Karimganj Subdivision, 1908
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Karimganj Subdivision
Subdivision in the south-east of Sylhet District, Eastern Bengal and Assam, lying between 24 degree 15' and 25 degree N. and 92 degree 2' and 92 degree 36' E., with an area of 1,048 square miles. It contains one town, Karimganj (population, 5,692), the head-quarters ; and 924 villages. The northern portion of the subdivision is a level plain, but to the south it is much broken by hills. The Saraspur and Patharkandi ranges project into the valley from the Lushai-Tippera system ; and a third range of low hills, which intervenes between them, separates the valleys of the Langai and Singla rivers. The lower hills have been largely taken up for tea, but the upper valleys of these two rivers are still, to a great extent, covered with jungle. Attempts have been made to colonize this tract ; but they have only met with a qualified measure of success, as it is very inaccessible, and much of the land is not well adapted for cultivation. At the extreme end of this valley are located the only forest Reserves in the District, which cover an area of 103 square miles. The population of Karimganj in 1891 was 384,638, and by 190 1 had risen to 410,460, an increase of nearly 7 per cent. Like the rest of Sylhet, the subdivision is densely peopled ; and, in spite of the large tracts of waste land in the south, the density in 1901 was 392 persons per square mile, which is but little below the figure for the District as a whole. The rainfall at Karimganj town is as much as 160 inches in the year, but in the Langai valley it is about 50 inches less. The staple food-crop is sail or transplanted winter rice, and the dense groves of areca palms surrounding the villages are a special feature in the landscape. The cultivation of tea is an important indus. try; in 1904 there were 35 gardens with 21,413 acres under plant, which gave employment to 51 Europeans and 24,126 natives. Karlm ganj is almost invariably in charge of a European magistrate, and for administrative purposes is divided into the two thanas of Karlmganj and Jaldhub. The demand on account of land revenue and cesses in 1903—4 was Rs. 2,24,000.
