9
This table is most instructive, and points forcibly to the fact, that the children
were living in unhealthy conditions, such as have been shown to exist in the
unventilated houses; and in an atmosphere which was tainted by the saturation
of the subsoil with the urine and sullage of the inhabitants. The deaths, accord
-
ing to castes, are thus classified :—
Y e a r s .
Number of Deaths registered.
Ratio of Deaths per 1,000 of Population.
C h r i s t i a n s .
M u s s a l m e n .
H i n d u s .
O t h e r C l a s s e s .
T o t a l .
C h r i s t i a n s .
M u s s a l m e n .
H i n d u s .
O t h e r C l a s s e s .
T o t a l .
1872 . . . 10
252 1,131
15 1,408, 27.9
41.1
43.1
108.7
4.28
1873 . . .
4
146
647
7
804 11.14 23.80 24.68
5.07 24.48
1874 . . .
4
173
751
2
930 11.14 28.20 28.65
14.50 28.32
35. The measures which, in my opinion, are most urgently wanted in
Ahmednagar are the following :—
An increased supply of pure drinking-water—and I am informed that
such is available, and could be procured by the restoration of the Nimbgaon and
Nepti aqueducts, which were constructed nearly 250 years ago during Mahomedan
rule. The broken end of the two conduits, which run side by side in the same
block of masonry, is still to be seen on the right bank of the river. There can
be no difficulty in bringing the water across it by means of iron pipes. This
supply would be extremely valuable if, as stated, it is perennial. Whatever faults
the Mahomedan rulers may have had, they yet did this much for the people, that
they brought in, by closed conduits, pure water collected from springs below the
neighbouring hills. There is no record of the number that were constructed, but
tradition states that they were very numerous.
36. The existing reservoirs in the town should be cleaned, and covered
over with masonry to keep out the impurities that now find their way into them ;
and cocks should be inserted all round, above a ledge for the water-vessels to
rest upon, whilst a proper drain should be constructed to carry off the wastage
-
water. A cruciform reservoir, like the Chopati Fountain, is an admirable one,
as it allows a large number of persons to draw water at one time, and does not
take up too much space.
37. The establishment of a main-drainage scheme, as desired by the muni
-
cipality, is in all respects to be commended, and would prove an inestimable blessing
to the town; but there is no map available showing the contour lines of levels
in the city, so that the preparation of this should be the first thing undertaken.
Of course, any scheme for sewerage must be referred to an engineer ; but, as will
be seen from the description given in a former part of this report, it is evident
that there is a declivity from the north and eastern part of the city, towards
the river on the west and south. From a sanitary point of view, the main out
-
fall should be towards the south, and I am of opinion that, if the levels admit of
it, there might be an intercepting sewer built to catch all the sewerage of the
town, which could then be diverted to one out-fall on the south of the city,
where it could be applied over the land, or, if that is not available, discharged
into the river-bed below the town. Ahmednagar possesses great natural facil
-
ities for sewerage. It is impossible for me to state what would be the cost of
any such scheme, but information on this point could be readily ascertained by
a competent engineer; and there is no reason, why, if it is found too costly to
undertake all at once, certain sections of the city should not be severed in
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dependently. For example : In the districts now draining into the Topekhana
and Delhi gate out-fall, the municipality, leaving the existing channels to carry
B 221—3 d