere is generally dry. Very low values of humidity of the order of 15 percent or
lower may not be uncommon in these months during the afternoon. Even during the hot
weather, the air being dry has not the same exhausting effect as the heat near the coast.
During the period February to June violent storms from north-west, called nor'wester,
accompanied by thunder, lightning, rain and sometimes hail occur occasionally.
The maximum tempteture 43.90C (111EF) or more rises in the month of May. The hot
westerly wind locally known as "Loo" causes desiccation, but inspite of these nights are
generally pleasant in the forest area. By the second fortnight of May the area is subjected
to occasional thunder storms with rains. This brings down the temperature by a few, degrees,
affording relief to all. This premonsoon thundershower helps the sal seeds to germinate
and take up rest firmly on the floor or the forests. The monsoon breaks in usually in the first
week of July and continues untils the end of September. In the beginning of October
again there is a Short spell of rainy Season (10 days known as HATHIA, which is beneficial to
the paddy crop. There is also a short spell of winter rains around Dec/January.
The winter is generally mild and it extends from October to the end of Feb. Fogs are
uncommon except in deep Valleys. Frosts are not of Common occurrences except in some
remote corners of the forest.
Rainfall :
The annual average rainfall of the district is 56 inches. The central belt of the district
receives 50 inches to 55 inches and the rest of the area more than 55 inches. Some places
in the western hilly area record more than 60 inches.
The main rainy months are May to October. Rainfall over 1 inch is also received in
February and April. The southwest monsoon sets in, in the middle of June and withdraws by
about the middle of October. In the months June to September, the district receives 30
per cent or more of the annual rainfall, July is the rainiest month in the district. The rainfall
measured over consecutive year's shows considerable variation from year to year.
December and January are the coldest months of the year. The lowest temperature in the
district recorded is 39° If. to 40° P. Temperature begins to rise towards the end of February.
14
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
April and May are the hottest months of the year.
The district is characterized by large diurnal variation in the winter and summer months.
In these months the highest daily range is about 40 °F. The variation is least in the monsoon
months. The summer months March, April and May are the driest in the year.
Geology and Mineral resources:
Of all the geological formations which occur in the district the following three are
the most important : (a) granites and gneisses of Archaean age intrusive into the oldest
sedimentary rocks, now highly metamorphosed, and known as the Singhbhum granite and
gneiss, the Chotanagpur granite-gneiss, and the Chakradharpur and Akarsani granophyric
granite-gneiss; (b) the Iron-ore Series which are mostly metamorphosed, ancient sediments
with contemporaneous basic igneous rooks and are equivalent to a large part of the
Dharwar System of Indian Geology, and (c) the volcanic lava flows of the Dalma hill and
its adjoining ranges.
The greater part of the district is covered with rocks of the Iron-ore Series and granitic
rocks occur ill the south-east over a considerable area and along a small patch north of
Chakradharpur. The plains of Singhbhum are partly on granite and partly on the schist and
shales of the Iron-ore Series. The shales, which mostly form the central and southern parts
of the Singhbhum plains, merge into the hills of the Kolhan in the south and into those of
Porahat to the west. Towards the west they gradually change to phyllites, and towards
the north to mica-schists which extend to the Tamar plain of the Ranchi district. The micaschists
form low ridges and undulating hills in the west in Porahat. A series of shale and
quartzite hills extend into the Singhbhum plains to the south-east of Chakradharpur and
connect the southern outcrops of the Iron-ore Series with the outcrops in the north. The
Akarsani granite-gneiss forms a prominent hill across the mica-schist plains to the east of
Kharsawan village.
The third most important formation is the series of basic lava flows known as the Dalma
volcanic flows after the prominent hill mass of Dalma north of Jamshedpur. The lavas form
precipitous hills and ranges extending for over 100 miles.
South of the Subarnarekha in Dhalbhum, lava flows cap the Dhanjori range and other
hill ranges adjoining Mayurbhanj. Here the plains are formed either by the Iron-ore Series
of rocks or by a soda rich variety of granite.
In the Kolhan area of South Singhbhum, the Iron-ore Series of rocks reach their
maximum development and the rich banded haematite-quartzite rocks of this series
are the most important source of the iron-ores on which India's iron and steel industry
is based. The prominent Angarbira Hill, south-west of Chaibasa, is made of basic lava
flows of Dalma age.
15
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
Here and there are younger dykes and older inclusions of ultra-basic igneous rocks
belonging to the peridotite family. The most important among these which have intruded
the Iron-ore Series of rocks as small laccoliths have given rise to the chromite deposits of
Jojohatu, some 10 miles west-south-west of Chaibasa, and others occurring in the granitegneiss
have yielded the asbestos deposits of Seraikela and Dhalbhum.
These older rock formations are overlain by a younger series of unmetamorphosed
rocks consisting of conglomerates, sandstones and limestones in the Kolhan basin from
Chaibasa southwards. They are known as the Kolhan Series in Indian Geology and are
considered to be of the same age as the Cuddapah System of South India. Lastly, the
granites rocks are cut by a remarkable system of reticulating dykes of dolerite which form
characteristic elongated ridges marked by rounded boulders of a dark rock. This dolerite
has been named Newer Dolerite owing to its younger age. Their age is uncertain but they
may be of Cuddapah age since dykes of younger age than the Dharwar and older than
the Deccan lavas, occur associated with the Cuddapah rocks of South India which are
younger than the Dharwar System.
STRUCTURAL FEATURES:
The most important structural feature of the geology of the district is a series of great
anticlines and synclines which veer round from west-east to north-west-south-east in the
northern part of the district. A series of highly metamorphosed rocks form, a great
geoanticline which commencing from the east in North Singhbhum extend through
Seraikela, turning south-east near Jamshedpur. It thus forms a great curve in the northeastern
part of the district which turns southwards near the Mayurbhanj border. Northwest
of Kharsawan, a north-westerly branch of the anticline forms an almost closed dome
known as the Sonapet anticline.
Another remarkable structural feature is a great shear zone which has formed along
the overfolded southern limb of the geoanticline as a zone of overthrust. This shear zone
follows the same trend as the latter. From west to east trend in the western part of the
district in the north, it takes a decided turn to the south-east along the north-east foot of
the hills of the Dhanjori range through Rakha Mines and Badia. It then cuts across the
Dhanjori quartzite farther south-east and disappears in the schists towards Singpura (22°22'
N. 86°35' E.). Along this thrust zone the rocks have been highly sheared and even granites
have been mylonitised.
This zone almost bisects the rocks of Singhbhum and forms a broad arc convex towards
the north as it again swings to a west-south-west-east-north-east trend in the Koihan. Its
westerly section is marked by the valley of the Sanjai and the railway line.
It would thus appear that the Iron-ore Series of sedimentary rooks were folded into
well defined anticlines and synclines over-folded towards the south, and formed a great
16
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
mountain range, extending east to west across North Singhbhum and South Ranchi to North
Dhalbhum. South of this main axis of folding, earth movements were less intense and the
rocks of Central and South Singhbhum are generally less metamorphosed than those of
North Singhbhum.
The rocks of the Iron-ore Series show a rapid change in the degree of metamorphism
across the strike from phyllites to mica-schist and a similar but gradual change towards the
west along the strike. Tongues of soda-granite and granophyre have been injected along
the zone of thrusts east and west of Chakradharpur, Seraikela and Musabani. The shearing
movements must have continued from the post iron-ore stage to the end of the period of
granitic injections, since the granitic rocks have been sheared into sericite-quartz schist
and felspathic schists.
The shear planes have been the main structural features which have controlled the
localisation of the ore-bearing fluids. The copper belt, for its most part, follows this zone of
overthrust. The apatite-magnetite veins and the copper lodes are genetically related to
the soda-granite and granophyre which were intruded along the copper belt. The shear
zone in other places consist of epidiorites which are often completely altered to chloriteschists
and talc-schists; phyllites, mica-schists, quartzites and conglomerates.
North of the geoanticline there is a large geosynciine of volcanic rocks known as
the Dalma lavas. The northern end of this geosynciine has been overfolded, and in places
been overthrust, by the rocks to the north which form part of another geoanticline which
extend across the southern parts of the Ranchi and former Manbhum districts.
SOUTH SINGHBHUM :
The sequence of beds in the Iron-ore Series in the Koihan area is yet conjectural. The
banded haematite-quartzites crop out as ridges, the most important of which are arranged
in the form of a narrow horse-shoe open to the north and closed to the south in Keonjhar
and Bonai. The ridge forming the western side of this horse-shoe is known as the Iron-ore
range. It extends for nearly 30 miles. The main basin of deposition of the younger Koihan
Series lies across the northern end of the eastern side of the. horse-shoe. The Noamundi
mine is at the northern end of the eastern rim. There is a wide area of lavas with an
occasional thin zone of phyllites intervening between them and the banded haematitequartzite.
On the western side of the horse-shoe also there is a wide area of lavas with a
zone of phyllites between them and the haematite-quartzite. The lavas on the east side
and the west side continue round the southern closed end of the horseshoe. The area
inside the horse-shoe also consists of phyllites with tuffs, lavas and some cherts, and
occasional outliers of Kolhan rocks. AH the formations dip persistently to the north-west.
The lava, therefore, overlies the banded haematite-quartzite on the western margin of
the horse-shoe, and underlies it on the eastern margin. It is not clear from the field work so
far done as to whether this horse-shoe represents a geosyncline pitching to the north or a
geoanticline pitching to the south. In the former case the sequence along the eastern rim
17
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
with lavas at the bottom is the normal one and the sequence at the. Western limb is inverted
due to overfolding. If, on the other hand, the structure is that of a geoanticline, the eastern
limb is overfolded and the sequence on the western limb with lavas at the top is the normal
one. The lavas are then comparable in stratigraphic sequence to the Dalma lavas.
Petrographically the two lavas are similar.
The lavas on the east side of the horse-shoe consist of a number of flows with a
bedded appearance and amygdaloidal lava. The lava is haematitised in many places
even to the extent of forming an- iron-ore. The lavas had also undergone contemporaneous
alteration to sericite-rocks, talc-rocks and clay resembling phyllitie tuffs. The volcanic tuffs
vary from coarse fragmental accumulations to fine-grained material. The latter is more
common and has been altered to a normal phyllite.
IRON-ORE IN PHYLLITES :
The normal phyllites have a slaty cleavage and phyllitie sheen. They have been
subjected to close folding. Although they are of a variety of colours, p-urple, ferruginous
phyllites are more common which sometimes pass into an ore with over 60 per cent of
iron.
