Patharpratima 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. Geography Patharpratima CD block is located at . It has an average elevation of . Patharpratima CD block is bounded by Mathurapur I and Mathurapur II CD blocks in the north, Sundarbans forests in the east, Bay of Bengal in the south, Namkhana, Kakdwip and Kulpi CD blocks 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. Patharpratima CD block has an area of 484.47 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 15 gram panchayats, 187 gram sansads (village councils), 92 mouzas and 87 inhabited villages, as per the District Statistical Handbook, South Twenty-four Parganas. Patharpratima, Dholahat and Gobardhanpur Coastal police stations serve this block. Headquarters of this CD block is at Ramganga. Patharpratima CD block has 241.9 km of embankments, the 2nd highest among the 12 Sundarban CD blocks. Breaches in these embankments varied from 5.9 km in 2002-03 to 18.8 km in 2005-06. Embankments raised along rivers are of critical importance for the safety of lives and protection of crops, against daily tides and tidal surges. Technologically the embankment structures are weak and there is need of proper drainage of accumulated rain water through sluice gates. Crude cuts in embankments for drainage of accumulated rain water and channels built for providing water to large fisheries () also add to the hazards. Cyclones and tropical depressions are regular threats. Gram panchayats of Patharpratima CD block/panchayat samiti are: Achintyanagar, Banashyamnagar, Brajaballavpur, Dakshin Gangadharpur, Dakshin Roypur, Digambarpur, Durbachati, Gopalnagar, G-Plot, Herambagopalpur, Laxmi Janardanpur, Patharpratima, Ramganga, Sridharnagar and Srinarayanpur Purnachandrapur. Demographics Population As per the 2011 Census of India, Patharpratima CD block had a total population of 331,823, all of