The Gazetteers Department

The physiography of the district is made up of high hill ranges on the north, alluvium in the centre and low hill ranges to the south of the Tapi. On the north, the hill ranges stretch east-west and form part of the Satpudas, the highest peak being about 3.500 feet. The Aner river flows from east to west and forms the northern boundary of the district. Through the central part, the river Tapi flows in east-westerly direction forming a strip of alluvium-covered lands on both sides of it. Though alluvium stretches for miles on both sides of the Tapi on the west, it thins out on the east and the rock appears near Bhusawal where the railway bridge crosses the Tapi. Among important tributaries to the Tapi are the Purna on the east and the Girna on the southwest. South of the Tapi Valley are the low ranges of hills with intervening valleys. These ranges are of lesser altitudes than those of the Satpudas and attain a maximum height of 1,000 to 1,200' above the sea level. Besides the Tapi and its main tributaries, numerous streams originating from the hill ranges find their way to the main rivers.

Trap Rocks.

Deccan traps cover almost the' whole of this district, except a few strips of alluvium-covered land on both sides of the major streams. These trap rocks are the result of outpouring of enormous lava flows which spread over vast areas of Western, Central and Southern India at the end of mesozoic era. They came through long narrow fissures and cracks in the earth crust and spread out as nearly horizontal sheets. They are called 'plateau basalt', because they form a flat-topped plateau. Due to the step-like or terraced appearance on the slope of hills they are also known as 'trap'. These volcanic rocks assume a considerable thickness ranging from a few hundred feet in the south to a couple of thousand feet in the north. The individual thickness of flow varies from a few feet up to a 100 feet or more. A bore-hole at Bhusawal 1211 feet deep, revealed 29 flows, the average being 40 feet In the high hills consisting of several flows, the individual flows can easily be demarcated by their distinct flow lines along which a thin growth of grass is noticed. The lavas are generally horizontal in disposition but at places they dip at very small angles. In the Aner valley and near Danlet, north of Chopda, they appear to be horizontal but they dip north at about 5� in the low rises stretching across from Burhanpur to near Raver. The traps that are commonly found in the plateau or cliff faces are compact and harder, often characterised by vertical prismatic or columnar jointing. They are dark grey or dark greenish grey to brownish grey in colour. The amygdaloidal variety, which is greenish to purplish in colour and comparatively softer, generally forms the slopes and valley floors. They contain innumerable cavities which are usually filled with secondary minerals such as quartz, chalcedony, agate, jasper, rock crystal, zeolites and calcite: The ash or scoriaceous beds and red bole beds are sometimes noticed. Evidence of intrusive activity in bedded lava flows has not been recorded so far. But there is likelihood of their presence in the district. A compact, singular patch of limestone of 50 feet length occurs five miles north-east of Burhanpur outside the north-east boundary of the district and is assumed to be a portion of some infratrappean, caught up by a dyke or included in lava flows.

About territory to the south of the Tapi, very little information is available as the area has not been surveyed geologically. However, it can be stated that the billy ranges south of the Tapi are covered with dark basalt.

The main minerals constituent in the trap rocks are abundant in labradorite and enstatite-augite with varying proportion of interstitial glass which on alteration gives rise to secondary minerals like palagonite, chlorophaete iddingsite, etc. Sometimes porphyritic basalt is seen showing phenocrysts of felspars and glassy matters. Magnetite occurs as minute discreet grains amidst other minerals as well as in the glassy groundmass. In a few cases, olivine is also present.

The intertrappean beds represented by clays, sandstones and limestones formed in depressions during quiescent period between the successive eruptions of lava flows have not been reported so far from the district. But they are likely to exist at places.

The trap weather with characteristic spheroidal exploitation gives rise to large rounded boulders on the outcrops and are very common throughout the district. The trap soils produced by erosion and weathering are deep brown to rich red on black (regur). These black soils are very rich in plant nutrients and are most favourable for cotton crops. They are sticky when wetted and on drying, due to contraction, produce conspicuous cracks.

Laterite.

Another alteration product is laterite formed in tropical climate under alternate dry and wet seasons. It is porous, pitted clay-like rock of variegated colours and has a limonitic crust on the exposed surface. It is soft when freshly dug but on exposure to air it quickly dehydrates and becomes quite hard. Sporadic patches of laterite are recorded at places capping the hills in southern parts of the district.

Alluvium.

The river Tapi flows from east to west throughout the district forming a strip of alluvium-covered lands on both sides of it. Though alluvium layers are much thicker and wider on the west, they thin out on the east and trap rock exposes on the bed of Tapi near Bhusawal. These alluvium layers are composed of reddish and brownish clays, with intercalation of gravel and with 'kankar'. To the east and south-west are the valleys of the Purna and the Girna rivers, respectively, which also contain alluvium deposits.

Economic Geology.

Jalgaon district is composed entirely of trap rocks which are generally barren of any economically useful and important minerals. Secondary minerals like agate, jasper, chalcedony and rock crystals which fill up the cavities in vesicular basalts are sometimes used as semi-precious stones. However, trap is used extensively for building purposes as road metal, railway ballast and in cement concrete.

Building material.

Trap being hard, dense and durable is a most suitable material for building purposes. Though trap is found everywhere in the district, a judicious selection of the site in opening up a new quarry gives not only a long life to quarrying operations but also affords economy. The best quarry in the district is the one in the bed of the Vaghur river near Bhusawal. It is conveniently placed and has been much used for railway works. The weathered rock at the surface has to be rejected and only the fresh material used. Caution is also needed in avoiding soft, scoriaceous and vesicular varieties.

Kandar, the small nodular calcareous matter, is abundant in all black soils. On burning, the material yields almost hydraulic lime which is locally used in making plaster and in coJour-washing.

Mineral springs.

In Jalgaon,hot springs have so far been recorded.at Unabdev, Sunabdev and Najhardev in Chopda. The Unabdev hot springs lie about three miles north-west of Adavad in Chopda taluka, about a mile from the grit spur of the Satpudas. Near the springs, the rocks are trap and the ground is hard and black. Pouring in a rapid spring from the mouth of a carved head, fixed in a solid block of masonry that forms the lower part of an old temple, the water flows into a cistern which is a 25 feet square"] As the ground near the pond is paved, the source of the spring is hard to trace. It has a temperature of 140�. The water is tasteless, with a peculiar but not sulphurous smell. It is reported to cure skin diseases.

About eight miles west of Unabdev, in a narrow glen formed by two outlying spurs of the Satpudas, lie the Sunabdev springs. The water is lightly sulphurous and has a temperature varying from 85� at dawn to 91� at noon. It is also reported to cure skin diseases.

Najhardev, within a mile or two of Sunabdev, has a hot spring flowing into a built pool. The water has a slightly sulphurous taste and varies in temperature from 100� at dawn to 103� at noon.

TOP