MANGANESE-DEE IN PHYLLITES :
In many places the phyllites are manganiferous and here leaching has given rise to
enriched zone of nodular psilomeiane and pyrolusite within the phyllites, or to lateritic
manganese at the surface with gradations between them. ' Ttetrital material from these
have also been mined. Between Jarnda and Gua, manganese deposits are disposed along
at least four north-east,-south-west belts. Another association, of manganese-ore deposits
which yield better-grade ore is with the cherts which are of widespread occurrence in
the Iron-ore Series and are associated with the phyllites and lava in the Kolhan. Red, green
and mottled jaspers are also common. Dolomite and chert occur with manganese deposits
south of Nalda and dolomite occurs near Chaibasa.
BANDED HAEMATITE-QTTABTZITE :
The banded haematite-quartzite is a very striking rock formation consisting of
interbanded layers of iron-oxide and silica. Owing to their great hardness these rocks resist
weathering and form steep cliffs with characteristic conspicuous bands of different colours.
The Iron-ore range is formed mainly of this rock. It extends for some 30 miles from Gua to
Rontha in Bonai with a breadth from 400 to 1,000 feet and rising to 1,500 feet above the
surrounding plains. The bands are of varying colours such as grey, brown, black, bright red
owing to the nature of the iron-oxide, and are very irregular, crumpled and contorted.
They vary in thickness from mere partings to several inches and are commonly quarterinch
thick. The silicious bands are of fine-grained quartz or red jasper.
18
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
The iron-oxide is usually haematite, but cubes and octahedra of magnetite and
pseudomorphs or haematite after magnetite (martite) also occur. A few crystals of ironcarbonate
or siderite also occur sometimes pseudomorphosed by silica. The thickness of
the stage is not determinable owing to folding and faulting but is not likely to exceed 1,000
feet. It is very like the jaspilite of the Lake Superior region and can be matched with the
pre-Cambrian ores of Venezuela and Brazil. By local replacement caused by circulating
waters the interbedded ferruginous shales have been converted to iron-ore to some extent
here and there.
The whole of the ore mined is almost entirely haematite (massive steel-grey type)
with 69 per cent iron, varying through a porous shaly type produced by the leaching out
of the sillicious layers and carrying 60 per cent iron, to a fine soft powder with up to 69 per
cent of iron. The reserves of 60 per cent or more ore in Singhbhum are estimated at
14,70,00,000 tons within 200 feet from the surface. Recent estimates made by Percival
amount to more than double this figure.
GRANITES AND GNEISSES:
There were at least two periods of intrusion of granitic rocks, the one known as the
Singhbhum granite and the other as the Akarsani soda-granite. The Singhbhum granite
shows considerable variation in texture, from an extremely fine-grained to a rather coarsegrained
and somewhat porphyritic rock -with felspar crystals in places up to six inches in
diameter. The texture increases in coarseness away from the boundary, xnuseovite
becomes abundant and the rock becomes more acid with increasing coarseness. The
plagioclase content is so high that the rock may be classed as an adamellite varying to
granite through granodiorite. Near Seraikela town, the granite is sericitised with a banded
structure and granulation. It is more basic and may represent an earlier, more basic border
phase, and might have absorbed the overlying shales. It is identical with the Chakradharpur
granite-gneiss to the west.
In the Girga Reserved Forest, 15 miles west of the Chakradharpur gneiss outcrop, is a
small granite mass related to the Chotanagpur gneiss. It has abundant inclusions of mica
and hornblende schists and has injected the mica schist in lit-par-lit manner.
APLITE, PEGMATITE AND QUAETZ VEINS :
Pegmatite and aplite veins occur throughout the metamorphic rocks particularly in
the vicinity of the main granite masses, numerous quartz veins of different ages occur in
the schistose rocks of the Singhbhum and the adjoining districts and in the younger Kolhan
phyllitic shales. There are two principal types of veins. In one, which is regarded as older,
the veins are ferruginous and disintegrate more readily. They have little continuity and are
indicated by scattered patches of translucent, blue or dark-grey quartz. The other type of
vein is continuous and comparatively undisturbed, and is pure white and opaque. They
are sometimes very wide.
19
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
KOLHAN SERIES :
The group of unmetamorphosed shales, lime stones, and sandstones with
conglomerates at their base, which lie uncomfortably upon the old eroded surface of the
Singhbhum granite or the Iron-ore Series, has been constituted into a younger series called
the Kolhan Series after the main area of its deposition. The main basin stretches southsouth-
west from Chaibasa. The basal beds dip gently away from the Singhbhum granite; in
places they are quite horizontal and undisturbed, but they become increasingly folded
towards the west and over the phyllites they are as closely folded as the older series.
Steeply folded synclinal outliers of the basal beds of the Kolhan Series are found within the
Iron-ore Series outcrops. Faulting is common.
MANGANESE-ORE :
The basal beds of the Kolhan Series, south of Chaibasa, have been replaced by
manganese-bearing solutions, and altered to incoherent sericite-quartz rocks in which
lenticles and veinlets of workable manganese oxide have been formed. The lavas and
tuffs below the basal Kolhan conglomerate have been altered in places to massive
haematite before the deposition of the conglomerate.
The youngest rocks in the Singhbhum district are the numerous intrusions of the basic
rock dolerite which have been called the newer dolerites in order to distinguish them
from the older dolerites now metamorphosed to epidiorites, associated with the Dalma
lavas. The dykes have penetrated the Singhbhum granite along joints, a major set striking
north-north-east-south-south-west, and a minor set north-north-west-south-south-east. The
dykes form characteristic ridges marked by innumerable dark-colored boulders which
extend as narrow low ridges across the country.
LATERITE :
Laterite is widespread over rocks of the Iron-ore Series, particularly in South Singhbhum
and specially over ferruginous rocks. It has been denuded away from much of the northern
area by stream erosion. The greater part of the Manganese-ore in Singhbhum, Keonjhar
and Bonai is of lateritic origin, and overlies the Iron-ore Series rocks. Lateritic manganese
overlies Kolhan shales near Chaibasa and near Balijori (22°17' N. : 85°45' E.)
MINERAL OCCURRENCES:
ATOMIC MINERALS :
The earliest reference to a uranium mineral in India appeared in a German publication
in 1860, a hydrated phosphate of uranium and copper, also known in Indian literature as
"Uranium mica", at Lopso Hill in Singhbhum. The Department of Atomic Energy Commission,
Government of India, is exhaustively prospecting and drilling the whole copper belt for
the development of atomic minerals.
20
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
CHROMITE:
In the Singhbhum district the ultrabasic intrusions into the Dharwars, near Jojohatu
near Chaibasa, which have been largely serpentinised carry veins of chromite particularly
on the walls of the serpentine, which are up to three feet wide. The veins are lenticular
and may extend sometimes to 100 feet along the strike or dip. The deposits are primary
magmatic segregations. The chromite mines are at Kittaburu where chromite is worked at
the surface as well as underground. There are small mines at Karkatakuti and Roro near
Chaibasa.
COPPER-ORE:
The occurrence of copper in Singhbhum was first surmised from the large number of
ancient mine workings throughout the copper belt. As there is hardly any surface indication
of copper now, the old workings serve as a guide to the presence of copper lodes. The
ancient miners who worked and smelt the copper ores more than 2,000 years ago have
left no workable copper down to the ground water level where they ceased working
except in the pillars for holding up the hanging walls. They had no doubt considerable skill
and occasionally their tools and some utensils made of soap-stone and pottery have been
found in the workings.
Copper was discovered in modern times in 1847 by Captain J. 0. Haughton, Assistant
to the Governor-General's Agent in the south-west frontier in a hill near Narayanpur in
Seraikeia which was called Tamadungri (copper hill) by the local villagers. Tama-dungri
was a centre of copper industry in ancient times, but at the time of the discovery of copper
in 1847 the villagers had no idea of the association of copper with it. Another hill called
Tamapahar near Rakha Mines and a village called Tamajuri are reminders of old mining
centers.
The Hindustan Copper Company commenced operations at Rajdoha in 1862 and
although royalties were fixed at half the previous amount, the company became defunct
in 1864 after striking copper pyrites at Rajdoha.
The copper belt received further attention from the Geological Survey of India when
V. Ball, an eminent Geologist of the Survey, undertook a systematic survey and a summary
of the mode of occurrence of copper was published in his Memoirs on the Geology of
Singhbhum and Manbhum.
The copper belt extends from Duarparam to the north-east of Chakradharpur, through
Regadih, Kharsawan, Sini and Turandih, Rajdoha, Rakha Mines, Kendadih to Sinda, and
then through Musabani and Badia ending near Baharagora for a, distance of about 80
miles. The Indian Copper Corporation is now carrying on mining at Munaltimi (Mushabani),
Badia and Dhobani. Drills operated by compressed air and explosives are used in mining.
Crushing plant, workshop and. foundry are located on the surface at the site of the mine
at Musabani.
21
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
IRON-ORE:
The Indian Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. have their mines at Gua and Manoharpur where
large reserves are available with an average content of 60 per cent of iron. The Tata Iron
and Steel Co., Ltd., have their mines at Noamundi which are being worked since 1925. The
deposits occur chiefly on two parallel ridges running roughly north to south, each about
two miles and a half long and half a mile wide at the north, becoming wider to the south
and extending into the Keonjhar district of Orissa. There are two grades of ore: the first
grade has 59.65 per cent and the second grade 66.90 per cent of Fe.
LIMESTONE:
The limestone found in the Singhbhum district are generally impure and not suitable
for industrial purposes such as flux in the steel industry, chemical and cement industries.There
is a zone of limestone immediately overlying the basal sandstone in the Kolhan Series where
outcrops extend from Chaibasa to Jagannathpur (22°13'N. : 85°39'E.), a distance of about
30 miles. The Associated Cement Company, Ltd., are working the Kolhan limestone at
Jhinkpani. It is a high grade material with over 48 per cent CaO and is used in the
manufacture of Portland cement. It is a pink, grey or greenish limestone often containing
thin lamellae of phyllite, shale or chert.
