 |
PLACES
|
 |
DHONDAICHA
Dondaicha is a municipal town of 15,578 inhabitants in Sindkheda taluka, commanding a central position in the district. It has sprung up on a rising ground between the Bhogawati and Amaravati rivers which drain the town. The town is of great commercial
importance. Next only to Dhulis, it is the most important market for groundnut, cotton, lentils, chillis and gul in the district. From here groundnut-oil and cake and cotton are sent to Bombay and Ahmadabad. There are quite a few oil and dal mills and ginning and pressing factories. Dondaicha is well served in respect of transport and communications, there being a railway station, good tar roads connecting it with various district towns of importance, telephone exchange and post and telegraph facilities. The setting up of the Tapi valley railway especially has gone a long way in enhancing its commercial importance.
Municipality.
The municipality here was established in 1952. It has an area of 24.09 km2 (9.3 sq. miles) under its jurisdiction. The president. elected by the councillors from among themselves, looks after the administrative business, aided by the necessary staff.
Finance: In 1963-64 the municipal income derived from various heads like municipal rates and taxes, realizations under special acts, revenue from municipal property and powers apart from taxation, grants and miscellaneous but excluding receipts due to extra-ordinary and debt heads amounted to
Rs. 4,68,342. As against this it incurred an expenditure of Rs. 4,68,268 on various heads such as general administration and collection, public health and convenience, public safety, public instruction, grants and contributions and miscellaneous. The expenditure figure excluded expenditure incurred on account of extra-ordinary and debt-heads.
Municipal Works: Besides the building housing various municipal offices, a mutton market and a slaughter house have been provided. Two causeways, one each across the Bhogavati and the Amaravati have also been laid. Daily and weekly bazars are held in the open near the Bhogavati -river. There is an equestrian bronze statue of Shivaji at the corner of the cottage hospital of the town. To promote cultural activities a hall named as Mangala Karyalaya or a sort of a community hall has recently been built. A place has also been set aside for the laying of a garden.
Health and Sanitation and water supply: A cottage hospital with 30 beds and an attached outpatients dispensary is conducted by the municipality. The hospital building was constructed in 1963-64 at a total cost of 2,82,000. The veterinary dispensary of the town is managed by the Zilla Parishad. Due precautionary measures are taken to check and prevent the outbreak of epidemics effectively. There are only open drains and gutters. However, the municipality has drawn up a scheme estimated to cost seven lakhs of rupees for underground drainage. Presently the town derives water supply from the shallow wells sunk in the river beds. A water-works scheme estimated to cost rupees ten lakhs has already received government's sanction. Dondaicha, thus would soon have tap water supply.
Education: Primary education is compulsory in the town. It is managed by the Zilla Parishad. The annual municipal contribution
towards this end amounts to Rs. 14,000. The town has six primary and four middle schools and two montessories. High schools which number four are privately managed. Of these one is a multipurpose high school. The total annual municipal grants to these institutions amount to Rs. 7,000. Cash prizes are awarded by the municipality to the candidates obtaining maximum number of marks with a view to instilling a sense of competition among students of all the standards.
Other Amenities: For fire-fighting one fully equipped fiiv-fighter is maintained.
A library with a collection of nearly two to three thousand books is maintained by the municipality. Periodicals in five different languages are provided. It receives 23 monthlies and weeklies, and 14 dailies.
Cremation and burial grounds are maintained and used by the communities concerned.
Objects.
Dondaicha has temples dedicated to Gopalkrishna, Sati. Mahadev and Kashmiri Hanuman. Of these the first one is the most important. It is situated in Gopalpura locality, probably called after the temple on the banks of the Bhogavati river. It is a simple structure built in stone and mortar with a specious sabhamandap and a much smaller vestibule. Inside the vestibule on a marble pedestal stands 1.371 metres (4½ feet) high marble idol of Gopal-krishna. The temple is crowned by a tall Shikhar and has a ghat of 25 steps leading down to the river bed. A fair beginning with Phalgun Vadya Pratipada and lasting till Ashtami is held in honour of the deity. It is attended by eight to ten thousand persons. A similar fair is held in honour of the Sati also. Another object of interest is an old gadhi or a fortress owned by the Raxals- It is situated near the confluence of the two rivers which drain the town. Dondaicha has also an old jumma masjid and a dargah of one Duval Shah Vali at which an urns is held in the month of may
|
