NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
22
EXPENDITURE.
Rs. a. p. Rs. a. p. Rs.
a .
p. Rs.
a . p . Rs. a. p. Rs.
a . p .
Brought forward...
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
1,66,230 0
1 1
E. —PUBLIC CONVENIENCE— continued.
II.—.Repairs.—continued.
Buildings—
Repairs to Municipal Buildings ...
187 9 8
......
......
187 9 8
Do. to City Walls
...
. . . 946 8 11
499 0 0
......
1,445 8
1 1 1,633 2 7
Miscellaneous Works ... ...
. . .
. . . . . .
130 0 7
......
130 0 7
130 0 7
III—Other Charges.
Rs. a. p.
Miscellaneous Establishment—
Stray Cattle .. ... 390 15 11
Wheel Tax ... ... 431 8 5
Ellis Bridge ... ... 204 3 0
Watch-maker ... ... 120 0 0
1,146 11 4
1,146 11 4
Contingencies ...
... ...
607 12 9
607 12 9
Printing Charges ...
... ... 1,805 12 6
1,805 12 6
Rewards
... .
..
... ...
125 8 0
125 8 0
Office Seals ... ...
...
11 1 0
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
11 1 0
Dead Stock ... ... ...
. . .
22 10 0
557 12 4
......
580 6 4
Postage...
. . .
. . .
. . .
40 10 0
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
40 10 0
Government Gazette ... ...
. . .
......
38 10 0
......
38 10 0
Newspapers ... ...
. . .
......
27 0 0
......
27 0 0
Copies of Municipal Rules (Surat) ...
......
5 14 0
......
5 14 0
Copy of Mr. Nairne's Revenue Hand-
book
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . . . . .
6 12 0
......
6 12 0
40 Copies of District Municipal Act.
......
16 6 0
......
16 6 0
Surat Municipal Record ... ...
......
3 0 0
.....
3 0 0
Law Charges (Civil Suits) ... ...
146 0 10
......
. . . . . .
146 0 1 0
Purchasing Government Security
Notes, worth Rs. 48,000 ...
... 1,658 7 6
......
. . . . . .
1,658 7 6
Sundries.. ... ... ... ...
6 3 10
......
. . . . . .
6 3 1 0
Cheque Books ... ... ... . . .
1 9 0
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
1 9 0
5,572 6 9
655 6 4 ......
6,227 13 1
6 , 2 2 7
13 1
E . — D E B T .
D e p o s i t s .
Paid to several persons their Deposits—
From Contractors, Stipends, Other Accounts.
4,467 4 5
3,552 1 0 402 2 3 513 1 2
Advance repayable ... ...
......
. . . . . .
. . . . . . 445 13 0
Balance.
Deposit Kakurria
... ...
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
31,174 0 0
Halalcor Cess ... ...
. . . . . .
. . . . . . 11,456 0 0
Contractor's Deposit ...
..
......
. . . . . .
3,842 0 0
Grant-in-aid Dispensary
... ...
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
340 0 0
Actual Municipal Balance ..
.
. . .
. . . . . .
......
41,088 11 6
. . . . . .
. . . . . . 87,900 11 6 87,900 11 6 92,813 12 11
Grand Total ...
. . . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
......
2,67,034 14 1
23
MEMORANDUM of Liabilities and Claims of the Municipality of Ahmedabad
for the Year 1874-75.
LIABILITIES.
Amount.
CLAIMS.
A m o u n t .
Rs. a. p.
Rs. a. p.
Kakurria Fund..
... 31,174 2 0 Ellis Bridge..
...
... 50,000 0 0
Conservancy
...
... 11,456 12 6 City Survey
...
... 63,032 6 6
Raipur Dispensary Fund ...
339 6 0 Civil Suit Advance recover-
able.
820 2 1 1
Deposits to be adjulated ... 3,790 9 5 Advance recoverable
...
189 13 2
46,760 13 11
Net amount of Debt... 67,281 8 8
Total... 1,14,042 6 7
Total... 1,14,042 6 7
Municipal Commissioner's Office, Ahmedabad.
Secretary, A. M. C.
No. 2850.
GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
Bombay Castle, 18th September 1875.
Letter from the Acting Sanitary Commissioner, No. A.-680, dated 16th July 1875—
Submitting an Inspection Report on the sanitary condition and requirements of the city
of Ahmedabad.
RESOLUTION.—The thanks of Government should be communicated to Dr.
Hewlett for this very interesting and valuable report.
