Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 105
Sex Ratio Rank : 319
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C (HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 424 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 390 (Census 2001)
Minority : Yes
Challenges of the district : Our research with local communities
There are many oil industries around Bongaigaon
that emits gases leading to environmental degradation.
Tunia River, a heritage river is completely polluted. We face shortage
of clean drinking water.
Large scale tree felling.
Deforestation and poaching of wild animals are some issues that
needs urgent attention from the government.
Brief About Bongaigaon District
Creation
The decision of the Government of Assam in 1989, to create a new
District of Bongaigaon curving out some areas of the Goalpara
and Kokrajhar District with its headquarter located at Bongaigaon
was quite challenging. It was the political and administrative
exigencies which had necessitated to create this new district
suddenly although the people of Bongaigaon and the adjoining areas
were demanding a new Sub-Division with its headquarter to be located
at Bongaigaon from the very beginning.
This decision to create a new District, Bongaigaon was quite
challenging because the very idea to create such a district was
neither a long standing one nor a tested one. Moreover, the decision
to set up a district headquarter at Bongaigaon was more challenging
as there was no Sub-divisional infrastructure in this town, whereas
the other newly created district head quarters of Assam had Sub-divisional
infrastructures of their own. In the absence of such basic infrustructural
facilities, the initiation of the activity of the district headquarter
was almost started on the street, which was not only challenging
task but also novel one.
On 29th September, 1989, the creation of Bongaigaon District
was declared by the Government of Assam with its headquarter at
Bongaigaon. The major portion of the areas of erstwhile Bijni
and Sidli estates along with tracts of Eastern Duars was curved
out of Goalpara and Kokrajhar District in October, 1989 in order
to create a newest district of Assam, i.e. Bongaigaon. Although
the logistic behind the creation of this new district was no doubt
an administrative one but the political as well as economic exigencies
were also responsible behind its creation.
Background
(a) The original Goalpara district was first created
in 1822 A.D. by David Scott- an employee of East India Company,
who was the first Commissioner of newly created North East Rangpur
district Hd. Qr. at Rangpur town(now in Bangla Desh) and newly
created Goalpara district was also tagged with North-East Rangpur
district for administration. The erstwhile Bijni Kingdom's area
which included the undivided Garo Hills district area also constituted
the original Goalpara district area in 1822. In 1866 Garo Hills
was separated from Goalpara district area and in the same year
a new district named "Greater Koch Behar" was created
and the residual portion of Goalpara district was withdrawn from
Rangpur and tagged with Koch Behar. In 1874 a new province named
Assam Valley Province was created by British Govt.(Successor of
East India Company) and Goalpara district area was withdrawn from
Koch Behar and tagged with Assam Province which continues till
today unless petty political gambling disturbs. Now the original
Goalpara district has given birth of four districts namely
(i) Goalpara (ii) Dhubri (iii) Kokrajhar and (iv) Bongaigaon.
(b) Hitherto referred, Bijni Kingdom was first establishment
by Bijit Narayan alias Chandra Narayan in 1671 comprising the
area of undivided Goalpara district.Chandra Narayan was the son
of Parikshit Narayan who was the grandson of Yuvaraj Sukladhwaj
alias Chilarai, the world hero(1510-1571 AD). He was the younger
brother of Moharaj Naranarayan, the great emperor of Kamrup Rajya
alias Kamata Empire alias Koch Empire of 16th century.The first
capital of Bijni Kingdom was at modern Bijni town from 1671 to
1864 and thereafter shifted to Dumuria(now known as Dalan Bhanga)
due to attack by Jhawlia Mech - a local chief under Bhutan Kingdom.
The big and dreaded earthquake occured at 5 PM, on 12th June/1897
badly damaged the royal palaces of Dumuriya caused the shifting
of the Capital temporarily to Jogighopa and thereafter permanently
shifted to Deohati forest area now known as Abhayapuri named after
Rani Abhayeswari in 1901, which continued upto 1956 when Govt.
of India took over this Kingdom. At present Bongaigaon district
is having three Civil Sub-Divisions, namely (1) Bongaigaon with
Hd. Qr. at Bongaigaon (2) North Salmara with Hd. Qr. at Abhayapuri
town and (3) Bijni with Hd. Qr. at Bijni town.90 % area of Bongaigaon
district belonged to erstwhile Bijni Kingdom and 10% area from
Sidli Kingdom, Raja Bhairabendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur and Raja
Ajit Narayan Dev were the last kings of Bijni and Sidli Kingdoms
respectively. Joy Narayan, Shiv Narayan, Bijoy Narayan, Mukunda
Narayan, Haridev Narayan, Indra Narayan, Amrit Narayan,. Kumud
Narayan and Rani Abhayeswari were the Kings and queen in between
the founder king Chandra Narayan and the last king Bhairabendra
Narayan of Bijni Kingdom.
On naming the district
The name of Bongaigaon town and district is the elongation
of a fig and old village named Bongaigaon alias Bong-ai-gaon situated
on the southern border of the town. According to hearsay
(1) in the long past there were plenty of wild(Bon) Cows (Gai)
in the surrounding hilly and forest areas. So, the villagers assembled
time to time to drive away the wild cows for protecting their
crops. Thus this area was popularly known as Bon-Gai-Gaon.
(2) In that big village areas there dwelt one nature-poet named
'Bong' (Bong Roy) who could induce laughters to all his bye-standers
with his cryptic but harmless oral composition describing the
situation on the spot and in return he could collect grains or
coins voluntarily offered by the audiance.
This was his only source of income and profession. Thus his areas
was roughly identified as the village of Bong(Ray) i.e. Bong-er-Gaon=Bongaigaon
that is in course of time. This Bongaigaon village area was famous
for orange fruits which were sold inter-alia other agricultural
products in the nearest market named Birjhora Bazar located at
the heart of present Bongaigaon town.The word Birjhora was derived
from Bir+Jirowa(Jirowa means resting place) of Bir(hero). It is
held that the noble hero Chilarai took here rest for about two
months during rainy season at the time of his invading the neighbouring
Kingdoms of entire north-east India.
The People
From the chequered historical background of this district,
it can easily be surmised that the entire area was ruled by Kings/Zaminders/Feudal
Lords hailing from the Koch-Rajbonshies belonging to Indo-Mongoloid
ethnic group of peoples right from 15th centuary to the end of
princely states in 1956 A.D. The kings of this area had their
hoary past and can be traced back to the "Kiratees"
of epic age(Mahabharata fame) that is pre-vedic age. These Kiratees
of dimpast are also mentioned in Kalika Puran and Jogingi Tantra
and also in histories written both by native and foreign schoolers.
Naturally Koches alias Koch-Rajbongchies and Kocharies are the
original sons of the soil of this new district. Ravas, Garos,
Yogis,Kalitas, Kayasthas and older Muslims are also indegenous
who settled in this part of land prior to the advent of Britishers
in North East Region.After advent of British Govt. in this part
of land , a new term named Bodo/Boro was coined deliberately by
European historian.According to them the word Bodo/Boro is a generic
term and its species are
(i) Kocharies (ii) Koches (iii) Rabhas (iv) Garos (v) Lalungs
(vi) Hajongs and (vii) Chutiyas