THE PEOPLE
According to the census of 1951, the population of old Singhbhum district was
14,80,816, out of which 7,52,424 were males and 7,28,392 were females. There had been
two accretions to the area of the district since 1951. In 1954, 39 villages from Tamar policestation
of Ranchi district were transferred to the district of Singhbhum. In 1956, the areas of
Chandil, Patamda and Ichagarh police-stations from the district of Manbhum were
integrated to the Singhbhum district as a result of the recommendations of the States
Reorganisation Commission.
Due to an enormous expansion programme of the Tisco concern in Jamshedpur there
had been an influx of an additional population. The growth of population according to the
census from 1872 to 1951 was four and half times i.e. almost 365 percentage of increase in
population. From 19321 population growth shot up- increasing on an average of almost by
25% in each decade. The real increase in the population had started taking place since
the decade 1901-11. The increase was largely due to emigration from other districts within
Bihar and from other provinces to meet the demands of rapid industrial development. The
Tatas had established their Steel Factory in the district in 1907 and other industrial concerns
followed the suit of the Tatas in exploiting the mineral resources of the district. The intensive
exploitation of the mineral resources had led to a rapid industrialization of the district. The
integration of Seraikela and Kharsawan to this district in 1948 had also led to an increase in
the population which was noticeable in' 1951 census.
22
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
The incidence of emigration has a particular feature of the district. An exclusive feature
of the population of this district is the presence of a very sizable cosmopolitan population
in the urban areas. This is due to the rapid industrialization of the district which has attracted
skilled hands from various parts of the world. Initially Jamshedpur had attracted experts
from England the United States of America and a good sprinkling of Germans, Russians
and other nationals who had come to Jamshedpur in connection with the expansion of
the industries. There is hardly any part of India from where men have not come to
Jamshedpur to earn their bread. This unique cosmopolitan feature is a great social factor.
In spite of the rapid industrialisation of the district, agriculture remains the most important
occupation for the majority of the population.
A number of towns namely Chakradharpur, Noamundi, Musabani, Seraikela,
Manoharpur, Gua, Maubhandar and Kharsawan have developed and are connected
with trade and commerce for the exploitation of the mineral resources. The bulk of the
population, however, still remains rural. After agriculture, the cottage industries form the
main occupation of the rural population. A large number of other allied industries, besides
the Steel Factory of Tatas, have grown in Jamshedpur and each one of them maintains a
large labour population in addition to the supervisory staff.
Chaibasa is the headquarters of the district administration. The population of Chaibasa
in 1868-69 was 3,123. The population was 16,474 in 1951 as recorded in the census. Chaibasa
has no industry of importance in the town itself. Besides this, the rapid growth of Jamshedpur
nearby has affected the growth of Chaibasa. Although Chaibasa is the headquarters of
the district, it still retains the rural characteristics and differs materially from Jamshedpur.
Noamundi was a small village before. But in 1941 it had already grown into a township
with a population of 6,389 persons. In 1951 census the population had gone up to 7,227
with 3,869 males and 3,358 females. The township has grown because of the exploitation
of the iron-ore at Noamundi by the Tatas. Manoharpur is considered to be the centre for
timber trade.
The languages in Singhbhum mostly come from three distinct stocks. One is the Munda
family of languages which includes Ho, Mundari, Santhali, Mahili, Bhumij and Kharia. The
other is the Dravidian family of languages which includes Oraon, Telugu, Tamil and Gondi.
The rest are of the Indo-Aryan stock which includes Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Oriya, Gujrati,
Nepali, Marwari, Punjabi, etc.
From religion point of view Next to Hindus, the majority of the population in the
district of Singhbhum belongs to Tribal religions. The Missions working for the propagation
of the Christian faith in Singhbhum district are the German Evangelic Mission, Lutheran
Mission, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and a Roman Catholic Mission. The
Lutheran Mission was established in Chaibasa in 1864. The Roman Catholic Mission started
its work at Chaibasa in 1868. The Missions maintained some schools and dispensaries.
23
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
The mankis and mundas has tremendous influence in the Ho community. Without
their help it is difficult to make much headway among the tribals.
According to the census of 1951, the population of the Scheduled Castes and the
Scheduled Tribes was 49,768 and 7,13,522 persons, respectively, The number of females
was very much less than the number of males in the Scheduled Castes, whereas the number
of females was higher in the case of Scheduled Tribes. The Scheduled Tribes are distributed
throughout the district but are primarily rural in character. This district has the peculiar feature
of a slow change in the ratio of female population to male population. These figures will
indicate that the mining and manufacturing industries in the district have attracted a large
male population who do not live with their families.
Rice is the principal food. Use of vegetable and dal is not common, mainly among
tribals where sag takes the place of dal and is the principal vegetable.
Tribes of Jharkhand :
There are 30 Tribes found in Jharkhand According to Census 1991 the population of
Tribals are 60.90 lakh. 94% Tribals lives in country side and only 6% avail urban life. Main
tribal population are Santhal 20 lac, Oraon 8.75 lac, Munda 7.32 lac & Ho- 5.50 lac.
Scheduled tribe of Jharkhand may be divided into two classes followed by 22 main
tribes and 8 Adim tribes. Birhor, Korwa, Asur, Parhia, Birjia, Sauria, Paharia, Mal Paharia &
Sawar are known as Adim tribes. They follow hunting and depend for food on forests by
their inherited sanskara. In present situation it is difficult to continue their ancient sanskara
because of aculturization or outsider interference. Scheduled tribe divided into two
according to language, like Astric (Munda) and Dravidian. Oraon's (Kurukh) and Salria
paharia's (Malto) comes under Dravidian. According Race, tribals of Jharkhand comes
under Proto-Austrolied. Feature of Proto Austrolied are short height, large forehead, broad
& flat nose & dark skin.
Birhor of Hazaribagh divided into two groups like Ulthu & Janghi. Ulthu is migrated
heather and thither in forest. But Janghi blow stable life and form a village. Janghies are
also known as Paniya. Paniya means where there is water resource. Birhor have 23-24
Gotras like Topwar, Induar, Baswar, Dhanwar, Kerketta, Hembrome, Kachhua, Kher, Lakur,
Chatta, Machhali, Barah, Kaua, Gidha, Bhuiyan, Gerua, Gundari, Tiriwar, Kenchua, Ludijal,
Sigpurra, Toriyar, Mahali, Suiya, Bhurum.
The Tribes of the District of West Singhbhum :
The term Adivasis literally means 'Original settlers', 'earliest settlers' . It is known that
from time to time various groups of people have come and settled in Singhbhum, among
whom it is difficult to single out the first comers in the time-scale. In Singhbhum many of
them like the Hos, the Bhumij, etc., have the tradition of being the first settlers in the district.
24
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
The nature of earlier population distribution of the different tribal communities the
1931 census table gives as follows :-
Hos. Bhuiyas Santhals
Singhbhum 301158 Singhbhum 18273 Singhbhum 10890
Kolhan 224888 Seraikela and 7195 Ghatsila 103023
Kharsawan
Seraikela 25963 Seraikela 30006
Kharasawan 11706 Kharasawan 1214
Total 338827 Total 25468 Total 140110
Oraons Bhumijis Kharrias
Singhbhum 10111 Singhbhum 53058 Singhbhum 5879
Seraikela 558 Ghatshila 47794 Dhalbhum 5456
Kharasawan 551 Seraikela 11390
Kharsawan 2398
Total 11220 Total 66846 Total 5879
Mundas Gonds Bathudis
Singhbhum 50963 Singhbhum 7026 Singhbhum 998
Chakradharpur 32278 Sadar 5591
Seraikela 885
Khasawan 5602
Total 57450 Total 7026 Total 998
Birhors Savars
Singhbhum 12 Singhbhum 762
Dhalbhum 751
Total 12 Total 762
The following castes or groups of the Singhbhum district were notified as Scheduled
Tribes under the Constitution of India, 1950 :-
(1) Asur (11) Gorait (21) Mahil
(2) Baiga (12) Ho (22) Mal Paharia
(3) Bathudi (13) Karmali (23) Munda
(4) Bedia (14) Kharia (24) Oraon
(5) Binjhia (15) Kharwar (25) Pahariya
(6) Birhor (16) Khond (26) Santhal
(7) Birija (17) Kisan (27) Sauria Paharia
(8) Chero (18) Kora (28) Savar
(9) Chik Baraik (19) Korwa (29) Bhumji
(10) Gond (20) Lohara
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
In district Singhbhum distribution of Tribal population is as follows :-
Tribals Total Male Female Tribal population of
1971 1981
Bathurhi 1595 828 767 0.02 0.03
Bedia 60446 30336 30110 0.97 1.04
Bhumij 136109 68353 67756 0.53 2.35
Gond 96574 48711 47863 1.99 1.66
Ho 536523 264852 271671 10.24 9.23
Sawar 3014 1495 1519 0.07 0.05
Percentage of Tribal population
1971 1981
Population of Tribal % of Tribal Population % of Tribal
Population of Tribal Population
11243317 46,12 1261504 44.00
The languages of the Hos, the Mundas and the Bhumij have a high degree of similarity;
the Santhali language, though belonging to the same linguistic stock is slightly different.
According to Colonel Dalton, as well as later writers like Mr. S. C. Roy, the Hos, the Mundas
and the Bhumijs originally belonged to a single tribe living in the Chotanagpur plateau.
Subsequently, they became differentiated in course of migration to different areas.
Except for the so-called wild Kharias of Dhalbhum and the wandering Birhors, who
live principally by hunting and collecting wild produce, the majority of the tribal
communities, namely, the Hos, the Santhals, the Bhumijs and the Mundas live a settled
agricultural life. The Kharias and the Birhors, on the other hand, choose the neighbourhood
of jungles, for their life is more closely tied to the forests.
Agriculture, is by far the most important source of living among the majority of the
communities in this area. The principal crop is paddy. Besides paddy, maize, various types
of millets (gundli, mama, sawan, etc. ), barley (tilegangai ) and pulses (mainly rahar) are
also planted. The winter crops include oil-seeds like mustard, sarguja, etc. Besides agriculture,
there are a number of subsidiary sources of income for the average farmer. These are
cultivation of lac on kul, kuaum and palas trees; cultivation of cocoon on asan leaves ;
live-stock and poultry including cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, - fowl, pigeons and rarely
ducks ; fishing and hunting.
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
As the forests are gradually disappearing economics based on the forest also tend
to become rarer and rarer. The forest provides the people with some important articles,
namely, wooden poles for building and agricultural implements, leaves for making leaf
cups and plates, various types of roots and tubers used both as food as well as for medicine.
