Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 103
Disability : 30 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Literacy Ratio : 115 (Census 2001)
Sex Ratio Rank : 292
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : A (HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Challenges of the district : Our research with local communities
Lacks good maternal health related services.
Dowry still prevalent in some communities.
Education has become a commercial activity.
Old norms still prevalent due to lack of education.
Pollution, specially river pollution neglected by govt.
Sugar factories contribute more to pollution.
Acute water shortage
Ahmednagar District Information
Brief about Ahmednagar District
THE DISTRICT OF AHMADNAGAR LYING BETWEEN 18o2' and 19o9' north
latitudes and 73o9' and 75o5' east longitudes is situated partly
in the upper Godavari basin and partly in the Bhima basin, the
interfluve in between forming the extensive Ahmadnagar plateau.
The district is very irregular but compact in
shape, somewhat resembling a slanting cross with a length of 200
km. and a breadth of 210 km. It is bounded on the north by Igatpuri,
Sinnar and Yeola talukas of Nasik district; on the north-east
by Vaijapur, Gangapur and Paithan talukas of Aurangabad district
of Marathwada division, on the east by Georai, Bhir and Ashti
talukas of Bhir district; Bhum and Parenda talukas of Osmanabad
district; on the south by the Karmala taluka of Sholapur district;
and on the south-west by Murbad and Shahapur talukas of Thana
district.
It has a total area of 17,035 square km. and
a population of 2,269,117
(in 1971) which constitutes 5.54 per cent and 4.50 per cent of
the State figures, respectively. Barring the district of Chanda
in Vidarbha region, Ahmadnagar is the largest district of the
State in area, occupying a somewhat central position in Maharashtra.
The Ahmadnagar town has been famous since mediaeval
times. It was the capital of the Nizamshahi kingdom of Ahmadnagar
and was found in 1494 by Malik Ahmad. the founder of the Nizamshahi
dynasty of Ahmadnagar. The town was named by him after his own
name, viz., Ahmad. There is also a legend. behind the founding
of the city according to which Ahmad Shah while hunting saw a
fox attacking a hunting dog. Ahmad Shah was impressed by the coincidence
of the event and took it a good omen. He founded the city on that
site and named it after his own name. Ahmadnagar was first formed
as a district in 1818 soon after the overthrow of the Peshwa.
In 1822 the Nizam, by a treaty, ceded 107 villages; at this time,
the boundaries, of the district extended from Vani in Dindori
and subdivision of Nasik district to Karmala at present in Sholapur
district. In 1830, the district included the sub-Collectorate
of Sholapur within it.
The district of Sholapur was formed in 1838 but
was abolished in 1864 when a part of its area was reverted back
to, Ahmadnagar. In 1837-38, the sub-divisions of Sinnar, Chandor,
Dindori, Nasik, Igatpuri and Peint were made in to Nasik sub-Collectorate
under the administration of the Collector of Ahmadnagar. This
sub-Collectorate was, however, abolished in 1856 and the area
was reverted back to Ahmadnagar.
In 1869, two districts Nasik and Sholapur were
formed. In 1891, the district of Ahmadnagar had the following
sub-divisions, viz., Jamkhed, Newasa, Shrigonda, Shevgaon, Sangamner,
Ahmadnagar, Kopargaon, Akola, Karjat, Parner and Rahuri. Pathardi
peta was newly formed in 1930 and the rest of the Jamkhed taluka
was re-named as Jamkhed & nahal. Similarly, The Karjat taluka
was downgraded as peta in the decade 1931-1941. The taluka of
Shrirampur was newly formed in 1945 and the Pathardi and Karjat
petas were upgraded into full-fledged talukas in 1941-1951. 21
enclave villages within the district of Bhir were transferred
in 1950 to this district and at the same time 26 villages of Ahmadnagar
district were transferred to Bhir district and one village to
Aurangabad to re-adjust the boundaries so as to bring about contiguity.
In 1956, the district became a part of bilingual Bombay State
and in 1960 became a part of Maharashtra when the linguistic State
came into existence.
Climate
The climate of the district is characterised by a hot
summer and general dryness during major part of the year except
during south-west monsoon season. The cold season in the district
commences from December and ends in the month of February. The
period from March to the first week of June is the hot season.
It is followed by the south- west monsoon season which lasts till
the end of September., October and November constitute the post-monsoon
or the retreating south-west monsoon season.
Temperature
There is a meteorological observatory in the district
at, Ahmadnagar functioning from 1891. The records of this observatory
may be taken as representative of the meteorological conditions
prevailing over the district. The cold weather starts by about
the middle of November and continues till the end of February.
December is the coldest month of the year with the mean daily
maximum temperature at 28.50 C (83.30 F) and the mean daily minimum
at 11.7' C (53.10F). During the cold season the district is sometimes
affected by cold waves in association with the passage of western
disturbances across north India, causing drop of minimum temperature
to 20 to 30 C (35.60 to 37.40 F). From March to the break of south-west
monsoon the day temperatures increase progressively, the nights
remaining comparatively cool. In the hot season, the sweltering
heat-of the afternoons is sometimes relieved by thunder storms.
May is the hottest month of the year with the mean daily maximum
temperature at 38.90 C (102.00 F) and the mean daily minimum at
22.4' C (72.30 F). On individual days during the hot weather period
temperature occasionally goes up to 430 or 440 C (109.40 or 111.20
F). With the onset of south-west monsoon in the district there
is an appreciable drop in temperature and weather becomes pleasant.
With the withdrawal of the monsoon by about the first week of
October day temperatures increase slightly and a secondary maximum
in day temperatures is recorded in October. However the night
temperatures decrease steadily after the withdrawal of the monsoon.
The highest maximum temperature recorded at Ahmadnagar was 43.70C
(110.7' F) on 9th May 1960 and the lowest minimum 2.20 C (36.00
F) on 7th January 1945.
Land Forms
There are various land forms in Ahmednagar district.
There are hilly off-shoots of the Sahyadris in the western part
of he district. They are called Kalsubai, Adula, Baleshwar and
Harishchandragad hill ranges. Kalsubai, the highest peak in the
Sahyadris, lies in Ahmednagar district. Harishchandragad, Ratangad,
Kulang and Ajuba are some other peaks in the district. We see
the Vita ghat on the way to Randha falls and the Chandanpuri ghat
on the Pune-Sangamner road. In the northern part of the district,
plains are found along the banks of the rivers Godavari and Pravara
and the southern part, along the rivers Bhima,Ghod and Sina.
The different land forms in a region constitute
its physical setup. If we consider the physical setup of Ahmednagar
district we see that there are three physical divisions
1. Western Hilly Region
2. Central Plateau Region
3. The region of northern and southern plains
1. Western Hilly Region : Akole taluka and of
Sangamner taluka are included in this region. The hill ranges
of Adula, Baleshwar and Harishchandragad lie in this region and
various high peaks are found in the same region. Kalsubai of height
of 5427 feet, the highest peak in the Sahyadris, lies in this
Region.
2. Central Plateau Region : Parner and Ahmednagar talukas and
parts of Sangamner, Shrigonde and Karjat talukas are included
in this region.
3. The Region of Northern and Southern plains
: This region includes northern Kopargaon, Rahata, Shrirampur,
Rahuri, Newasa, Shevgaon and Pathardi talukas This is the region
of the Godavari and the pravara river basins. Parts of the southern
talukas of Shrigonda, Karjat, jamkhed are also included in this
physical division. This region covers basins of the Ghod, Bhima
and the Sina rivers.
