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"I am to assure the Government of India that every precaution is taken
short of measures that would, it is feared, lead to the panic and the evils I have
described. The liberality of the Corporation and the energy displayed, by
Mr. Snow, Municipal Commissioner, Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-Oolonel Weir,
Executive Health Officer, and Mr. James, Executive Engineer, and their subor-
dinates are, as is surmised in paragraph (6) of your letter, appreciated by this
Government no less than by His Excellency the Governor General in Council,
and it is a very great satisfaction to the former to find these efforts are so cor-
dially acknowledged. But it is not only their energy that deserves notice ; it is
the conviction of this Government, as will be gathered from what I have written,
that they have shown sound sense. The measures taken may not have been so
stringent as those that would, in an European city, have gained general support,
but they are the most stringent that it was possible to undertake without almost
certainly producing a calamity more serious and more widespread than the very
terrible one that has now to be dealt with.
"At the same time the segregation of the healthy and the evacuation of
infected houses are recognised as desirable measures and are being and will be
carried out in so far as is possible without leading to a general panic.
"My telegram dated 10th instant has put you in possession of information
regarding regulations to be framed for Bombay City under the Epidemic Diseases
Act, 1897. A copy of these regulations will be sent to the Government of India
as soon as they are published.
"The question of strengthening the "building regulations and taking enlarged
powers to prevent overcrowding is one that is engaging the earnest attention
of Government, and will be made the subject of a separate communication to the
Government of India."
8. On February 2nd the Municipal Commissioner forwarded to Govern-
ment a draft notification for the cutting off of the water-supply from houses.
Foremost among the causes of the insanitary condition of many of the larger
chawls in Bombay City was the reckless use of the water, and the constant leak-
age of the badly constructed taps.
4. The notification ran as follows (after the usual preamble) :
"Whenever I shall be satisfied upon the representation of the Health Officer that any
water connection inside any house, chawl, or other premises is likely to be detrimental to the
health of persons residing there or in the neighbourhood thereof, I shall cause a standpipe or
other suitable accommodation to be provided or affixed outside such house, chawl, or premises,
and I shall thereupon cause the water connection with the interior of such premises to be cut
off."
5. The sanction of Government was accorded to this measure on February
2nd.
6. Another .measure referred to in the letter to the Government of India
of February 12th, namely, the prevention of overcrowding, was dealt with in
the notification published in the Gazette of the 10th February, and provided for
the reduction of the number of persons residing in any house by an order of the
Municipal Commissioner, the eviction of the inhabitants from a house pro-
nounced to be unfit for human habitation, and the forcible entry into a building
for the purpose of cleaning and disinfecting it after giving notice to the occu-
piers of not less than 24 hours.
7. A further telegram from the Government of India, dated February
12th, suggested a reconsideration of the telegram of the Bombay Government of
the 10th, and communicated to the Bombay Government for information a copy
of the regulation recently passed by the Government of Bengal for compelling
the evacuation of infected buildings. The experience at Karáchi, it was urged,
tended to show that if well-regulated temporary accommodation was provided,
and the executive and municipal authorities strenuously endeavoured to carry
out a scheme on a large scale, the population would not prove very difficult of
persuasion.
8. This together with the letter of the Bombay Government dated February
12th was sent to the Municipal Commissioner for early report on the 13th
Fehruary.