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PLACES
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SHAHADA
Shahada, the headquarters of the taluka of the same name with 13,338 inhabitants in 1961, is a municipal town, lying 77.24 km. (48 miles) north-west of Dhulia with which it is connected by a good tar road. It is also crossed by Burhanpur-Raver-Shirpur-Shahada-Taloda-Sagbara state highway and Dondaicha-Khetia road. This has given a considerable fillip to its trade and commerce. Shahada has a sub-market yard trading principally in cotton, grains and groundnut. Being the headquarters of a taluka, there is the mamlatdar's office, office of the panchayat samiti, revenue, civil and criminal courts, post and telegraph office, a police station and a rest house.
Municipality.
Constitution : The Shahada Kukdel municipality was established in 1869. It has an area of 12.949 km2 (5 sq. miles) under its jurisdiction. The president elected by the councillors from among them-selves is responsible for the municipal administration.
Finance. In 1963-64 the municipal income derived from various sources like taxation, revenue derived from municipal property and powers apart from taxation, grants and miscellaneous items amounted to Rs. 4,55,870. The expenditure during the same year totalled Rs. 2,66,935. The expenditure items were general administration and collection charges, public safety, public health and convenience, contributions and miscellaneous.
Health, Sanitation and Water Supply : A dispensary with a maternity 'ward attached to it is maintained by the municipality. Within the same compound the government has recently established a primary health centre. The veterinary dispensary of the town is looked after by the Zilla Parishad. There are only stone-lined open gutters. Wells and the river Gomai are the source of water supply. The municipality has constructed a ghat on the river to facilitate water-drawing.
Education: Primary education is under the management of the Zilla Parishad and is compulsory. The average annual municipal contribution towards primary education comes to
Rs. 10,000. The town, besides middle schools, has two high schools of which one is conducted by the municipality and the other by a private education society. There is also a library which received a grant of
Rs. 1,000 last year from the town municipality.
Amenities: For fire fighting one fire fighter is maintained. The cremation and burial grounds are maintained and used by the concerned communities.
Shahada has a small weaving industry turning out handloom cloth, there being a co-operative society of the weavers.
Objects.
Shahada has temples dedicated to Panchmukhi Mahadev and Kameshvar. Though not striking architecturally both have religious importance and are held in deep reverence by the people. The former is supposed to be over a century old, and so called because it contains a five headed idol of Mahadev planted on a ling of the same deity. Close by is a small image of Parvati carved out of crystal stone. Out side is an image of nandi in the traditional posture. There is also an idol of Ganapati. An annual grant of Rs. 75 is received by the temple from the government. Situated on the banks of the Gomai, the temple of Rameshvar is of black stone and contains besides the ling symbol an idol of Parvati and a nandi image. The shrine has been beautified with picture paintings of Parvati and Mahadev. Shahada has also a Jain
basti built about a decade ago.
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