Overview

South Salmara Mankachar is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarter is located at Hatsingimari village which is situated about 245 km from Guwahati. It was earlier a sub-division of the Dhubri District.

History

South Salmara Mankachar was created by bifurcating the Old Dhubri district in 2016. On 15 August 2015, Assam's Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced 5 new administrative districts in Assam; South Salmara Mankachar was one among those. On 9 February 2016 Commissioner, Lower Assam and Central Assam Division Md. Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, IAS inaugurated South Salmara Mankachar as an administrative district at a function in Hatsingimari with the presence of thousands of people. There are few historical sites in the district. However, the famous ones are the tomb of Mir Jumla and Kamakhya Temple at Mankachar.

Geography

South Salmara Mankachar district occupies an area of 568 square kilometres (219 sq mi). It occupies 980/km 2 (2,500/sq mi) of density and is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located at Hatsingimari town which is situated about 245 km from Guwahati, the state capital. Earlier it was a sub-division of Dhubri District. It shares its borders with Bangladesh in the west and Meghalaya in the southeast. The general topography of the South Salmara Mankachar district is plain with patches of small hillocks like Bansali, Rangatari, etc. All these are situated in the southwestern part of the district. The mighty river Brahmaputra is flowing through this district from east to west with its tributaries, and the majority of the population live on chars in the river. Other rivers are Jinjiram, Kalonadi (also known as Ganol) etc. The average annual rainfall of the district is 2,916 mm (114.8 in).

Culture

The culture of the people in this district is mixed culture. About 95% of the population are Muslims 4% Hindus and 1% Christians. Most of the people speak Goalpariya(Deshee) dialect. This dialect is nowadays regarded as a sub-language of the Assamese Language. But it is a different language having its own vocabulary and grammar. And some people speak the dialect of Mymensingh, Pabna, and Barishal of Bangladesh. The people who speak the Deshi (Goalpariya dialect) are called Ujanee or Deshee people and those who speak the dialects of Mymensingh, Pabna and Barishal of Bangladesh are called Bhatiya. Nowadays the term Bhatiya has been substituted by "Miya ". Though religiously the Dehsis ( Ujanee) and Bhatiyas belong to the same group, there are a lot of differences between these two groups. Deshis are the indigenous people who were converted from time to time from the local indigenous groups like Koch, Rajbongshi, Mech, Jogi, Rabha, Napit, Fisherman, Kalitas etc. The Deshis claim that they are the offspring of Ali Mech. Ghoti and Tribal people, who are very few in number have also contributed to the culture of the district. The men of the district wear pants, pyjamas and kurtas as their traditional garments, while the women wear sarees.

Economy

South Salmara Mankachar District is primarily dependent on agricultural and forest products. The main source of income is paddy (both winter and autumn) with surplus production. Jute and mustard seed occupy the major share of cash crops. Wheat, maize, pulses and sugarcane are also grown moderately. From Forests, mainly timber and bamboo add to the income, though boulders and sand are also available. Fish, milk, meat, and eggs have small contributions to the economy. Currently, three tea gardens, whose contribution to the district economy is almost negligible, cover an area of 1362.33 hectares. Land revenue collection is minimal, whereas tax from check gates and excise duty occupies much of the government exchequer. Devoid of major industrial production, the district uses more funds for administration, development, and welfare works than it provides.

Its rich natural wealth is yet to be explored and some believe that proper utilisation of natural resources could provide a boost for the struggling economy.

Education

There are several renowned schools and colleges in the district. Some of them are:

• Hatsingimari Junior College, Hatsingimari

• Hatsingimari College,Hatsingimari

• Kukurmara Higher Secondary School, Charbari

• Mankachar College

• South Salmara College

• Rani Bhabani Priya Higher Secondary School, South Salmara

There are many private coaching and tuition classes. Students from Meghalaya and other parts of the district come here for their schooling.

How to reach: 

By Road: There is no National Highway in the district. Transportation takes place through state-maintained PWD roads, which are full of potholes. Hatsingimari is in the centre place in the District while one part of Hatsingimari town is attached to the Assam-Meghalaya border. There is no PWD road between South Salmara and Mankachar. The only overland communication from South Salmara to Mankachar is Fulbari–Singimari road through Meghalaya.

By Train: There is no Railway station in the district.

By Air: Nearest airport at Rupshi which is about 72.8 km (45.2 mi) away from the headquarter of Hatsingimari. It was constructed during World War II by the British Govt. mainly for military purposes. Till 1983, Indian Airlines and some private commercial flights operated regularly between Calcutta, Guwahati and Dhubri. Now it is totally closed. However, recently the ministry of DONER, GOI, has taken some initiative to renovate and functionalised the airport.

By Waterway: The town had a very busy river port on the bank of the Brahmaputra, which was used as an international trade centre with the neighbouring countries, especially in the British era. At present, the port is lying idle. However, small ferries transport people to and from Dhubri every day.