The tribals do not make baskets, earthen pots, iron implements or handloom
products themselves. The wandering Birhors form an exception to it. They procure part of
their necessities of life, including paddy, in exchange of baskets and ropes that they make
from bark fibres. There are a number of weekly markets throughout the district where various
local communities make their purchases and sales while merchants from outside have
also come in to ply their own trade.
Singhbhum district with its rich mineral wealth has given rise to important mining and
industrial centres, namely, the iron mines of Gua, Noamundi, the copper mine at Musabani,
the great Tata Iron and Steel Factory at Jamshedpur and the cement factory at Jhinkpani,
etc. These centres have attracted a substantial number of labourers.
With regard to ownership of property, the tribals seem to be perfectly conscious of
the right of the individuals and of the family. Ownership of any object in common by a
group larger than family is not known, except for the public places in the village like the
sacred grove, dancing area and so on. But there is a good deal of co-operation in
economic matters. Exchange of agricultural labour is very common and communal hunting
and fishing with equitable distribution of the spoils indicate their collective spirit. In thatching
a new house it is customary that the adult males in the hamlet or tola are to co-operate in
the work in return for a traditional treat. With regard to agriculture, fragmentation of holding
and pressure on land are growing more acute The population has become divided into
roughly four classes, namely, the wealthy mankis and mundas, substantial cultivators, poor
cultivators and landless labourers.
THE HOS
In Singhbhum district, the Hos, otherwise known as Larka kols, are mainly found in the
Kolhan area. They form the largest group among the different tribal communities residing
in the district.
The Hos as a group more or less fully satisfy the definition of a tribe by occupying a
contiguous territory, speaking a common dialect of their own . The society is divided into a
number of exogamous clans known as killis. In the clan, title descends patrilineally. In the
Ho society today the simple family is even more important than the killi. The family is patriarch
cal with the father at its head.
Though the factor of kinship bond is supreme in their social organisation, there is some
definite social consciousness due to life within the limits of a village. The village or hatu has
its own sacred grove, tutelary deities, headman or munda and the priest or deuri. The
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
village has its council or panchayat and the major festivals are organized communally.
Further the inhabitants of the village are also often genealogically related. All these factors
together make the inhabitants strongly conscious of the village affiliation.
The Hos are a typical patriarchal people having patrilineal descent in clan title,
patrilocal residence and patrilineal succession to village offices like headmanship and
priesthood. The property is divided equally among the sons. Women cannot hold property,
except when they have no male relations; but widows and unmarried daughters have a
right to maintenance. With all these
limitations of right the women have considerable freedom and fairly high status in
society. Women contribute substantially in economic operations and play a vital role in
communal festivals with dancing and singing.
Hunting, which was probably in the past a regular means of livelihood, is today at
least a favourite pastime in those parts where patches of jungles still persist. The grand
season of hunting is between January and June.
To quote from Colonel Tickell's amusing account : They also indulge into the burning
of the grass till the new crop becomes too high, i.e., between January and June, the Hos
scour the Jungles, in large parties and at uncertain periods for wilder game, surrounding
and driving to a centre the deer and other animals. But the grand meeting is in May, about
the Chait parab, when people of all sects and classes repair to the hills north of Singhbhum.
The preliminaries of the drive are arranged by ambassadors and emissaries from Singhbhum,
the Kolhan, and the Jungle Mahals, and vast multitudes draw in from every quarter from
Sikharbhum, from near Bankura and Midnapore on the east, and from the borders of
Chotanagpur on the west. On the given day these crowds, extended in lines, draw towards
a common centre, sweeping the Jankiburu hills and other ranges which reach from
Chotanagpur to the Subarnarekha river, separating Tamar from Singhbhum; as the lines
approach each other, the slaughter commences.
"The uproar is difficult to describe, and the scene the wildest imagination can picture.
Those deep secluded villages, those barely pervious dells, the huge solitary hill-tops, buried
in one vast sheet of pathless jungle, which except on this annual occasion, are never
visited by man, now swarm with countless hordes. In front of them the different animals
pass and repass, bewildered by opposing hosts. The huge gaurs, roused from their noonday
retreats, stalk with stately steps along the hillside, till infuriated by the increasing din, they
rush through the forest, heedless of rock or ravine, and rending the branches in their
ponderous flight; the wild buffaloes thunder across, brandishing their immense horns,
stamping and wheeling round their young ones; nilgais gallop fast like a charge of cavalry.
The stately samber, the beautiful axis, the barking deer or mantjak, dash along, clearing
the copsewood with flying bounds, and suddenly stopping with erect ears and recurved
neck, as the tainted gale warns of danger ahead. The fairy-like orey, or small red-deer,
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
with noiseless feet comes skimming over the tangled underwood, stepping in wild starts '
to the right and left, and sorely bewildering a host of Rajas, Thakurs, and their bodyguards,
who perched upon machans (scaffolds ), in vain try to bring their lengthy matchlocks to
bear; with snort and puff a 'sounder' of pigs scurry through. The redoubled uproar from
without attracts the attention to something which has excited the beaters. The reeds and
grass are seen to wave, as if some bulky form were sliding through them; and at length,
loath to leave the haunts which had concealed him so long, out comes the tiger, with a
lumping, stealthy trot, crouching to the earth, with ears quivering, and turning to catch
every sound. He has soon passed on into the leafy depths, from which his hollow growl
may be occasionally heard. And last of all, as the peacocks begin to mount into the air,
and the jungle fowl with noisy cackle take wing, a loud sonorous grunt or shout ushers in
the sturdy old bhaluk (bear), who forced from the friendly shelter of rocks, comes bundling
over the ground and shaking his sides in a heavy gallop, oft stopping, wheeling round,
and threatening his enemies.
"The reports of matchlocks, the 'click' of the arrows striking against trees, the shouts
of the multitude, the roars, the screams, and groans of the animals, the piping of flutes, the
beating of drums, the braying of trumpets reach their climax, and the multitude, composed
of all classes and sorts, meets near the Raja's machan to compare notes of the sport. Here
are the ever-dancing and singing Santhals, dressed out in flowers and feathers, with flutes
ornamented with streamers made of pith; the wild Kharias or hillmen, from the Lakhisinni
hills in Barabhum; the Kurmis, Tantis, Sunris, Goalas, Bhumijs, etc., with sonorous dammas or
kettle-drums, and other uncouth music, armed with swords, balwas, and bows and arrows
of every description; the Hos, simple and unpretending, but with the heaviest game-bags;
the little ill-featured Tamarias, with spears, shields, and matchlocks; the Nagpur Mundas,
with huge ornaments stuck through their ears, indifferently armed with bows and arrows,
clubs, or balwas; the southern Kols and the far-comers from Saranda, with their chain earings
and monstrous pagris; the Bhuiyas, with their long bows ornamented with horse tails or the
feathers of the blue jay, and their immense barbed arrows; the paiks of the Rajas, Thakurs,
Kunwars and other zamindars, with their shields, talwars, powder-horns, and immense
matchlocks with rests, dressed out in all colours."
Other Tribes :
The Santhals are almost entirely confined to Dhalbhum. THE BHUMIJS Within Singhbhum
district are principally concentrated in Dhalbhum, Seraikela and Kharsawan while a few
are also scattered in Kolhan area. They have been identified by Colonel Dalton and Sir
Risely as a direct offshoot of the Mundas of Ranchi plateau.
The Mundas of Singhbhum belong to the large Munda tribe of Ranchi plateau. They
have mainly their residence in Porahat; three-fourths of their total number are found in the
thana of Chakradharpur. In physical features, language, social organisation, social customs
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
and religious rites the Mundas resemble the Hos very closely. They have also practically
the same annual cycle of festivals as the Hos with the difference that whereas among the
latter the Maghe Parab is most important, in the case of Mundas, it is the Ba-Parab instead.
According to local tradition the Bhuiyas are among the oldest inhabitants of
Singhbhum. It is said that when they were oppressed by the Hos they called in the help of
the Rajput soldiers of Man Singh, who subdued the Hos and named the country they
conquered, i.e., modern Porahat, Singhbhum. The Bhuiyas used to offer tilak to the Raja of
Porahat on his investiture.
Birhor, which literally means people of the jungle and this fits in very well with the
wandering hunters and collectors' life which these people lead. The Birhors move about
mainly along the line of hills running from the Ramgarh in the Hazaribagh district on the
north along with Urmanjhi, Angara, Ranchi and Bundu thanas on the east of the Ranchi
plateau. A few scattered groups have strayed into Singhbhum district.
According to their economic habit the Birhors are classified into two groups-the
wandering Birhors or uthlus and the settled or jaghis. The Birhors of Singhbhum mostly belong
to the former class. Except in the rainy season, uthlu Birhors constantly move about from
jungle to jungle. The settlements whether temporary or permanent are known as tondas
which consist of usually half a dozen or more huts. The huts of the ulhlus are more improvised
leaf sheds (kumha) in the form of low triangular tents with conical spaces. The individual
house in a jaghi ' tonda is of a more permanent nature and is comparatively more
commodious with rectangular ground plan and two sloped roofings. The uthlu Birhors do
not practise any form of agriculture and are entirely dependent upon the collection of
forest products for their living. Occasionally they also do a little bit of fishing with small
basket traps. From the forests they collect edible roots, fruits, honey and barks of Bahunia
(for the manufacture of rope baskets, etc.). They also hunt birds, deer and monkeys. The
Birhors are noted for their love of monkey's flesh and skill in trapping these animals. They
procure their staple food, i.e., rice from the neighbouring agriculturists in exchange of
forest products like fruits of the jungle, wild potatoes, honey and manufactured goods like
net, cattle tying rope (tether), hunting nets (hupa) and baskets used in oil press. They have
constant contact with the agriculturist folk for procuring rice, cloth, and some essential
manufactured articles like earthen pots, iron implements, etc., in exchange of forest
products and their special manufactures. The Bir hors have an established reputation of
being law abiding and honest.
The tribal Women in the tribal Society :
Tribes of Jharkhand are mainly patriarchal families. Father is head of the family. Tribal
Women are laborious than a man. Women are pillar of tribal society. Women of tribal society
do marketing (sale out vegetables, grains etc.) in hatia or hat, participate in agriculture,
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
but they do not plough. Hunting & share in panchayats meeting, is not allowed to women
in general. It is highly objectionable, for the tribal women to touch the plough (Hal). Women
of tribal society take food or help her matriarchal side and her husband family but she has
no right to the property. Women have no right to sale out her family property.