2. The report should be printed, and copies forwarded to the President of
the Ahmedabad Municipality.
3. The Municipality should be informed that Government have learnt
with great regret the exceedingly unhealthy state of the city of Ahmedabad,
in importance and population the second in this Presidency, as described by the
Acting Sanitary Commissioner and shown by the enormous death-rate, and that
His Excellency the Governor in Council is of opinion that the Municipality
should now immediately consider the steps necessary to carry out the most
important of the sanitary improvements sketched out by Dr. Hewlett, the most
urgent of which appears to be the improvement of water-supply. The report of
the Municipality on the measures they propose to take and the method of effect-
i n g t h e m w i l l b e a w a i t e d w i t h i n t e r e s t .
3. Copy of this report should be supplied to Mr. James Campbell, C.S.,
engaged in compiling the Gazetteer, and copy may also be placed upon the
Editors' Table.
W. G. PEDDER,
B 221-1 K
INSPECTION REPORT OF THE CITY OF POONA.
No. A/591.
To
THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
GENERAL DEPARTMENT, BOMBAY.
Office of the Sanitary Commissioner
for the Government of Bombay, 30th June 1875.
SIR,
I have the honour to report, for the information of Government, that I have
made an inspection of the City of Poona with the view of becoming acquainted
with its sanitary condition, and instituting a comparison between its present
state and that as detailed in Dr. Leith's valuable and well-known report dated
8th October 1863.
2. It will be unnecessary for me to describe its topography, geology, or
meteorological conditions, all of which subjects would properly form matters
of special investigation in a sanitary report, as they have already been given
by Dr. Leith, whose account of them may still be considered correct. It may,
however, be useful to state that the City is situated on the high ground
which attains an altitude of about 30 feet above the right bank of the Moota
River, along which it extends for a distance of a mile and a half, and to within
a quarter of a mile of its junction with the Moola River, which flows past the
Cantonment of Kirkee. It stretches from the river in an easterly direction for
about 2 miles, where it joins the limits of the Cantonment of Poona, which, as the
prevailing winds are westerly, thus lies to leeward of it. On the south it is bound
-ed by the Umbi Nullah; and on this side there are cultivated fields and open
country as far as the Katruj Hills, about 6 miles away; whilst on the north
-east the civil lines adjoining the Cantonment extend more or less towards
the railway, and beyond it as far as the bund and the FitzGerald Bridge across
the river Moota-Moola, opposite the village of Yerauda. The area under munici
-pal jurisdiction is stated to be about 4 square miles, but this calculation must
include the suburban and rural districts; for, as will be presently shown, the
urban sections occupy an area of only about 2.5 square miles. The City proper
is bisected by a deep and broad nullah called the Nagjheri, which runs from
south to north; whilst along part of the eastern boundary and between Gosai
-pura and Mangalwar Peth on the east, and Nana, Rastia and Somwar peths on
the west, is a smaller but still a broad nullah called Manik, which receives the
drainage from the sections it passes through. These two streams meet opposite
the filthy village of Maharwada, on the confines of Somwar Peth, and flow into
the Moota about 350 yards below the old bund.
3. According to the census of 1872 the population amounted to 90,436,
which exceeds the estimate of 1863 by about 10,000; whilst the number of
inhabited houses in 1872 was 11,434, against 10,245 in 1857, when a census was
taken. There were 1,416 of the better class inhabited by 17,270 persons; so that
in these there were 12.19 persons on an average in each house, whilst the houses
of the inferior class amounted to 10,018, with 73,166 inhabitants, or 7.30 per
-sons to a house. Of the 90,436 persons enumerated, 47,333—equal to 52.34 per
B
221-1 b
This is the average distribution in the city :—
Persons to
an Acre.
Persons to
a Square
Mile.
But in Shukarwár Peth there were . . .
76.33
50.500
"
Shunwár
do.
.
.
.
90.40
61,225
Even this does not present the excessive density of the population in certain
peths :—
Persons to
an Acre.
Mean Area for
each person in
Square Yards.
In Ganesh Peth there were . . .
113.90
4 2
" Aditwár . . .
122.00
40
" Vetal . . .
143.10
34
" Budhwár . . .
154.76
31
" Kasba . . .
