No. 3728.
GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
Bombay Castle, 25th November 1876.
Letter from the Acting Sanitary Commissioner, No. A.-936, dated 20th October 1876—Sub-
-mitting, with reference to paragraph 18 of Government Resolution No. 2617, dated
23rd August last, his report on the sanitary condition of the Town of Belgaum with the
resolutions adopted by the Municipal Commissioners of that town on his various pro-
posals for its improvement ; and communicating the following remarks :-
2. In forwarding these, although I would be the first to deprecate any attempt to
introduce sudden reforms too violently into Indian Municipalities, yet I feel it to be
my duty to bring to the especialnotice of Government my opinion that the sanitary con-
dition of the town of Belgaum, lying as it does almost in the midst of one of our most
important Military Cantonments, is a matter of more than local importance, and I
would trust that measures may be taken to show the Municipal Commissioners that the
citizens of Belgaum cannot be allowed to continue their filthy practices any longer. The
abolition of pit-privies within the inhabited area is a matter which, in my opinion,
should be authoritatively carried out as soon as public privy accommodation is provided,
and these public latrines might be built all over the town in the space of three months
at the outside, if a little vigor were shown.
3. The keeping cattle inside inhabited houses or even within the village limits is
a matter regarding which the Army Sanitary Commission is very urgent, and to which
it refers in nearly all the despatches sent out by the Secretary of State, as the danger
to health which is caused thereby is fully recognised by the Commission. I therefore
trust Government will be pleased to give definite orders on the matter.
4. Regarding my proposal for rendering the registration of births and deaths
compulsory, I find that such a bye-law as I recommend is actually in existence in the
bye-laws of the Dharwar Municipality, and as it is the only real system to ensure
accuracy in this most essential part of our vital statistics, I hope Government may be
pleased to order the adoption of the proposal I have made.
5. I would also hope that the Executive Engineer may be instructed to take into
his consideration the question of a new and pure water-supply for the town.
RESOLUTION.—The report which Government have read with interest gives
a fully detailed account of the almost entire want of sanitary arrangements in
Belgaum. The practice of using the pit-privies described by Mr. Hewlett is
loathsome, and should be put a stop to as soon as funds can possibly admit of
public latrines being constructed. It is no defence for the present practice that
it has existed " from time immemorial." The Municipality should make the
most strenuous efforts to have it abolished, and Government trust that the
President, Municipal Commission, will endeavour to have this done.
2. It is impracticable for the present to insist upon separate stables being
built for cattle. Funds will not allow of this change being effected while such
important matters as the erection of the privies and the possible introduction of
a new water scheme into Belgaum have to be considered. The Municipality is
poor and the population within municipal limits poverty-stricken, and till funds
can be provided, the Sanitary Commissioner must be content if improved privy
accommodation and surface drainage are attained.
3. As the present system of birth and death registration has been but
recently introduced, there is no need to alter it just now.
. 4. The report of Mr. Hewlett may be printed as one of his series of reports.
T. D. MACKENZIE,
For Chief Secretary to Government.s
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