Sagar (community development block)

Sagar is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Kakdwip subdivision of South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

During the Bengal Famine of 1943, the Communist Party of India provided relief to the peasantry of the Sundarbans area. In September 1946 Bangiya Pradeshik Kisan Sabha decided to launch the Tebhaga movement. The peasant movement broke out in Kakdwip, Sonarpur, Bhangar and Canning. Kakdwip and Namkhana were the storm centres of the movement. The movement aimed at improving the share of the peasant engaged as sharecroppers. The prominent leaders of the movement were: Kansari Halder, Ashoke Bose and Rash Behari Ghosh. Peasant leaders like Gajen Malik, Manik Hazra, Jatin Maity, Bijoy Mondal and others rose to prominence. The movement continued till 1950, when the Bargadari Act was enacted. The Act recognised the right of the sharecropper to two-thirds of the produce when he provided the inputs.

During 1946-1950, the Tebhaga movement in several parts of the 24 Parganas district led to the enactment of the Bargadari Act. Although the Bargadari Act of 1950 recognised the rights of bargadars to a higher share of crops from the land that they tilled, it was not implemented. Large tracts, beyond the prescribed limit of land ceiling, remained with the rich landlords. In 1967, West Bengal witnessed a peasant uprising, against non-implementation of land reforms legislation, starting from Kheadaha gram panchayat in Sonarpur CD block. From 1977 on wards major land reforms took place in West Bengal under the Left Front government. Land in excess of land ceiling was acquired and distributed among the peasants. Subsequently, Operation Barga was aimed at securing tenancy rights for the peasants. In Sagar CD block 7,926.42 acres of land was acquired and vested. Out of this 5,680.89 acres or 71.67% of the vested land was distributed among the peasants. The total number of patta (document) holders was 13,350.

Sagar CD block is located at 21°39′10″N 88°04′31″E / 21.6528°N 88.0753°E / 21.6528; 88.0753. It has an average elevation of 4 metres (13 ft).

Sagar CD block is bounded by Kakdwip CD block, across the Muri Ganga, in the north, Namkhana CD block, across the Muri Ganga, in the east, Bay of Bengal in the south and Khejuri II CD block in Purba Medinipur district, across the Hooghly, in the west.

South 24 Parganas district is divided into two distinct physiographic zones: the marine-riverine delta in the north and the marine delta zone in the south. As the sea receded southwards, in the sub-recent geological period, a large low-lying plain got exposed. Both tidal inflows and the rivers have been depositing sediments in this plain. The periodical collapse of both the natural levees and man-made embankments speed up the process of filling up of the depressions containing brackish water wetlands. The marine delta in the south is formed of interlacing tidal channels. As non-saline water for irrigation is scarce, agriculture is monsoon dominated. Some parts of the wetlands are still preserved for raising fish.

Sagar CD block has an area of 282.11 km². It has 1 panchayat samity, 9 gram panchayats, 147 gram sansads (village councils), 47 mouzas and 42 inhabited villages, as per District Statistical Handbook South Twenty-four Parganas. Sagar and Gangasagar Coastal police stations serve this CD Block. Headquarters of this CD block is at Rudranagar.

Sagar CD block has 85 km of embankments. Breaches in these embankments ranged between 6 and 7 km annually. Embankments raised along rivers are of critical importance for the safety of lives and protection of crops, against daily tides and tidal surges.