ABSTRACT
In 1904 the Government of Bengal placed before the Government of India definite proposals for raiyatwari settlement in the 24-Parganas Sundarbans and it was proposed that Fraserganj should form the first centre for raiyatwari colonisation. Fraserganj, or more correctly Narayantola, the local name, or Mecklenberg Island according to the Admirality charts, is an extensive island in the Diamond Harbour subdivision, situated on the sea face of the Bay of Bengal at the mouth of the Sattaramukhi River. By the year 1904 the island had reached a sufficiently advanced stage in its formation to justify the commencement of cultivation. A general scheme was accordingly drawn up for the reclamation of Narayantola—hereafter called Fraserganj after Sir Andrew Fraser, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal at the time. The work of reclamation was commenced in the year 1904—1905 under the superintendence of Mr. Sunder, at that time Commissioner, and from 1905 Deputy Collector and Settlement Officer in the Sundarbans.