155.07
31
5. The principal water-supply is drawn from a reservoir constructed by
the Peshwa among the Katruj Hills, at a distance of about 5 miles from the City,
from which it is brought in by an aqueduct, and distributed to nearly every sec
-
tion of it, the exceptions being Ghorpade's Peth, part of Shukarwár and part of
Vetal peths, which are of too high a level to admit of its reaching them. Water
from, the Kharakwásla Canal has also lately been laid on to part of Shukarwár,
Vetal, Gang, Bhowani, Nana, and Rastá's peths, and there are also ancient wells,
made during native rule by the heads of some of the old families, such as the
Chaudri, Rastia, and Nana Furnavis, which are situated at distances varying from
5 to 7 miles outside the City, and from which water is brought into it by means
of stone and lime masonry acqeducts. At present, the number of pipes laid into pri
-
vate houses is something under 100; but the water is generally distributed by means
of dipping cisterns which besidesbeing objectionable in principle, are of faulty con
-
truction, as they have generally a low ledge running round the top, on which the
drawers of water rest their chatty pots or iron and copper vessels, the consequence
being, thatmuch dirty water finds its way back into the cisterns, which being exposed
to the air get also fouled by dust and other impurities being blown, and by leaves,
flowers, &c., being wantonly throwninto them. I saw several cisternsin which there
were these objectionable matters. It will be seen from the table, that with the
present daily supply there are only 10 gallons per head of population ; but in some
of the peths, as for example in Bhowani, the supply from the Katruj Acqueduct is
miserably low, as it is stated that not quite three-quarters of a gallon are available
for each individual living in it ; but when the Kharakwásla water is laid on there
will be an ample one, and instead of 900,000 gallons per diem, the quantity, if the
population is to have the moderate amount of 20 gallons per head, will be at least
doubled. I should mention that 20 or 30 dipping wells have been built since
Dr. Leith's report, so that they now number 80.
6. When the Katruj Bund was made by the Peshwa, means were provided
for carrying off the water fouled in domestic use ; and though the sewers
were not constructed on modern principles, yet one cannot but admire the
foresight and prudence that recognized the danger of introducing a large volume
of water into the place, without providing channels for getting rid of it after it
had served its purpose.
7
posal of the body. I was informed the course pursued is, that the police attach
-
ed to the several peths go round their respective beats once a day, and enquire
from the householders whether any birth or death has occurred. In this man
-
ner I have no doubt that many births and deaths are not registered at all.
The number of deaths registered in the following years in Poona will be
seen below :—
Years.
Number of Deaths registered.
Ratio of Deaths per 1,000 of
Population.
Males.
Females.
Total.
Males.
Females.
Total.
1871 . . .
1,207
1,053
2,260
28.3
27.9
28.1
1872 . . .
1,665
1,492
3,157
40.7
39.5
40.1
1873 . . .
1,053
865
1,918
22.25
20.70
21.21
1874 . . .
1,078
923
2,001
22.77
28.41
22.12
and the different causes of deaths are shown in the next table:—
Years.
C h o l e r a .
S m a l l - p o x .
F e v e r .
B o w e l C o m p l a i n t s .
I n j u r i e s .
O t h e r C a u s e s .
A l l C a u s e s .
Ratio of Deaths per 1,000 of Population.
C h o l e r a .
S m a l l - p o x .
F e v e r .
B o w e l C o m - p l a i n t s .
I n j u r i e s .
O t h e r C a u s e s .
A l l C a u s e s .
1871 . . .
3
90
925
196
*
991
2,260
0.04
1.1
11.5
2.4
*
12.3
28.1
1872 . . . 309 135
1,412
151 37
1,113
3,157
3 . 9
1 . 7
17.9
2.0
0.4
14.2
40.1
1873 . . .
. . .
28
891
142 41
816
1,918
. . .
0.31
9.85 1.57 0.45
9.02
21.21
1874 . . .
. . .
91
968
89 41
812
2,001
. . .
1.01
10.70 0.98 4.34
8.98
22.12
The deaths were recorded to have taken place at the different ages below
mentioned :—
Years.
Born
Dead.
Not
exceeding
1 year.
1 to 6. 6 to 12. 12 to 20. 20 to 30. 30 to 40. 40 to 50. 50 to 60.
Exceed-
ing 60.
Tot a l .
1871 . . .
3
151
563
173
142
279
198
196
233
322
2,260
1872 . . .
4
182
790
178
180
338
314
258
271
642
3,157
1873 . . .
1
110
398
99
102
237
240
174
189
368
1,918
1874 . . .
†
141
483
99
142
236
196
175
227
302
2,001
* Details not shown in the Annual Report.
† The born dead are, according to the orders of the Government of India, now excluded.
8
The deaths according to castes are thus classified :—
Years.
Number of Deaths registered.