Records are witness to decrease in the women population from 1971 to 1981.
According to census 1951-61 & 71 ratios of women was more than 100%, per thousand
male. In the year 1981 ratio dropped down to 993, again in the year 1991 ratio came down
975 per thousand men. These are the consequences of unemployment & migration and
displacement owing to increase in mining and industries in Jharkhand.
HISTORY :
In the seventh century of the Christian era, Sasanka, of unknown lineage, must have
ruled over this territory. From the Harsha Gharita, we learn that Rajyavardhana was killed
by the king of Gauda. But, according to Yuan-Chuang, Sasanka, the king of Karna-Suvarna,
in eastern India, killed the Thaneshwar king. A seal of Sasanka was found engraved on the
hill of Rohtasgarh and Ganjam Plates of Madhavaraja the II dated in 619-20 A. D. mentions
him as Maharajadhiraja, that is, the suzerain lord of Ganjam. Two copper plate records of
Sasanka's reign found at Midnapore, establish that the jungle area too was under his control.
Therefore, Sasanka probably ruled from Shahabad to Ganjam in the early half of the 7th
century A. D., when" Singhbhum in all possibility came to be included within his empire.
In the 10th century of the Christian era, Rajendra-Chola the Great invaded Orissa
and lower Bengal; his route was through this territory and we may safely assume that
Singhbhum being quite near to Beimsagar and Mayurbhanj did not escape his attention.
The conquest of Rajendra-Chola was, however, not permanent; and Mahipala I of the
Pala dynasty was able to establish the second Pala Empire, when this area must have
passed into his hands. This is confirmed by the mention of the various feudatories who
helped Ramapala, a descendant of Mahipala I, in crushing the Kaiyartta rebellion in Bengal;
and establishing the third Pala Empire. The Bamacharita of Sandhyakaranandi gives a list "
of loyal feudatory princes; and amongst these, is mentioned Lakshmisur of Apara-mandara,
who is described as the head of the group of feudatory chiefs of all the forest countries;
and whose territory was in the neighbourhood of that of Surapala, ruler of Kujabati, which
is about 14 miles north of Naya Dumka in the Santhal Parganas and Rudra- Sikhara ruler of
Tailakampa (Telkupi, in the Manbhum district). All these show that Lakshmi- sura headed all
the Mankia in the forest tract. He was possibly the medieval chief Manki, a custom which
was prevalent in Chota-nagpur division during the advent of the British rule in Bihar. It is
also possible that his territories included Singhbhum.
The medieval remains in Singhbhum are few and far between, due solely to the
lack of proper survey, except that carried on by Mr. J. D. Beglar, during the seasons 1874-
75 and 1875-76. Among the sites, most important for studying the culture of the tract in pre-
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
Islamic times, Benusagar comes first. Benisagar or Benusagar is a small village, on the border
of the Singhbhum and Mayurbhanj districts of Orissa; situated at a distance of 53 miles from
Chaibasa, the district headquarters of Singhbhum. The archaeological remains of the place
consist of low mounds, ruins of bricks and stone temples, phallus and stone images. The
mounds are scattered all over the area, but miscellaneous remains are to be met with at
a particular spot, known as 'Devasthan' on the eastern embankment of a large tank, from
which the modern village has probably derived its name. The available evidence,
therefore, makes it quite clear that-Benusagar was a place of worship for the Saivas,
possibly a place Ashta-Sambhu. In medieval eastern India, a practice had grown up to
establish places of worship, with 8 phallic emblems of Siva-Mahadeva; and several places
shared this feature with Benusagar. These are Bhubaneshwar in Orissa, Kiching in the
Mayurbhanj district, a place only five miles to the south of Benusagar, Khekparta near
Lohardaga in the district of Ranehi. Since, none of the temples have survived, it is difficult
to opine about the style of temple architecture that was prevalent at Benusagar; but, the
examples of such places, as Khiching and that they followed the Nagara style of temple
architecture; or according to the Orissa canon Relclia type of temples. The local tradition
assigns these temples to King Sasanka of Gauda and Karusha.
MUSLIM PERIOD :
There are neither reliable Muslim remains nor records that can establish Mohammadan
conquest of Singhbhum. To the Mohammadan historians the whole of modern Chotanagpur
and the adjoining hill states were known by the name of Jharkhand or forest country. It
appears to have remained independent throughout the Turco-Afghan period (1206-1526
A. D.) in India. Tarikh-i-Firuz-Shahi of Shams-i-Siraj tells us that Sultan Firuz Tughlaq, after his
second campaign against. Bengal (1359-1360 A.D.), marched from Jaunpur against the Rai
of Jajnager (modern Orissa) and after making peace with him returned by some route
through Jliarkhand.
The accession of Akbar to the throne of Delhi in 1556 A.D. is a landmark in the history
of Jharkhand or Jungle country. To the Mughals it was known as Kukrah. It excited the
cupidity of the Mughal Emperors by the reason of the report of the diamonds to be found
in its rivers. The river Subarnarekha, which means streaks of gold, must have been known
to the Mughals. Akbar in 1585 A.D. sent an expedition commanded by Shahabaz Khan
Turbati who reduced the Raja of Chotanagpur to the position of a tributary.It is mentioned
in the Ain-i-Akbari that Chotanagpur or Kukrah was included in the Subah of Bihar. It is said
that the ancestors of the Raja of Porahat were three brothers in the bodiguard of Akbar's
general Man Singh, who took the part of the Bhuiyas against the Hos and ended by
conquering the country for themselves. In 1616 A.D., Ibrahim Khan, the brother of Queen
Nurjahan, and the then Governor of Bihar, under Jahangir invaded Kukrah which had, it
seems regained, independence during the disturbance that followed the death of Akbar
in 1605 A.D., defeated and captured Durjan Sal, the 46th Raja of Chotanagpur.
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
In 1742, the Maratha nemesis overwhelmed Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa and their inroads
became a common feature. The contemporary narratives the Sair-ul-Mutakharin and JRiyazus-
Salatin throw ample light on the history of the period under review. It is stated that
Bhaskar Pandit, the general of the Maratha army, entered Chotanagpur through
Chattisgadh and fell upon the Midnapore district through Mayurbhanj and the Hos are
believed to have migrated from the Chotanagpur plateau and overcome the Bhuiyas,
who then held part of Singhbhum. They found a hilly fastness in the south of the district,
where they successfully maintained their independence, The north of the district came
under the rule of the Singh family of Porahat, who claim to be Rathor Rajputs and whose
head was formerly known as the Raja of Singhbhum. At one time the Singh Rajas also ruled
over the country now included in the States of Seraikela and Khar-sawan. and claimed
suzerainty over the Kolhan, a claim, however, which the Hos denied. According to Colonel
Dalton, old Hos told him that they honoured and respected the Singh chiefs, but regarded
them, till they quarreled, rather as friends and allies than as rulers. Even if they ever were
subjects, they had achieved their liberty in various hard-fought fields. Three formidable
but abortive attempts to subjugate them have been recorded-one made by Dripnath
Sahi, the Raja of Chotanagpur, assisted by the troops of the Raja of Singhbhum; the second
by Raja Jagan-nath Sahi of Chotanagpur, in 1770 ; and a third in 1800 an invasion from the
Mayurbhanj side, headed by a chief called the Mahpatra of Bamanghati.
On the first of these occasions the Hos drove their assailants out of Singhbhum with
immense slaughter. The second invasion was no more successful. Some authorities are of
opinion that the Hos owing to their military prowess maintained their independence in the
wake of Muslim conquest, by whom the whole of their country was included in the vast
unexplored tract, called Jharkhand which stretched from Rohtasgarh to the frontier of
Orissa.
BRITISH PERIOD
British relations with Singhbhum date from 1765, when a punitive British force marched
against the then Raja of Dhalbhum, or as he was called in the early records of Midnapore,
the Raja of Ghatsila. The district of Midnapore had been ceded to the British, in 1760, and
soon they succeeded in obtaining the submission of the zamindars to the west of
Midnapore, of Chatna, Supur and Ambikanagar in Bankura and of Barabhum in Manbhum.
The zamindar of Dhal-bhum, however, held out. On the 22nd March, 1767, British reached
Ghatsila and later succeeded in capturing the Raja, who was sent down a prisoner to
Midnapore; and his nephew, Jagannath Dhal, was installed in his stead on promising to
pay yearly revenue.
But Singhbhum was far from subdued and in 1768, there was fresh trouble. The Raja
fell into arrears, constantly evaded compliance. Apart from political settlement in 1800
with the British Government, the extension of Permanent Settlement to Dhalbhum was
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
done. At that time it formed part of Midnapore but in 1833 it was transferred to Manbhum
and in 1846 to Singhbhum.
The whole of the country of Singhbhum was nominally subject to a Raja who resided,
at Porahat. The Kuer of Seraikela and the Thakurai of Kharsawan had for years, preceding
1818, became quite independent of him, and had succeeded by force and other means
to get into their possession in addition to which they originally received from the Singhbhum
Raja, extensive tracts of land, which formerly belonged to the estates of Rajas of Tamar,
Patkum, Barabhum and Mayurbhanj.
The first expedition against Dhalbhum brought the British into contact with the Raja of
Porahat, or as he was then called, the Raja of Singhbhum. The Raja at that time (1767) was
Jagannath Singh who seeing the success of the British, thought it a favourable opportunity
to make overtures to them, especially as he was kept in confinement by his cousin. George
Vansittart, the Resident of Midnapore, wrote in December, 1767 to then head of the
Government in Calcutta - "Singhbhum formerly-contained nearly 14,000 villages, but only
500 are at present in the Raja's possession; of the others some are gone to ruin, and the rest
are in the hands of the Kols. Singhbhum was never reduced under the dominions of the
Mughals, but has for 52 generations been an independent district in the possession of the
present family. If you approve of taking the country -under the Company's protection,
four companies of sepoys, I believe, will be quite a sufficient force and it will probably
open an easy intercourse with Sambalpur."
In 1803, war was declared against the Marathas and the Governor-General, Lord
Wellesley, invited the Kuer of Seraikela to render assistance against them, assuring him
that the British Government would respect his right to hold his territory free of revenue. No
attempt appears, however, to have been made to enter into closer relations with the
chiefs of Singhbhum, and the interior remained a closed land. The Hos would allow nostrangers
to settle in, or even to pass through, the Kolhan. By 1820 the lord of Seraikela and
Thakurai of Kharsawan willingly agreed to place themselves under the protection of the
British Government and Raja Ghansham Singh of Porahat followed suit, agreeing to pay
an annual tribute.
