Location

Panchanandapur is located at 24°56′38″N 88°58′39″E / 24.9440°N 88.9776°E / 24.9440; 88.9776 Malda district, West Bengal. It has an average elevation of 17 metres (56 feet). It is on the eastern bank of the river Ganges.As in much of Bengal, the weather is usually extremely humid and tropical. Temperatures can reach as high as 46 °C during the day in May and June and fall as low as 4 °C overnight in December and January.

The Panchanandapur area is vulnerable to floods from the adjoining Ganges.^[2]

Area overview

The area shown in the adjoining map is the physiographic sub-region known as the diara. It "is a relatively well drained flat land formed by the fluvial deposition of newer alluvium." The most note-worthy feature is the Farakka Barrage across the Ganges.^[3] The area is a part of the Malda Sadar subdivision, which is an overwhelmingly rural region, but the area shown in the map has pockets of urbanization with 17 census towns, concentrated mostly in the Kaliachak I CD block.^[4][5] The bank of the Ganges between Bhutni and Panchanandapur (both the places are marked on the map), is the area worst hit by left bank erosion, a major problem in the Malda area.^[6] The ruins of Gauda, capital of several empires, is located in this area.^[7]

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the area. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

River bank erosion

Upstream of the Farakka Barrage, Kaliachak II CD block is one of the areas badly affected, over three decades prior to 1999, by the left bank erosion of the Ganges. The river stretch between Bhutnidiara and Panchanandapur, is the worst hit area. "Even 40 years back (from 1999), Panchanandapur was a flourishing river-port and trading centre. Apart from block headquarter, high school, sugar mill it had a regular weekly market where traders used to come by large boats from Rajmahal, Sahebganj, Dhulian. Today’s Panchanandapur has shifted to Chethrumahajantola after going through the eroding process of 5/6 years." A survey by the Nagarik Committee has estimated the loss of 750 km² in the Kaliachak-Manikchak area, in 30 years prior to 1999.^[8]