Ratio of Deaths per 1,000 of Population.
C h r i s t a n s .
M u s s u l m a n s .
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 u l m a n s .
H i n d u s .
O t h e r C l a s s e s .
Tot a l .
1871 . . .
23
233
1,883
121
2,260
87.78
25.85
23.30
335.18
28.1
1872 . . .
28
328
2,792
9
3,157
200.0
48.0
39.2
20.3
40.1
1873 . . .
17
188
1,703
10
1,918
64.89
20.85
21.08
27.70
21.21
1874 . . .
16
236
1,740
9
2,001
61.07
26.18
31.53
24.93
22.12
The ratio of deaths of children under 6 years age to the total deaths, was in each
year as under :—
Years.
Number of Deaths
under 6 years of age.
Total Number of Deaths
from all Causes.
Percentage of former
to latter.
1871 . . .
*717
2,260
31.72
1872 . . .
*976
3,157
30.91
1873 . . .
*509
1,918
26.53
1874 . . .
†624
2,001
31.18
Do.excluded.
The rate of infant mortality is of the greatest possible interest to municipal
officers ; for, as Miss Nightingale has said, "Children are, as is well known,
the very touchstone, the live tests, of sanitary conditions ; or, sadly, but too often,
the dying, and dead tests, of insanitary conditions."
From the above statement it will be seen that more than a quarter of the
total deaths occur among children, and this fact points to an unwholesome
atmosphere or insufficient or inappropriate food.
19. I append to this report two printed statements, which show the bal
-
ance sheet of the Municipality on the 1st April 1875, and give in detail the
public works that have been sanctioned for the current official year. It is
satisfactory to observe that after these have been constructed, it is estimated
that there will be a balance of nearly Rs. 6,000.
The following statement from the census of 1872 contrasts the rate of
municipal taxation in the under mentioned cities :—
Population.
Rate of Municipal
Taxation per Head
of Population.
Rs. a. p.
Bombay City . . . 6,44,405
4 11
7
Ahmedabad City . . . 1,16,873
1
4
5
Surat " . . .
1,07,149
2
1
6
P o o n a " . . .
90,436
1
1
1
Kurrachee " . . .
53.526
4 14
8
S h o l á p u r " . . .
53,403
0 14
3
Ahmednagar " . . .
32,841
1
1
7
So that, considering the important position Poona holds, the Municipal taxation
cannot be considered to be heavy.
13
29. The line of streets should be carefully laid down, and set-backs insisted
on whenever a house is re-built, and Dr. Leith's recommendations regarding
forming new streets to act as ventilating avenues from west to east, ought to
be steadily kept in view. A good beginning has been made in Rastia Peth, but
the road should be continued straight through the heart of the City.
30. I think the plan adopted by the Municipality, of selling the town
sweepings to the brick-makers, is most objectionable. These persons should pay
a license, and be made to keep their places in a cleaner condition than at present;
the town sweepings, which ought to amount to considerably more than 54 cart-
loads a day, besides 450 donkey-loads, should be either at once applied to the
fields, or be burnt, and the ashes used for distribution in the privies, and for
mixing with the nightsoil, as is done at Násik. The sale of the manure and
the improvements of public health would soon make up for any temporary loss
of revenue that might ensue. At the same time I must notice the very ineffi
-cient form of scavenging cart in use, and recommend that a pattern one should
be procured from Bombay.
31. Fountains ought to be substituted for dipping wells when the Kharak
-wásla water is supplied. Where accommodation is required for several persons at
once, a good plan is to have a covered iron or masonry reservoir, with taps fitted
all round it, with a ledge for chatty pots and vessels below the cocks. The
existing dipping wells might be improved by building a low wall round them so as
to prevent the water vessels being placed on the top, and by providing a proper
drain to carry away the wastage water. At many of them I saw cesspools,
which had become full, and from which the water was actually flowing towards
the cistern.
32. The beds of the Nagjheri and Manik Nullahs should be made more
even, so as to allow the flow of water, and thus prevent the stagnant pools which
now exist.
33. The state of the cattle stables throughout the City should be imme
- d i a t e l y i m p r o v e d . A p a v e d g u t t e r t o c a r r y a w a y t h e u r i n e s h o u l d b e m a d e a l o n g
the plinth of each stable, and the collection of dung and litter should be removed,
at least, once every day; whilst regulations regarding the disposal of dead-cattle
are also required; and attempts might be made to get some of the European
chemists in town to purchase them, as in Bombay, where their sale brings in a
revenue of upwards of Rs. 6,000 per annum.