On the 17th February, 1821 under some compelling circumstances, it was deemed
necessary by British to send a considerable force, which entered Singhbhum. The Ho leaders
after a month's hostilities and encouraged by a proclamation, surrendered. They earnestly
prayed at this time to be taken under the direct rule of the British, but unfortunately their
wishes were not complied with, and they were compelled to enter into agreements to
pay tribute to the chiefs.
In 1831 the Hos joined the rebellion (commonly called the Kol rebellion) of the Mundas
of Chotanagpur. There had long been smoldering discontent among the latter, owing to
the way in which their villages were granted away to foreign farmers in suppression of
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
their headmen. The explosion was actually occasioned by the treatment of the Mundas
resident in or to the north of Singhbhum. Harnath Sahi, the brother of the Maharaja of
Chotanagpur, gave farms of some of the villagers in his estate to personal favourites,
Muhammadans, Sikhs and others, in utter disregard of their ancestral occupants. Twelve
villages bordering on Singhbhum which had been held by a manki called Singrai, were
thus given to the Sikhs. A similar complaint was made against the Muhammadan farmers.
The Munda population on the borders of the Ranchi and Singhbhum districts rose en
masse, the Hos of Singhbhum coming to their aid in defense of human rights and forming
the most formidable division of the rebel army. The insurrection quickly spread over
practically the whole of the present district of Ranchi and overflowed into Hazaribagh,
the Tori pargana of Palamau, and the western portion of Manbhum. To put down the
rebellion, military operations on an extensive, scale were found necessary. The Kol revolt
was indeed a national movement of the aboriginals. It is to be regarded as a freedom
struggle by the jungle folks. It was a widespread revolt of different sections of aboriginal
people in Singhbhum, Chotanagpur and the adjoining territories as a protest against the
inequities, inefficiency and maladministration by the British.
THE KOLHAN :
Sir Thomas Wilkinson,remembering the assistance rendered by the Hos in the rebellion of
1832 and their defiance of Government, represented the necessity of thoroughly
subjugating them, and the futility of forcing them to submit to the chiefs of Porahat. He
therefore proposed that the Kolhan should be occupied by an adequate force, and that
when the Hos were thoroughly subdued, they should be placed under the direct
management of a British Officer to be stationed at Chaibasa. These views were accepted
by Government, and a force composed of two regiments of native infantry, a brigade of
guns, and. the Ramgarh Battalion, commanded by Col. Richards, entered the Kolhan in
November, 1836. Altogether 620 villages with a population estimated at the time at 90,000
of whom two-thirds were Larka Kols or Hos, were thus brought under the immediate control
of the British Government; and simple rules for their administration of this new acquisition
were drawn up and promulgated.
T. Wilkinson drew a directive to be strictly followed in the newly annexed areas of the
Kolhan. He suggested that Hos should be compelled to pay Malguzari and the collections
should, be made through the mankis and mundas whose appointment should chiefly
depend on the popularity and influence they had. All criminal and civil justice should be
administered by the officer in charge who should be required to make extensive use of
panchayats composed of the mankis and mundas held, in high, estimation among the Hos.
The success of this measure would depend, much on the personal character of the officer
first appointed to the charge. He tried to ban the evil practice of witch-craft and sohhaism
in consequence of which murders were frequent among the Hos. The murders were not
confined to the person supposed to be the witch but all near relations of the supposed
witch killed so that none may remain to retaliate on the parties who committed the murders.
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
Lt. Tickeil was posted as the first British administrator at Chaibasa in 1837. He was a great
naturalist and extremely sympathetic to the Kols. His compilation on birds and social customs
of Singhbhum which was published in the journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1840 is an
authoritative document of I9th century A. D. Among the administrative measures taken by
Lt. Tickeil, special mention could be made of an attempt to open up communication,
establish schools, hats, melas and jail. The rules of Wilkinson emphasized on direct contact
with the Hos and to depend less on the Dobhasis or interpreters and the local chiefs. The
integrity of the mankis and mundas was sought to be maintained and the local administration
was carried on through their help.
The history of the district from 1858 up to 1947 was the history of the other districts of Biharthe
consolidation of the British administration, the administrative changes. The history of
this period is practically the history of the other States as well along with Bihar. As mentioned
above there were significant administrative changes in the matter of jurisdiction which
was vital for the district. Seraikela and Kharsawan were States before and were merged
to the State of Bihar and amalgamated with Singhbhum district.
AGRICULTURE :
Agricultural conditions vary considerably in different parts of the district. The northern and
eastern portions of the district consist chiefly of a strip of country which, where not hilly, is
undulating with an elevation of only 400 to 700 feet. Beyond this the ground rises till it
becomes an elevated plateau, covering some 700 square miles of country, 1,000 feet
above sea level, which extends southwards until it meets the lulls of the Orissa feudatory
estates, now merged in Orissa. The rest of the district, to the west and south-west , is a wild
mountainous tract. The land reclamation work was started in the year 1951-52 and up to
1956-57 an area of 10,854 acres has been reclaimed through loans and otherwise. Out of
such reclaimed lands an area of 1,010 acres has been converted into paddy fields with
the help of subsidy given by the State Government for the reclamation of waste land
having laterite soil.
For practical purposes, the country may be divided into three tracts, first comparatively
level plains, then hills alternating with open valley and lastly, the steep forest-clad mountains.
In the past, cultivation was nomadic, the clearances being abandoned after a single
crop had been harvested from the virgin soil, but this has been discouraged and extensive
areas have been formed into forest reserves. The plains are embanked for rice cultivation;
in the intermediate tract the valleys are carefully leveled where rice is grown while the
uplands are roughly cultivated with millets, oil-seeds and occasionally with paddy. The
people have changed their nomadic habits and have taken up cultivation on a more
permanent basis. There has been a remarkable change in the outlook of the people and
now there is an appreciation of the more modern methods of agriculture and need for
irrigation.
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
The main agricultural seasons are rabi, aghani and Jcharif. Bcibi operations commence in
the latter part of October and ter minate by the middle of March. Kharif season commences
in the latter part of May and terminates by the end of September; the aghani season
begins simultaneously with the kharif crop and terminates by end of February. During rabi
season wheat and gram are grown and harvested. During kharif season paddy, maize
and pulses are grown and harvested. During aghani only winter rice is harvested.
Types of Land :
There are three kinds of lands namely, gora, bad and bera. Bera lands are those,
which are at the bottom of the valley and in depressions, which receive the washings of
the slope and are naturally irrigated. They are richest of all the lands, yielding good crops
of winter rice followed occasionally by linseed, khesari and other pulses. The lands just
higher up the slopes are called Bad Lands and grow early rice, cereals, pulses and
miscellaneous crops. The uplands, which are composed of light soil, are known as gora
lands, which are situated close to villages. Owing to their proximity to the village they are
well manured and cultivated to give two crops annually while those situated at a distance
from the village is more or less meant for pasture. Crops as surguja, mung and urid are
grown on these gora lands. There is a further practical distinction that the bera and Bad
Lands are embanked, and the gora lands are not embanked.
Embanked rice land is called don and is classified according to its character and
quality into bera or garha, nali or adhgarha, and badi. Bera or lands of the first quality are
embanked lands, which being in the bed of the stream are copiously irrigated, and contain
water practically all the year round. Nali are lands on the slopes of watercourses, which
receive a certain amount of irrigation and are intermediate in yield between bera and
badi. Badi is practically embanked upland growing a precarious crop dependent on the
rainfall. Each embanked field or khet usually consists of several plots called kearis or aria,
and the embankment round each plot is called ar, ail or ari. Gora, is upland soil, and usually
represents an intermediate stage between jungle and don.
Due to the hilly condition of the country side the level varies from 1,500 to 500 feet
above the sea level. The rapid flow of the water is responsible for soil erosion. The
'denudation of the forests has made the problem of soil erosion more acute. The soil, which
is prepared each year, is liable to be washed away. On the sloping land the cultivators
raise upland crops once in a year or once in two years and allow the soil to build up itself
during the recess as t.he frequently ploughed land is more liable to erosion. Both Jtinds of
erosions, namely, gully erosion and sheet erosion are common. Contour bunding is essential
to stop sheet erosion of the soil. High-level bunds along with contour bunding may stop
gully erosion. Individual cultivators make bunds and ahars for their own lands and try to
prevent erosion. The principal crops are Paddy, Wheat, Gram, Maize, Masoor, Arhar,
Khesari, Peas etc. which are described below.
Paddy
Both early and aghani paddy are the principle crop of the division. Aghini paddy is
sown in bera lands by both broadcasting and transplanting. Early paddy is sown in Bad
Lands.The character of paddy cultivation is determined by the physical features of the
37
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
division. The character is entirely different to the character in the plains of North Bihar and
South Bihar. The countryside is undulating and broken by alternate ridges and depressions,
which for the most part form the channels of small streams. In most areas, the land has to
be made available for paddy cultivation by opening out and terracing the depressions
and utilising the springs at their sites. For this dams are often constructed at the heads of
the sites. With this support paddy is grown at the bottom or on the site of the shallow
saucer-shaped hollows. In the latter case a certain amount of leveling has to be done
and plots are cut out of the site of the ridges or slopes. The fields thus rise one above the
other in a. series of long low steps, but each step is gene-rally broad and the ridge is very
gradual. Small embankments are made to hold water round each plot and the water is
retained until the crop ripens.
The poorer quality of paddy is grown on the uplands at the top of ridges and on the
land, which is not leveled or embanked at all and depends on the moisture of the rainfall
alone. There are three crops of paddy. Early paddy is sown broadcast in Bad Lands after
the first fall of rain in June and reaped in August and September. The bhadai and autumn
paddy is sown in June in Bad Lands and is reaped towards the end of October and
November. This crop is either sown broadcast or transplanted. Winter paddy crop is sown
in nursery early in July, and is transplanted in bera lands in the latter part of July and early
August and reaped in December. There is also a small crop of early paddy called tewan,
which is mainly grown in the mountainous region. It is planted in embanked terraces in
March and cut in July and August.
