Gomoh: Difference between revisions
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Other civic amenities such as electricity, roads, water, sanitation, transportation are all in abysmal state. Electricity has been a perrenial problem facing the people of Gomoh. There is one huge power station also but it is in a shabby condition. Power supply is off almost 18 to 20 hours a day and sometimes, without any obvious reason, 2-3 days at a stretch. Interestingly, you would not find electricity in the evening (usually from 6 pm to 10 pm). In spite of such a poor supply people here have no complaints as they have grown used to it. Even the so called leaders in the area have turned a blind eye to the problem. |
Other civic amenities such as electricity, roads, water, sanitation, transportation are all in abysmal state. Electricity has been a perrenial problem facing the people of Gomoh. There is one huge power station also but it is in a shabby condition. Power supply is off almost 18 to 20 hours a day and sometimes, without any obvious reason, 2-3 days at a stretch. Interestingly, you would not find electricity in the evening (usually from 6 pm to 10 pm). In spite of such a poor supply people here have no complaints as they have grown used to it. Even the so called leaders in the area have turned a blind eye to the problem. |
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Roads have an equally bad story to tell. In some parts of the city there are railways' roads and in others the state government's. The roads that belong to the govt. are very old and in poor condition. Though the trafiic has grown manifolds, no repairs have been done for a long time. Whatever |
Roads have an equally bad story to tell. In some parts of the city there are railways' roads and in others the state government's. The roads that belong to the govt. are very old and in poor condition. Though the trafiic has grown manifolds, no repairs have been done for a long time. Whatever little roads are available, are owned by railways and they also are poorly maintained. |
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Water almost has the same problem. While |
Water almost has the same problem. While railway employees depend on timely supply by the railways, others have to make their own arrangement for water. Those who can afford have got their own deep tube wells, those who can not rely on govt. hand-pumps which are few in numbers. However, recently govt. has constructed two big water tanks in different parts of the city to cater to the masses but they are yet to start the service. |
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No drainage/sanitation infrastructure is available in Gomoh except for a few overflowing and stinking drains constructed by the railways around a decade back. One can find heaps of garbage lying on the roadside and dirty water overflowing from the clogged drains. The situation worsens during monsoon. |
No drainage/sanitation infrastructure is available in Gomoh except for a few overflowing and stinking drains constructed by the railways around a decade back. One can find heaps of garbage lying on the roadside and dirty water overflowing from the clogged drains. The situation worsens during monsoon. |
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Revision as of 11:20, 26 August 2009
Gomoh
Gomoh | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 28,576 |
Gomoh is a census town in Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It is a major railway junction (renamed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Junction Gomoh on 23rd January 2009) situated on the Grand Chord Line under Dhanbad division of the East Central Railway. Gomoh is the meeting point for trains coming from Howrah (Eastern Railway), Ranchi (South Eastern Railway) and Puri (South Eastern Railway). Gomoh is a place of historical importance also. On his great escape, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose caught Howrah-Kalka Mail (then known as 63UP Howrah-Peshawar Express) on 18 January 1941. There is a statue of Netaji on platform no. 1 & 2 at Gomoh railway station which reminds people of his historic halt. Every year on 23 January, the railway employees organize a small cultural program to celebrate Netaji's birthday. People of this city also organise a week-long fair in Railway Football Ground starting from 11th March every year in remembrance of the assassinated 'Labour Leader' Sadanand Jha. There are two big playgrounds in Gomoh.
Geography
Gomoh is located at 23°52′N 86°10′E / 23.87°N 86.17°E[1]. It has an average elevation of 245 metres (803 feet). Gomoh is surprisingly a dust free area (unlike very polluted surroundings owing to numersous coal mines) with pleasant weather conditions. Patients who are suffering from long illness will feel better here. It is full of greenery and natural beauty.
Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census[2], Gomoh had a population of 28,576. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Gomoh has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 60%. In Gomoh, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Social structure
Gomoh consists of people from diverse religious and professional backgrounds. There are many young minds from this place who are making waves at the national/international levels. Some of them are studying at Indian Institutes of Technology. In 2005, Mr. Ankur Prasad son of Mr. Bineshwar Prasad scored AIR 487 in IIT-JEE and he is currently pursuing Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur.