34. The Municipality should at once compel owners to remove or enclose
ruinous buildings and vacant plots of ground; and the same body should order
the immediate eradication of the prickly-pear, wherever found, as it gives shelter
to all kinds of filth, and obstructs ventilation.
35. In conclusion, I have the pleasure to bring to your especial notice the
great assistance I have received from Mr. Nursoo Ramchunder, the able Secretary
to the Poona Municipality, to whom an expression of my acknowledgments for
the aid he has afforded me is due.
I have the honour to be,
Sir, Your most obedient Servant,
T. G HEWLETT,
Acting Sanitary Commissioner.
B 221-4 b
No. 2079.
GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
Bombay Castle, 12th July 1875.
Letter from the Acting Sanitary Commissioner, No. A.-591, dated 30th June 1875—Submit
-ting an Inspection Report of the city of Poona; and suggesting measures for its sanitary
improvement.
RESOLUTION.—The receipt of this valuable report should be acknowledged.
It should be printed in a form which will enable it to be bound up in the appen
-dix to the Sanitary Commissioner's next annual report, and the Superintendent
of the Government Central Press should keep by him sufficient impressions for
the purpose. Copies, when received, should be sent to the Collector of Poona
for his observations and those of the Municipality.
2. Dr. Hewlett's report on the water of Bombay and on the sanitary con
dition of Tanna should be printed in a like manner.
W. G. PEDDER,
Acting Secretary to Government
B 2 2 1 — 1 L
C I T Y O F P O O N A N o 5 9 1 1 6 0
PLAN
of
AHMEDNAGAR
(Signed) A.G.F.Hogg. Major
D . Q . M . G .
Litho: at the Govt Photozinco, office, Poora. 1877
Sitladevi, near the Topekhana Gate, another, with 16 seats for men and 14
for women, or a total of 30, which were frequented on the same day by 1,600
persons.
17. Outside the city the municipality have erected the following public
necessaries, for the use of which no fee is charged:—
1 s t
. — O n t h e w e s t s i d e o f t h e M a l i w a r a G a t e a n e c e s s a r y f o r m e n , c o n t a i n i n g
50 seats, which was used by 825 males on the 4th August; and another
on the east side of the gate for women, with 40 seats, where 1,075 females
attended.
2nd.—Outside, and on the north of the Malegaon Gate 2 necessaries for women, each con-
taining 14 seats, and which 860 females used.
3rd.—Outside the Delhi Gate a necessary with 40 seats for women, which was visited by
225 persons during the 24 hours.
4th.—Two necessaries on the Má1egaon Road, near the chunam kilns, each containing 7
seats for men, where 260 males attended on the 4th August.
5th.—Two necessaries for men near Khakada's Muth, each containing 7 seats, which
165 males used on the same day.
18. From the above statement it will be seen that the total public accom
-modation provided by the municipality amounts only to 266 seats, which were
visited by 6,410 persons on the 4th August, so that, of the entire population on
that day, only 18,690 used any recognized place for natural purposes. The
remaining 14,151 persons must either (as large numbers do) have gone to fields
situated across the river, or in the immediate vicinity of the town. The nullah that
Dr. Leith speaks of as being the resort of the neighbouring inhabitants on the west
side of the town, is, under the present more efficient supervision, no longer
defiled; but inside the city, at the back of a row of huts occupied by Mhars, close
under the walls, and near the Mungulwar Gate, it was seen that the inhabitants of
each hut had eased themselves in the immediate vicinity of their houses; and
such practices, although I did not come across any fresh instances, may be
surreptitiously indulged in. In a few places I saw that the public streets had
been defiled.
19. Allowing the usual amount of fœces and urine passed per head by a
mixed population, it will be seen that at 2.5 ounces of solid faecal matter, there
are voided—
32,841 x 2.5 = 82,102 ozs.
= 5,131 lbs. of solid fœces;
and at 40 ounces of urine per head of population,
32,841 x 40 = 13,13,640 ozs.
82,102 lbs.
36.65 tons
of urine;
but of the above amount, on the 4th of August, only 1.3 tons of fœces and
20 tons of urine could have been collected for removal from the entire 'population.
The quantity of urine passed in the wadgas and privies could, however, in reality,
not have been so collected, as certainly four-fifths, if not the whole of it, soaked
into the ground.
public view; and the solid matter is collected and buried in pits close by those
situated to the north of the town, whilst the liquid ordure passes into
cesspits outside, whence it is taken out, and thrown over the neighbouring ground.