Introduction

Dhanbad district was constituted in 1956 by carving out the old Dhanbad subdivision Chas and Chandankiyari police stations of the Sadar subdivision of the erstwhile Manbhum district. Dhanbad is Police district since 1928. The re-organisation of the districts in the State of Bihar which took place after 1971 did not affect the district of Dhanbad. Dhanbad Municipality is the chief town and the headquarters of the district. In the year 1991, Bokaro District was constituted by carving out Chas Sub-division of Dhanbad district and Bermo Subdivision of Giridih District.

It was a small village of the erstwhile district of Manbhum which had its headquarter in Purulia (now in West Bengal). Manbhum in turn, derived its name from Raja Man Singh who was gifted this territory by Emperor Akbar , following his victory in a certain battle. The district being extremely vast and far-flung soon got divided into Birbhum, Manbhum and Singhbhum, for administrative purposes.

However, on 24 October 1956 Dhanbad was declared a District on the Recommendation of the State Reconstitution Commission vide notification 1911. Its geographical length, extending from north to south, was 43 miles and breadth 47 miles, stretching across east to west. In 1991 a part of Dhanbad was sliced away from Bokaro district, diminishing thereby its total area to 2995 sq.km.

Earlier, the district was split into two sub - divisions - Dhanbad Sadar and Baghmara. The former incorporated 6 blocks, while the latter had four and together they enclosed 30 Nagar Palikas, 228 Panchayats and 1654 villages. The then vastness of the district called for two police headquarters, based at Bokaro and Dhanbad respectively. Meanwhile, the district as its stands today, has only one sub-division called the Dhanbad Sadar. There are presently, 8 blocks here viz. Jharia, Baghmara, Dhanbad, Nirsa, Govindpur, Baliapur, Tundi, and Topchanchi. The blocks in turn have 181 panchayats and 1348 villages. As per the 1991 Census, the total population of the districts stands at 19,49,526 of which the number of males have been recorded as 10,71,913 along with 8,77,613 females.

There are 100,850 acres (408.1 km2) of hillocks and 56,454 acres (228.46 km2) of forests. It is about 500-1000 feet above Sea level. Its soil is , by and large lateritic in nature.

LOCATION

The Dhanbad district is situated in the state of Jharkhand and lies between 23°37'3" N and 24°4' N latitude and between 86°6'30" E and 86°50' E longitude.

Natural Divisions

The district can be divided into three broad natural divisions, viz., (I) the north and north western portions consisting of the hilly region, (ii) the uplands containing coal mines and most of the industries and (iii) the remaining uplands and plains lying to the south of the Damodar river consisting of cultivable flat lands. The north and north western division is separated for the entire length by the Grand trunk road.

In the western middle part of the district are the Dhangi hills, situated in the strip falling between the Grand trunk road in the north and the Grand chord line of the Eastern Railway. In the south, these hills extend from Pradhankhanta to Govindpur, reaching a maximum altitude of 1,256 feet at Dhangi. Further north, a branch of the Parasnath hill runs through Topchanchi and Tundi, the highest point of 1,500 feet being reached at Lalki. The southern part of the district is largely undulating land. The general slope is from west to east, the direction followed by the two major rivers, Damodar and Barakar.

Rivers

The Damodar is the most important river of the Chotanagpur plateau. It rises in Palamu and flows eastward between the plateaus of Ranchi and Hazaribag. It is joined by the Bokaro, the Konar and the Barakar rivers. The Damodar enters Dhanbad district at its confluence with the Jamuria, a stream which marks the western boundary of Dhanbad with Hazaribagh District. Further east, the Damodar is joined by the Katri River which rises in the foot hills below Parasnath and traverses through the Coal-field Area. The Damodar flows for about 77 km. through the district being joined by the Barakar at its eastern border near Chirkunda. The Panchet dam extending to roughly 6 km is built on river Damodar. The hydel station there generates 40,000 K.W. per hour (sicsic).

The Barakar, which forms the northern boundary of the district, traverses about 77 km. In the district. It flows in south westerly direction up to Durgapur and then south till it joins the Damodar near Chirkuda. The Maithon dam is located on this river about 13 km off its confluence with the Damodar. Attached to it is the Maithan Power Station with a generating capacity of 60,000 K.W.H.

Among other small rivers in the district are Gobai, the Irji, the Khudia besides the river Katri.