Religious diversity is the hallmark of Gomoh. A number of Anglo-Indians can be found here since the British era as a result of which Christians with their peaceful culture have a dominating effect on the local people. The Sikh community settled here before Independence as businessmen. A Gurudwara at Loco Bazar is visited by many Sikhs from surrounding areas everyday. Bengalis form a large part of the population and have contributed largely to the culture of this place. On Durga Puja one can get a glimpse of Kolkata in Gomoh, specially at Durga Para, which is home to the oldest Durge Puja in the area. Muslims also contribute substantially to the population and culture of this region. There is also a Masjid and a Madarsa at Purana Bazar and a Jama Masjid at Loco Bazar. Id-Gah and graveyard of muslims is in Laludih area.
A majority of the people are railway employees (different grades) since Gomoh is a railway based town. These people do not belong to the city but got transferred from different parts of the country. After retirement a good number of these employees choose to settle down in Gomoh giving rise to the population of the city. There is a strong business class also in Gomoh. Businesses ranging from food grain wholesaling to clothes & apparel to building material (cement, bricks, iron rods etc.) to confectionery & bakery products etc. can be found. Though Marwaris are dominating the business scenario, one can find the representation of all the religious groups. Some people are also engaged in agriculture, growing certain cereals and vegetables.
Main festivals celebrated include Durga Puja (Dussehra), Dipawali, Holi, Chatth Puja, Id, Gurunanak Birthday, Christmas, etc.
Education
As far as educational institutions are concerned Gomoh fairs badly. There is one Kendriya Vidyalaya Gomoh K.V.Gomoh which is managed by the Railways. It is a prominent institute up to Standard XII. There are two other major schools up to Standard X such as St. Mary's Day School and Guru Nanak Public School. Pandit Nehru Memorial (PNM) College caters to graduation level studies. However, these facilities are not sufficient since students have started taking up various specialized courses in various fields. For all such advanced courses students from this area either depend on Dhanbad (30 Kms) or Bokaro Steel City (around 40 Kms)or go to any metro city.
Healthcare & other civic amenities
Health care facilities are also grossly inadequate. Even to this date Gomoh lacks a good doctor as well as a nursing home. Though there are some government and private nursing homes, they fail to provide even the most basic treatment. The medical units operating in the area are:
1. PHC Gomoh at Jitpur 2. Railway Hospital (set up by railways for its employees, they also cater to non-railway patients unofficially) 3. S.M.Waliullah Memorial Health Care at Loco Bazar 4. A few other privately run small clinics
Other civic amenities such as electricity, roads, water, sanitation, transportation are all in abysmal state. Electricity has been a perrenial problem facing the people of Gomoh. There is one huge power station also but it is in a shabby condition. Power supply is off almost 18 to 20 hours a day and sometimes, without any obvious reason, 2-3 days at a stretch. Interestingly, you would not find electricity in the evening (usually from 6 pm to 10 pm). In spite of such a poor supply people here have no complaints as they have grown used to it. Even the so called leaders in the area have turned a blind eye to the problem.
Roads have an equally bad story to tell. In some parts of the city there are railways' roads and in others the state government's. The roads that belong to the govt. are very old and in poor condition. Though the trafiic has grown manifolds, no repairs have been done for a long time. Whatever little roads are available, are owned by railways and they also are poorly maintained.
Water almost has the same problem. While railway employees depend on timely supply by the railways, others have to make their own arrangement for water. Those who can afford have got their own deep tube wells, those who can not rely on govt. hand-pumps which are few in numbers. However, recently govt. has constructed two big water tanks in different parts of the city to cater to the masses but they are yet to start the service.
No drainage/sanitation infrastructure is available in Gomoh except for a few overflowing and stinking drains constructed by the railways around a decade back. One can find heaps of garbage lying on the roadside and dirty water overflowing from the clogged drains. The situation worsens during monsoon.
The only convenient way to get in and out of Gomoh is trains, thanks to a century old railway network. One can find trains to all major cities in India. A number of long-distance trains have a stoppage in Gomoh. There are also a number of passenger trains connecting Gomoh with nearby cities/towns. Moving within the city is a big problem as there are only cycle-rickshaws available. So, if you have you own car/bike it is easier else take a rickshaw or walk, the choice is yours.