Mekhliganj
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mekhliganj
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = City
| image_skyline = SDO Office Mekhliganj UdiptoRoy Udipta 4647.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = SDO Office, Mekhliganj
| pushpin_map = India West Bengal#India3#Asia
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in West Bengal, India
| coordinates = {{coord|26.35|N|88.92|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = West Bengal
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Cooch Behar
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = Municipality
| governing_body = Mekhliganj Municipality
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = {{cite web|title=Mekhliganj City|url=https://www.sudawb.org/wbdma_oldversion/HTM/DIS/MUNI_ULB_Mekliganj.htm|website=sudawb.org|access-date=26 November 2020}}
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 3.88
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 58
| population_total = 9217
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = Bengali{{cite web|title=Fact and Figures|url=https://wb.gov.in/portal/web/guest/facts-and-figures;jsessionid=JzdD9RHb7aMY5esZPtcsIVLy|website=www.wb.gov.in|access-date=12 March 2019}}{{cite web|title=52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India|url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|website=nclm.nic.in|publisher=Ministry of Minority Affairs|access-date=12 March 2019|page=85|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525141614/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017}}
| demographics1_title2 = Additional official
| demographics1_info2 = English
| timezone1 = IST
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| registration_plate =
| blank1_name_sec1 = Lok Sabha constituency
| blank1_info_sec1 = Jalpaiguri
| blank2_name_sec1 = Vidhan Sabha constituency
| blank2_info_sec1 = Mekliganj
| website = {{URL|coochbehar.nic.in}}
| footnotes =
}}
Mekhliganj is a city and a municipality in Cooch Behar district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Mekhliganj subdivision. Earlier it was a Zamindari divided mainly in 3 parts under the Cooch Behar Kingdom. Sikarwar Rajputs, the trading clan along with other local clans started the process of rehabilitation in Mekliganj. It is said that the elephant in the Royal Symbol of Koch Kingdom, was a gift from the Sikarwar Rajputs to the Koch King, Shri Shri Maharaja Shivendra Narayan, in return of fertile land near the Teesta River and 2 Rupees as nazrana. Later the Rajputs established Chattradhari Estate here. After the succession by Shri Shri Maharaja Narendra Narayan named this place to Mekhliganj, a place where 'Mekhla' (born as Simha) also (people from Narmada) people stays.
Geography
{{OSM Location map
| width=450| height=400| zoom=10
| coord={{coord|26|14|0|N|89|2|0|E}}| float=left|caption=Places in the Mathabhanga, Mekhliganj subdivisions and Sitai CD block of Dinhata subdivision in Cooch Behar district
CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, M: Municipal town
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
|mark-coord1={{coord|26|19|48|N|89|13|12|E}}| label-pos1=left|label1= Mathabhanga | numbered1=M| mark-title1= Mathabhanga (M)|label-color1= #800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1= #800000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|26|19|48|N|88|46|12|E}}| label-pos2=right|label2= Haldibari| numbered2=M| mark-title2= Haldibari, India (M)
|mark-coord3={{coord|26|21|0|N|88|55|12|E}}| label-pos3=left|label3= Mekhliganj| numbered3=M| mark-title3= Mekhliganj (M)|shape-color3=black| label-size3=13|label-color3=black
|mark-coord4={{coord|26|24|47|N|88|55|9|E}}| label-pos4=top|label4=Changrabandha|labela4= Check-point| numbered4=CT| mark-title4= Changrabandha (CT)| shape-color4= #A40000
|mark-coord5={{coord|26|25|52|N|89|16|23|E}}| label-pos5=left|label5=Ghoksadanga| numbered5=R| mark-title5= Ghoksadanga (R)| shape-color5= #C42222
|mark-coord6={{coord|26|20|10|N|89|15|13|E}}| label-pos6=top|label6=Matiar Kuthi| numbered6=R| mark-title6= Matiar Kuthi (R)| shape-color6= #C42222
|mark-coord7={{coord|26|18|56|N|89|18|35|E}}| label-pos7=left|label7=Nishiganj| numbered7=R| mark-title7= Nishiganj (R)| shape-color7= #C42222
|mark-coord8={{coord|26|20|45|N|89|9|26|E}}| label-pos8=top|label8=Sikarpur| numbered8=R| mark-title8= Sikarpur, Cooch Behar (R)| shape-color8= #C42222
|mark-coord9={{coord|26|10|23|N|89|10|46|E}}| label-pos9=top|label9=Sitalkuchi| numbered9=R| mark-title9= Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar (R)| shape-color9= #C42222
|mark-coord10={{coord|26|18|11|N|88|59|0|E}}| label-pos10=left|label10=Kuchlibari| numbered10=R| mark-title10= Kuchlibari (R)| shape-color10= #C42222
|mark-coord11={{coord|26|3|5|N|89|19|13|E}}| label-pos11=top|label11=Sitai| numbered11=R| mark-title11= Sitai, Cooch Behar (R)| shape-color11= #C42222
