Khandwa - A District of Madhya Pradesh

Background

Prior to the States reorganization, i.e., on 1st November 1956, the District was officially known as Nimar District and formed part of Mahakoshal region of the erst-while Madhya Pradesh. The western part of old Prant Nimar originally held by the Holkar, became a part of Madhya Bharat, when that state was formed in the year 1948. As on the reorganization of States, Madhya Bharat region was merged in Madhya Pradesh, the western part of old Prant Nimar eventually became a part if Madhya Pradesh. This tract with its headquarters at Khargone, also happened to retain its old name of Nimar, and being to the west of the District of former Nimar of Mahakoshal region, was named as Nimar(West) or West Nimar, while the District was officially renamed as Nimar(East) or East Nimar from 1^st November, 1956. On august,15, 2003 the District has been divided into Khandwa & Burhanpur district.

Location and Boundaries

Khandwa District is situated South West of the state of Madhya Pradesh The District is in Indore Division of Madhya Pradesh. maximum and minimum height above mean sea level is 905.56 m and 180.00 m respectively. The District is bounded on the east by the Betul and Hoshangabad District of Hoshangabad division, and Burhanpur District of Indore Division on south, on the west by West Nimar District of Indore division,and on the north by Dewas District of the Indore Division.

Administrative division
The District for the purpose of general and revenue administration has been divided into three sub-divisions viz., Khandwa,Pandhana,Harsud. and three tehsils, viz., Khandwa, Pandhana and Harsud. The tehsils have been further sub-divided into revenue inspector's circles and and patwari circles for revenue administration.

The Sub-divisional & Tehsil HQ of Harsud Sub-Divisio and Tehsil has been shifted to New-Harsud (Chhanera) Due to displacement under Indira Sagar Project.

Natural Divisions

The District lies, for the most part, on the uplands between and valleys of the two major rivers, the Narmada and Tapti are flowing parallel to each other from east to west through the District. The Hatti hill range border and overlooks the Tapti valley in the south throughout its length in the District. The major natural division of the District correspond to the two distinct physiographic division, viz.,

The Narmada Valley

The main Satpura ranges

The general height of the contour in Nimar (East) is about 1,000 Ft. (304.8 meters) above means sea level but the elevations range from 618 Ft. (188.4 metros) in the bed of the Narmada in the extreme north west to 3,010. (917.5 meters) at Pipardol peak of the Hatti range.

1.Narmada Valley
The Narmada flows through the northern part of the District, roughly in an east-west direction. Among the streams joining the Narmada within the District from the north and Khari and Kanar(Lohar). These are the only perennial streams in the tract. The hills in the Chandgarh and Selani tracts rise conspicuously from 220' to 500' (61 to 152 meters) above the adjacent plains. The general height of Selani tracts is about 750' (228 meters) and that of Chandgarh is about 850'(285 meters). The north south chain of hills in Chandgarh and Selani tracts continues across the Narmada in the south. The conspicuous of these is sand stone hill. It occupies the elbow formed at the junction of the Chhota Tawa and the Narmada and which rise about 500'(152.4 meters) above the surrounding country. The southern tributaries of the Narmada flows towards north or north west revealing the general slope of that part of Narmada Valley, which lies within the District. The average height in the eastern part of valley is about 800'(243 meters). The plain country in the extreme west, below Mandhata, lies at a level of about 700'(213.4 meters) above Mean Sea Level. The catchment area of the Chhota Tawa is at about 1,000 (304.8 meters) above Mean Sea Level.

2.Tapti Valley
The Tapti flows in a narrow valley between two parallel ranges of the Satpura in the southern parts of the District. It stretches to about 50 miles from East-north to west-Southwest.

3.Satpura Range The Satpura is the name collectively to a complex system of ranges and high lands about 600 miles long and 100 miles(161 Km.) wide which lie to true south of the Narmada from the western coast of India to the Amarkantak hills in the east. This system includes ranges as far south as the southern maikal range or Saletakeri hills.

Drainage
The drainage of the District falls under the Narmada and the Tapti river systems. The water-parting line between the two river-systems runs along the crest of the northern rang of the Satpura. The major portion of the District, north of this line, except the low tracts of Chandgarh and Selani, drains towards the north onto the Narmada through the Chhota Tawa and Kaveri rivers and a large number of small streams. The tracts north of the Narmada slope towards the south and the drainage is represented by the rills and rivulets joining the Narmada to the south. The area between the northern and the southern forks of the Satpuras in the District, mostly falling in Burhanpur Tehsil, is drained by a large number of streams descending into a hollow country (syncline) occupied by the Tapti. As the southern boundary of the District lies chiefly along crest of the Hatti range, the southern slopes of the range drain into the left bank tributary of the Tapti river in the East

Khandesh District of the Maharashtra. The two rivers, the Narmada and the Tapti contrary to all other principal rivers of the south Indian Plateau flow towards the west, their courses being in the fault or rift-valley in the hard and compact mass of the Deccan Plateau. The drainage of the major rivers in the District therefore, is typical to the rift valley drainage. The narrow and straight alluvial valley, the closely bordering ranges, the deep river beds and numerous small tributary rills joining the major rivers more or less at right angles are all characteristics of the Narmada and the Tapti rivers systems after these rivers have entered the rift- valleys.
Springs
At Sukta on the boundary of the Burhanpur and Khandwa tehsils is a small water spring popularly known as Bhimkund. It is situated near the bank of river Sukta. Another spring takes its source in Harsood Tehsil, called the Gomukh and located in Gaurbrigiri.

Seismicity
The District lies in a seismic zone where light to moderate earthquakes are possible although it is a part of the stable Peninsular Shield of India known as 'Horst Block' and is outside the main earthquake belt of India, viz., The Himalayan Arc. The epicentre of the famous Satpura Earthquake of 14^th March,1938 was located very close to the west of District (21^{^O} 32' N -75^{^O}50' E) at which occasion the Western part of the District came under M.M.Intensity VII and the Eastern part came under M.M. Intensity VI. Currently Pandhana Tehsil of the District has been the centre of Micro-Earthquake activities followed by surface rumbling sound .Maximum of which occurred between 11^th Dec.1998 to 5^th April 1999. The studies shows that the major earthquake cannot be overlooked in this area.