Kolaghat (earlier referred to as Panskura II block) is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Tamluk subdivision of Purba Medinipur district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography Purba Medinipur district is part of the lower Indo-Gangetic Plain and Eastern coastal plains. Topographically, the district can be divided into two parts – (a) almost entirely flat plains on the west, east and north, (b) the coastal plains on the south. The vast expanse of land is formed of alluvium and is composed of younger and coastal alluvial. The elevation of the district is within 10 metres above mean sea level. The district has a long coastline of 65.5 km along its southern and south eastern boundary. Five coastal CD Blocks, namely, Khejuri II, Contai II (Deshapran), Contai I, Ramnagar I and II, are occasionally affected by cyclones and tornadoes. Tidal floods are quite regular in these five CD Blocks. Normally floods occur in 21 of the 25 CD Blocks in the district. The major rivers are Haldi, Rupnarayan, Rasulpur, Bagui and Keleghai, flowing in north to south or south-east direction. River water is an important source of irrigation. The district has a low 899 hectare forest cover, which is 0.02% of its geographical area. Kolaghat is located at . Kolaghat CD Block is bounded by Daspur I CD Block, in Paschim Medinipur district, in the north, Bagnan I and Bagnan II CD Blocks, in Howrah district across the Rupnarayan, and Sahid Matangini CD Block in the east, Tamluk CD Block in the south and Panskura CD Block in the west. It is located 19 km from Tamluk, the district headquarters. Kolaghat CD Block has an area of 147.91 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 13 gram panchayats, 217 gram sansads (village councils), 112 mouzas and 106 inhabited villages. Kolaghat police station serves this block. Earlier, it was called Panskura II CD Block, but was renamed Kolaghat CD Block in 2011. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Kolaghat. Gram panchayats of Kolaghat block/ panchayat samiti are: Amalhanda, Baisnabchak, Bhogpur, Brindabanchak, Deriachak, Gopal Nagar, Khanyadihi, Kola I, Kola II, Pulsita, Sagarbarh, Siddha I and Siddha II. Demographics Population As per 2011 Census of India Kolaghat CD Block had a total population of 290,124, of which 239,646 were rural and 50,478 were urban. There were 150,246 (52%) males and 139,878 (48%) females. Population below 6 years was