Rabi
Very little of rabi crops are grown. Gram and wheat have been introduced in the
last few decades. They are grown in the same fields after the harvest of paddy crops. With
the construction of minor irrigation works, bundhs and tanks the area under rabi could
have been rapidly increased but due to the acute problem of stray cattle very few people
venture to sow rabi seeds. Unfortunately people of this division let loose their cattle just
after paddy is reaped with the result that no second crop is grown. Mung and urid grow
on gora lands and their yield is not bad especially on the lands near the villages. The other
rabi crops are jo,war, gondli, khesari as catch crop and common peas.
Maize
Maize is grown in small patches near homesteads and its yield is quite satisfactory.
The cultivation of maize could have been easily taken up in larger areas, but the people in
this division have not yet taken to maize.
Oil-seeds
The principal oil-seeds are surguja, rape, mustard, til and linseed. They are grown on
uplands. Mustard is mostly mixed up with surguja for extraction of oil. Oil is also extracted
from the seeds of kusum and the fruits of mahua. These are edible oils. Oils extracted from
karanj and neem seeds are used for anointing the body and are said to have medicinal
value. The Hos also sometimes use mahua oil in cooking.
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
Vegetable
Cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, radish, carrot, beet are some of the new vegetables
that are being grown now. Ten years back these vegetables were practically unknown.
But now started to grows all kinds of seasonal vegetables, namely, bottle gourd, lady's
finger, tomato, cauliflower, etc. They have a ready market at Chaibasa and other small
mining settlements.
METHODS OF CULTIVATION
Methods of cultivation employed are rather backward. To quote from Mr. Taylor's
interesting description in the Porahat Settlement Report: -"The Kol is a very poor cultivator
compared with the ryats of Orissa and other parts of Bengal. The fact is that he has never
entirely outgrown the state of his prehistoric ancestors. He is a hunter who has been forced
to agriculture by the contraction of the forest areas and a consequent decrease of game.
The Kol's ideal cultivation is jhuming, pure and simple, and as he is probably inferior to none
.in the clearing of forest and the felling of trees, he stands pre-eminent as a pioneer, but
there his value as a cultivator ceases. He will put in some labour in the damming of nullah
beds and the construction of embankments, but once the field is roughly made, he is
careless of keeping it in repair. He will prefer to spend his leisure moments in cockfighting,
hunting and dissipation to the leveling of his cultivation field."
The physical capacity of the cattle is very poor. The ploughs employed are of very
small size, and the result is that only 5 inches of soil is turned over. Mechanized cultivation
needs more finance and consolidated blocks of land. The physical contour of the division
also makes mechanized cultivation rather expensive. As regards mechanised irrigation,
rahats and lift engine pumps are slowly finding their way. Lift engine pumps have proved
quite popular with the people and more than one hundred of them are now in use.
Rotation of crops and crop combination are prevalent. In uplands due to deficiency
of soil, two years are taken to prepare the land when the land is left fallow but in the third
year cereals are grown. In lowlands paddy is the single crop, and except that some paira
crops like khesari, kalai and gram are grown each year. In bari lands and vegetable
gardens, in the first year winter vegetables and maize are grown while in the second year
vegetables common in the rainy season and peas are grown.
SEED SUPPLY
The cultivators usually keep by a stock of seeds sufficient to meet their requirement.
The methods of storing seeds are indigenous and cannot be said to guarantee proper
germination always. If the harvest is not sufficient there cannot be any storing of seeds.
The Agriculture department through seed Banks and Co-operative Societies have started
grain galas for the supply of seeds to the cultivators. Improved seeds, mostly of maize,
paddy, Arahar, wheat, gram, vegetables and papaya on the average are sold per year.
Through demonstration units of the Agriculture Department the cultivators are shown the
utility of improved seeds in comparison to the output of the adjacent blocks where local
and inferior types of seeds are used.
39
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
Agricultural Operations
Ploughing: -
Generally two ploughings are done -one for the kharif season crops and the other
for the rabi season crops. In some cases hot weather ploughings are also done to grow
hot weather crops, namely, some vegetables like brinjal, gourd, spinach, etc. The
ploughings for the kharif crops begin just after the break of monsoon, i. e., in the latter part
of May or in early June. Ploughings for rabi crops begin in the second fortnight of September
and last up to November. Hot weather ploughings are usually done from the second part
of January up to February in the areas where good irrigational facilities are available. The
depth of the furrow is usually near about 5 inches and the furrow width varies from 4
inches to 6 inches. Deep ploughing is not possible partly due to hard soil and partly because
of the ill-fed and short stature bullocks. The deshi ploughs are not efficient at power
manipulation of the soil. Recently some improved ploughs, as already mentioned earlier,
have been introduced which are responsible for the sufficient inversion and stirring of the
soil.
Puddling: -
Puddling is not carried' on a large scale as transplanted cultivation is doneon a limited scale.
Sowing: -
Mainly there are two sowing times, viz., kharif and rabi. For the kharif, sowingbegins from June lasting up to the middle of July. Sowing of rabi crops begins from November
lasting up to middle of December.
Water draining: - Generally crops in the kharif season require draining off the. Water when
there is abundance of rainfall and subsequent water stagnation in the plots.
Harvesting and threshing: -
After sowing harvesting and threshing are important agricultural operations in addition to
the minor agricultural operations like water-draining, weeding, etc., which precede
harvesting. Sickle made by the village blacksmith is the instrument with which harvesting is
done. Modern harvesting machines are used by only a few gentlemen who have
organized their farms on the modern lines. Harvesting is followed by threshing. It is done
with the help of cattle. The gathered crop is spread on the threshing floor and a batch of
four to five cattle is tied to a pole, around which crop has been spread and they are
made to go round the pole till the grain is separated from the straw.
Storing: -
Storing is carried out still on primitive methods. Generally the seeds are put in gunny bags
and stocked one above another. In some cases, seeds are stored in special earthen or
iron structures made like bins. In some places seeds are stored in straw, which is locally
called pura. Insecticides are seldom used in storing seeds.
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
Crop Destruction, Pests and Diseases:
The common crop diseases prevalent are ganahi bug, kharika and dadhina in paddy.
Rust in wheat, stem borer and caterpillar in vegetables, and wilt in maize and red-rot in
sugarcane. Rat nuisance is prevalent. Wild animals, such as elephants, boars are responsible
for a considerable amount of loss of crop. As usual with the other places the nuisance of
stray cattle is common. Cattle are accustomed to be let loose in the forest areas for grazing.
Now they are not only allowed to graze in the forest areas but also with the result of
accustomed wandering they graze on cultivated plots as well.
The markets are both of primary and secondary types but the former predominates
the latter. Various weekly hats are held where the commodities of necessities of life are
sold invariably at a cheaper rate than in the regular market price. Chaibasa, Musabani,
Gua, Noamundi are the important markets of the area where all types of commodities are
sold.
LIVESTOCK:
Buffaloes, oxen and cows are employed for agriculture, but the cattle are on the
whole poor, the Hos taking no interest in improving the breed. Pasturage is generally ample,
for there are wide stretches of jungle and hilly country, and there is usually enough rain at
intervals throughout the year to keep the grass and other vegetation fairly green. In
addition to the grass in the jungles and on the wastelands, cattle get pasturage in the rice
fields, where few second crops are grown.
Bullocks and he-buffaloes are mainly domesticated for the heavier agricultural work
on the farm, and cows and she-buffaloes are mainly kept for purpose of breeding and
milk products. It is peculiar that the Hos, who constitute the majority of Adivasi population,
are allergic to milk and its various preparations. Bullocks are the common animals in use in
the agricultural operation and their high number indicates their relative importance in
agricultural farm work and rural transportation. The he-buffaloes are also employed for
agricultural operations. The local cattle are mostly seen in the rural areas and they are
short in stature. The bullocks are costlier than the he-buffaloes. In the towns the cows and
she-buffaloes are kept mainly for milk production. This poor milk yield is partly because of
the fact that the Hos who form the majority of the population do not milch the cattle and
partly owing to the poor breed of the cattle itself. The cattle also provide fertile farmyard
manure.
In addition to cattle, sheep and goats are kept on a large scale. These animals are
valuable assets as they produce wool, and skins and in the case of goats, also milk. Hides
are exported from the division to other parts of the country. There is a good trade in meat
within the division. Sheep are also sent out from this division.
Poultry is an important cottage industry in rural areas; especially among the aboriginals,
and eggs, fowls and ducks are regarded as valuable kinds of food. A poultry farm exists at
Chaibasa.
41
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
CHAIBASA SOUTH FOREST DIVISION:
Introduction:
The Chaibasa Forest Division was created in 1906 as a Separate Division Covering an
area of 564, 617 Sq Km. (218 Sq miles) The forest of the Saraikella and Kharsawar estates
were added this Division during 1958-59. Again in 1964, that Forest Division was again split
up into Chaibasa South and Chaibasa North Division Vide Govt. Notification No. - C/F-1 (A)
14/64- 3757 dated 30.10.1964. The original Chaibasa Forest Division became the new,
Chaibasa South Forest Division, Consisting of 156 old PF's and One RF. Block of the Kolhan
estate.
The forests of Chaibasa South Forest Division falls within the civil Jurisdiction of the
Sadar Chaibasa sub-Division, which is the part of the demarcated protected forests of the
kolhan Govt. estate. The Forests comprise 156 solaced PF's block varying in sizes from 2.832
(7Ac.) to 8712.464 Ha. (24,000Ac.) and one reserved forest block. The Division Comprises
53730.608 Ha. of P.F's and 31.367 Ha. of Reserved forest . The total area of the Division is
564.614 Sq. Km. (218 Sq miles). These are bounded by Saraikella and Chaibasa Goilkera
road in the North, Mayurbhaj district of orissa and Saraikella Sub- Division in the East,
Mayurbhaj and Keojhar district or Orissa in the South and the Kolhan and Saranda Forest
Division in the west. This Division lie between 210 57' 30" to 220 32' North Latitudes and 850
20' to 860 02' 30" East Longitudes. Except few forest blocks all are isolated from small hillocks
in the midst of cultivation and Villages. Ten blocks covers the jurisdiction of the division in
which Population in chaibasa is highest followed by Noamundi, Jagannathpur, Jhinkpani,
Kumardungi, Khuntpani, Manjhgaon, Manjhari, Tonto and Tantnagar.
