Kot Addu (Urdu کوٹ ادو ) is a city and tehsil in the Muzaffargarh District of the southern part of the Punjab province of Pakistan. This city is subdivided into 30 Union Councils and has a population of over 104 thousand, making it the 67th largest city in Pakistan. It is located just east of the Indus River, about 866 km (538 mi) from Karachi, 600 km (370 mi) from Islamabad, 100 km from Multan, 80 km from D.G.Khan, 60 km (37 mi) from Muzaffargarh, 60 km from Layyah, and 16 km (9.9 mi) from Taunsa Barrage. Kot Addu City attracts a large number of tourists every year, due to the Indus river and public gardens among other things. The city is served by Kot Addu Junction railway station. The Zipcode of Kot Addu is 34050. It is the 69th largest city in Pakistan according to the 2017 census.
Geography and climate
Kot Addu is located almost exactly at the geographical center of Pakistan. The closest major city is Multan. The area around the city is a flat alluvial plain and is ideal for agriculture, with many citrus and mango farms. There are also canals that cut across the Muzaffargarh District, providing water to farms. During the monsoon season, the land close to the Taunsa Barrage is usually flooded.
Kot Addu has an arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters. The city has experienced some of the most extreme weather in Pakistan. The highest recorded temperature was approximately 51 °C (129 °F), and the lowest recorded temperature was approximately −1 °C (30 °F). The average rainfall is roughly 127 millimeters (5.0 inches). Dust storms are a common occurrence within the city.
Education
Like other major cities in Punjab, Kot Addu features a rich educational landscape. In the last few years, the city has observed a surge in the number of educational institutions. Colleges include private commerce and science colleges, schools, academies like Punjab Inter-Science Academy, and a cadet college. Government degrees are provided for both men and women. Several colleges are affiliated with the Bahuddin Zakrya University, B.Z.U. Multan Pakistan, and Punjab University Lahore Pakistan. The names of some private institutions are, Kot Addu School of Economics and Management Sciences (Mr. Fiaz Hussain Malik, director), Punjab Higher Secondary School, Bismillah. Inter-Science Academy, Punjab Group of Colleges, My School System, Dar-E-Arqam School, Oxford Grammar School, Professor Academy, etc. A Government Technical College is also under construction.
Taunsa Barrage
Taunsa Barrage is a barrage on the River Indus. It is situated 20 kilometers (12 mi) southeast of Taunsa Sharif and 16 kilometers (9.9 mi) from Kot Addu. This barrage controls water flow in the River Indus for irrigation and flood control purposes. This barrage serves 2.351 million acres (951,400 hectares) besides diverting flows from Indus River to the Chenab River through Taunsa Panjnad (TP) Link Canal. The barrage also serves as an arterial road bridge, a railway bridge, and crossing for gas and oil pipelines, telephone lines, and extra-high voltage (EHV) transmission lines. In 2011, the rehabilitation of the Taunsa Barrage was blamed for the devastation of the Muzaffargarh district during the 2010 Pakistan floods. Critics blamed the rehabilitation of the barrage, alleging that it failed to raise its height and strengthen protective embankments, used dysfunctional computer control systems of the hoist gates, and ignored hill-torrent management.
Industry
Kot Addu is a prominent commercial and industrial city in the Punjab province. It is connected by road and rail with Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Quetta, and Faisalabad; and also by air from Multan Airport to all Pakistani airports.
Agriculture
Kot Addu is an important agricultural area. The total area of Tehsil Kot Addu is 877,989 acres (355,310 ha), of which 4,24,521 acres are under cultivation. The main crops of the area include corn, cotton, rice, sugarcane, tobacco, wheat, and vegetables. Bajra, moong, mash, masoor, and oilseeds (such as mustard and sunflower seeds) are also grown in the district.
Mangoes, citrus, guavas, and pomegranates are Kot Addu’s most important fruit crops. Minor fruit crops include dates, jaman, pears, falsa, and bananas are also grown.
One other local fruit is called a bare (Berry). It is one of the main fruits grown in this region. Due to flooding, the crops are now rare, especially cotton and wheat products affected by this flooding. So, now a majority of the agricultural lands are covered by sugarcane. People either sell this sugarcane to sugar mills or produce Jaggery from sugarcane. KG Gurmani Agriculture Farm (Thatta Gurmani Bate Esan Wala Kot Addu).
Sources: Wikipedia