|mark-coord12={{coord|26|24|0|N|88|48|20|E}}|label12= Teesta River| label-color12 = #77A1CB| label-angle12=50| label-pos12=top| label-size12=10| mark-size12=0| mark-title12=none
|mark-coord13={{coord|26|13|30|N|89|16|40|E}}|label13= Jaldhaka River| label-color13 = #77A1CB| label-angle13=65| label-pos13=top| label-size13=10| mark-size13=0| mark-title13=none
|arc-coordA={{coord|26|10|0|N|88|50|0|E}}|arc-textA= BANGLADESH| arc-text-colorA=hard grey| arc-angleA=-10| arc-gapA=4.5| arc-radiusA=0.4}}
=Location=
Mekliganj is at {{Coord|26.35|N|88.92|E|}}. It adjoins the boundary of Teesta River.[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/28/Mekhliganj.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Mekliganj] It has an average elevation of {{convert|58|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Also it is situated very near to Saniajan River
According to the District Census Handbook 2011, Koch Bihar, Mekliganj covered an area of 3.88 km2.{{cite web | url = https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/19/1903_PART_A_DCHB_KOCH%20BIHAR.pdf | title = District Census Handbook Koch Bihar, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A | work= Section II Town Directory, Pages 593-594 : Statement I: Status and Growth History, Page 595| publisher = Directorate of Census Operations V, West Bengal |access-date = 2 August 2020}}
=Area overview=
The map alongside shows the western part of the district. In Mekhliganj subdivision, 9.91% of the population lives in the urban areas and 90.09% in the rural areas. In Mathabhanga subdivision 3.67% of the population, the lowest in the district, lives in the urban areas and 96.35% lives in the rural areas.{{cite web |url = http://wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |title = District Statistical Handbook 2013 Cooch Behar |work = Tables 2.2, 2.4b |publisher = Department of Planning and Statistics, Government of West Bengal |access-date = 5 August 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190121045803/http://www.wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |archive-date = 21 January 2019 |url-status = dead }} The entire district forms the flat alluvial flood plains of mighty rivers.{{cite web | url = https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/19/1903_PART_A_DCHB_KOCH%20BIHAR.pdf| title = District Census Handbook, Koch Bihar, Series 20, Part XIIA| work= Census of India 2011, pages 17-21 Physical feafures| publisher = Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal |access-date = 5 August 2020}}
Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivisions. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full-screen map.
Demographics
As per 2011 Census of India Mekliganj had a total population of 9,217 of which 4,664 (51%) were males and 4,463 (49%) were females. Population in the age range 0–6 years was 1,098. The total number of literate persons in Mekliganj was 6,009 (74.84% of the population over 6 years).{{cite web| url = http://censusindia.gov.in/pca/pcadata/Houselisting-housing-WB.html |title = 2011 Census – Primary Census Abstract Data Tables | work= West Bengal – District-wise |publisher= Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India | access-date = 2 August 2020 }}
{{As of|2001}} India census,{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=16 June 2004|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=1 November 2008|publisher= Census Commission of India}} Mekliganj had a population of 10,833. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Mekliganj has an average literacy rate of 61%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 68%, and female literacy is 53%. In Mekliganj, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Civic administration
=Police station=
Mekhliganj police station has jurisdiction over Mekhligaganj municipal area and a part of Mekhliganj CD block.{{cite web |url = http://wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |title = District Statistical Handbook 2013 Cooch Behar |work = Tables 2.1 |publisher = Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal |access-date = 2 August 2020}}{{cite web | url = http://coochbehar.nic.in/Htmfiles/CoB_Police.html | title = Police Stations under Cooch Behar district| publisher = Cooch Behar Police |access-date = 2 August 2020}}
Education
Founded in 1996, Mekliganj College is an undergraduate college situated at Mekhliganj.
Healthcare
Mekhliganj Subdivional Hospital, with 120 beds, functions at Mekhliganj.{{cite web | url = https://www.wbhealth.gov.in/other_files/Hospitals.pdf | title = Health & Family Welfare Department | work= Health Statistics - Hospitals | publisher = Government of West Bengal |access-date = 2 August 2020 }}
References
{{Reflist|3}}
{{Municipalities of West Bengal}}
{{Cooch Behar District}}