11
been without becoming saturated, and it must be evident to every one even of the
meanest capacity that such a sub-soil is not a proper source of water-supply for
a large town.
41. A fresh water-supply is, in my opinion, of the most paramount im--
portance in Belgaum, but where it can be brought from must, of course, be left
to an Engineer to determine ; but I should fail in my duty if I did not point out,
in the most earnest manner I can, this first great all-important sanitary want.
Many months must elapse before this action can be taken, but much can be done
at once to improve the sanitary condition of the town ; and first of all cess-pools
and tank privies in the town should be cleaned out, filled in, and closed. The
people, of course, must have privies, and these should not be closed until provi--
sion in this respect has been made ; but the Municipality should at once erect
numerous open cheap public privies in convenient sites. It may be of use to state,
for the information of the Municipal Commissioners, the quantity of night-soil
which is produced daily by the inhabitants. It is safe to assume that in a given
population 2.5 ozs. solid matter and 40 ozs. of urine are passed per head per
diem. In Belgaum, therefore,
26,947 x 2.5 = 67,367 ozs. = 4,210 lbs. = 1.87 tons of fœces passed per day.
26,947 x 40 = 1,077,880 ozs. = 67,367 lbs. = 30 tons of urine voided per diem.
This is matter sufficient to fill at least 35 carts without counting ablution water ;
and yet only 4 cart-loads of night-soil and water are removed daily, and all the
rest remains in the soil close to houses and percolates into the drinking water.
With any system of hand removal at the privies and deposit into carts stationed
at depôts, it would not be possible to remove all this filth on account of the enor--
mous expense ; but it is quite possible to make it remove itself by providing a
system of glazed stone-ware pipe sewers which would, however, require more
water than the ablution water to flush and keep clean.
42. Before any such action could be taken, it would be necessary, of course,
to have a survey map made in which the contour lines of levels should be shown ;
but even if they were found to be favourable, as I believe they would be, it would
not in my opinion be practicable to have every house connected with the sewers on
account of the expense that would be entailed on the owners; but it would be quite
practicable to have what are termed in Ahmedabad punch privies or wadgás in Ah--
mednagar, which consist of privy places common to the use of the residents in each
lane, separate ones being provided for each sex. In the same way there might
be a punch bathing-place and another for washing clothes, when instead of the
bathing water, as now, sinking into the ground in the close vicinity of the
houses, it would be carried through properly constructed traps into the arterial
pipe sewers, which need not be more than 4 in number or larger than 12 inches
in diameter ; and for those houses especially of Mussalmans where the women will
not go outside, there might be privies in the compounds connected with the sewers ;
or, if this should be found impossible, an iron receptacle large enough to hold
everything should be placed below the seat. This could be removed by a bhun--
ghi and its contents poured into the arterial pipe sewer at a proper place. There
is plenty of land outside the town in the south where the matter brought down
by the sewers could be utilized for irrigation, and it would be found an excellent
fertilizing material. The details of the scheme must of course be left to a com--
petent engineer. Such action would be the best, for it would ensure the perfect
removal of all the night-soil from the inhabited area, and it would be the cheapest
in the long run, because it would almost do away with the necessity of employing
bhunghis. Of course it is one that cannot be carried out immediately ; but I have
considered it right to mention it as a matter well worthy of the attention of the
Municipal Commissioners, when they, in accordance with para. 12 of Government
Resolution, General Department, No. 2617 of 1876, draw up a comprehensive
scheme for improving the sanitary arrangements in Belgaum, and in order that,
until funds are forthcoming to carry it out, its possible future completion may be
kept steadily in view so that no action may be taken by the Municipality which