Range wise area distribution :
Range
Chaibasa Novamundi Hatgamharia
15990.70 17238.50 51250.60
(848- mines)
The area of Chaibasa Range is highest followed by Hatgamharia and Novamundi
Range. The coppice selection working circle covers almost 60% of the total forest area
next to plantation working circle almost 20% of the forest area. The division has also nominal
42
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
area under Tasar plantation, salai and under mining also. The forest comprises mostly small
hills with varying altitudes, rising from 121.60M (400 ft) to 608 M (2000 ft) form M.S.L. The
general slope of the country is gentle.
SOIL
The Soil of the division is formed from Dharwar rocks, which come under latosol group
of soil. It may be further classified as follows on the basis of colour and fertility: -
(a)
Rocky soil : - Approximately 20 percent of the area comes under this. It is not actuallyunder cultivation. This type of soil is found throughout the division, wherever we come
down the hills and hillocks and mostly in the southern, western and northwestern
portions of the division.
(b)
Red soil : - After rocky soil comes red soil, which is spread throughout the division. Itcovers nearly 35 percent of the soil area. The texture of the soil is sandy and loamy in
upland and midland respectively. Its fertility is poor and it is acedic. Only kharif crops
and vegetables could grow. In lowlands or where irrigational facilities are available
paddy is also grown. The average Yield of paddy in uplands is 2 to 3 maunds, in midlands
5 to 6 maunds and in lowlands 6 to 8 maunds per acre.
(c)
Yellowish grey and grey soil : - Soil in the uplands is yellowish grey in colour while inthe lowlands it is only grey Soil in the uplands is less fertile than in the lowlands but on
the whole this kind of soil is more fertile than red soil. However, this type of soil is
deficient in organic matter as well as in other major soil nutrients. At places alkaline
patches are also found, locally known as khirni mitti. They do not allow crops to grow.
The average yield of paddy in uplands of this type of soil is 5 to 6 maunds, in midlands
8 to 10 maunds and in lowlands 12 to 15 maunds per acre.
(d)
Black soil : - This type of soil is rich in organic matter. Its colour is black, probably dueto the deposit of organic matter coming with rainwater from forest. The texture of the
soil is loamy and clayey. It is very fertile and is found only in patches in several villages.
Mostly paddy is grown on this soil, but where irrigational facilities are available wheat
and gram are also grown. The average yield of paddy is 20 maunds per acre.
As the lands of the division is not plain and are in terraces, fertility in each type of soil
varies from plot to plot.
WATER SUPPLY:
The principal rivers that drain the forest are perennial, but the flow becomes very
meagre during the hot months. Wells for drinking water are not found everywhere, though
efforts to have wells in every village are being made as Govt initiatives.
43
INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
GRAZING:
There is no restriction on grazing even in the newly coppiced areas and thereby causing
considerable damage to the forest crop Grazing is one of the factors responsible for the
creation of rooted wastes.
MAN :
Man has become the greatest enemy of these valuable forests as they have lost the fear
of the rules and regulations. The concession to the villagers to take unrestricted dry firewood
on ad load is one of the main causes for the creation of the rooted wastes.
These villagers are not allowing the coppice growth to develop into poles as they are
cutting them down for their need and also for the sale in the local HATIA. There is very little
respect for the forest by these villagers. If something positive is not done to check and
control this then in course of time the forests in and around the villages is bound to vanist.
Illicit felling and illicit removal of forest produce under the banner of Jharkhand Agitation
I now days become burning problems for the forest Department.
NATURAL CALAMITIES :
This division has been immune from any natural calamity like flood and famine. Some time
storms do some damage to the forest crop but the record of incidence is not available.
HEALTH :
This portion, is somewhat open and dry, hence it is less malarious. The most dreaded black
water fever has now become a thing of the past due to improvement of health by Govt.
Anti malaria Scheme of the Govt. has done Considerable good work in this part.
STATE OF BOUNDARIES :
There are both artificial and natural boundary lines in this division, which is about 3605 Km.
Major Portions of the boundary lines, are artificial. The State of boundary lines is fairy
satisfactory. The Width of the boundary lines maintained is 20 feet on the exterior edge of
the forest with stone or earth pillars of regular intervals.
RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS :
It permits the villagers to take whatever forest produce they require for their own
bonafide use but not for Sale, gift or exchange.
The following rights are in practice since the creation of the division.
i) Any bonafide recorded tennants of any land or building in the Kolhan Govt. estate
who resides in a village which is actually contiguous to a protected forest may within
the limits of such forest and without payment: -
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FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
a) Cut and remove to his own home for his own domestic use but not for any kind of
transfer.
(i) Any green tree other than, Mahua, Kahua and Herra of a species declared to
be reserved by notification no 3589 dated, 17.7.1894, the girth of which at R.H is
not less then 2 1/2 feet it such tree is required for his own private use.
(ii) Any other green trees or timbers.
(iii) Any dry trees or timber.
(iv) Any other forest produce.
b)
PASTURE:(i) Not more than six sheep or goats.
(ii) Not more than four cattle.
(iii) Any buffalos or Cattle which are bonafide his own domestic and agricultural
purposes.
c) Any person may lop branches of Aasan, Kusum and Palas or any where trees or shrubs
or bushes of an unreserved spp for the feeding of Cater- Pillars or for the collection
of Cocoons or the Collections or better propagation of LAC.
These rights are regulated according to the provision of the working plan. In addition,
Govt. forms time to time have allowed the following privileges to the villages
irrespective of their rights in the forests.
1) To collect any quantity of dry fire wood, on head load on bahangi load free of charges
vide Revenue Deptt, Govt. of Bihar Cattle No-C/F- 5075/54-67 R.T. dated the 8.5.1954
This concession is misused very badly by the villagers, at the cost of the forest
preservation. They are permitted to carry axe hence they cut green Saplings and
allow them to dry in the forest to evade the rules. This is creating large-scale rooted
waste in and around the villages, as the crop over such areas is not getting a chance
to establish.
2) Rights to graze Cattle in the forests irrespective of rights. This is also is a Cause for
deterioration of the forests specially the newly Coppiced area.
3) Rights to collect edible fruits and flowers including Mahua for his own domestic use.
But these Concessions are misused and villagers have turned into professional traders
in forest produce. They are selling both firewood and minor forest produce in the
HATS although rights do not permit them to sell the forest produce.
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INTRODUCTION VOL. - I
COMPOSITION AND CONDITIONS OF THE FORESTS :
The forest of this division conforms broadly to Champion type 58/C 1c Dry Peninsular
Sal forest. But these are small patches of moist peninsular valley Sal type C 20(iii). The principal
Spp is Sal (SHOREA- ROBUSTA) and at place sits preponderance is so much that other Spp
do not count. But the distribution of Sal is limited by availability of Soil moisture, aspects as
well as the configuration of the ground. The quality varies from II to V but mostly IV and V.
The predominant quality is Coppice 'B'. The common associates of Sal are Aasan, Dhaura,
Kend, Bija, Karam. Mahua Sidha, Jamun etc. In addition the Spp also found in misc. patches
are of Aam, Arjun, Bhelwa, Galgal, Thingan Karla, Salai etc. The under storey consists of the
following Spp Tili, Dhadki, Ber, Harsingar, Singhuri, Koraiva, etc.
The common climbers are Millatia anriculata (hehel), Acacia Pinnata, Smilx marophylla,
Ficus Scandens, Butea Parriflora etc. The common grasses are Imperate cylidrica (Syn
arundinacca) Cheru. Heteropogan Contortus, Aoludo mutica. etc.
For the purpose of general description, the forests of this division can be divided into
three main types according to locality.
1) The Western Region.
2) The South - Eastern Region.
3) The Central and North- Eastern Region.
THE WESTERN REGION:
The forests of western half of this division being remote from habitation and situated on
better soil derived form haematite quartzite deterital formation and ferruginous loan are
definitely better than the rest of the region. The example are forests of the following area-
Noamundi, Tamda, Raika, Kantoria, Dudhlilla, Bomlasai, Tonto etc.
The full stocking in this area in due to sparse population. Sal usually forms the principal
species with common associates as Aasan, Bija, Karam, Dhaura, Kend, Jamun etc. In moist
Valleys, pure miscellaneous forest patches occur with common Spp like Am (Mangifer
Indica), Termination Arjuna (Arjuna), Semal, Jamun, Chatwan (Alstonia scholaria) etc. The
hilltops are dry and support miscellaneous Species of poor growth. The undergrowth varies
from place to place and depends upon the moisture content of the locality & upon grazing
and fire. Regeneration of the principal and miscellaneous species is fairly good.
SOUTH EASTERN REGION:
The quality of the forest deteriorates in the eastern region. The Crop is open and
inferior in quality, although Sal is the principal species. The Soil in this region derived as it is
from the parent rocks of granite and gneiss is infertile and hence the crop is of poor quality.
46
FOREST RESOURCES SURVEY , CHAIBASA SOUTH – 2006
The area is densely populated, and the pressure on the forests is very great which
has resulted in the denudation on mature and big size tree. Examples of such forest are
Demodarsai, Ratanasai, Goraband, Dhobadhalia, etc. The quality of Sal is generally Q IV.
Its common asssociates are Pterocarpus marsupium (Bija), Terminalia tomentosa (Aasan),
Anogeissus latifolia (Dhaura), Madhuca indica (Mahua), Lageratroemia parviflora (Sidha)
etc.
The undergrowth is negligible due to excessive grazing and fire. At places pure dry
miscellaneous crop occur in small patches with principal species like Anogeissus latifolia,
Gleistanthus collinus (Karla) etc. In this type Salai is the most important and valuable species.
THE CENTRAL AND NORTH EASTERN REGION:
In this region the crop consists of very open Sal pure dry type of miscellaneous forests.
These forests are in isolated block surrounded by numerous heavily populated villages
and therefore subjected to heavy illicit felling. The examples are the forest of Jaintgarh,
Daubera, Maluka, Debrasai, Kendposi, Dhansari, Silpungi, Gitilpi etc. Common associates
or Sal are Terminalia tomentosa, (Aasan), Anogeissues latifolia (Dhaura), Diospyros
malapoxylon (Kend), Madhuca indica (Mahua) Lagerstroemia parriflora (Sidha) etc. In some
patches pure dry miscellaneous forest also occur such as in Talaburu, Bidri, Joranokhar
etc. The common species are Dhaura, Amla, Galgal and Char Jhinga Kend etc. There are
numerous rocky blanks with scanty or no vegetation.
FIRE:
Fire is the real enemy of these forests; things have deteriorated due to increase in
population and opening of numerous mining leases. The forest of this Division is susceptible
to fire being surrounded by numerous heavily populated villages.
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