48
At Lahore, which has deep wells of good quality, trouble arose in the distri-
bution system, the 20 year old pipes showing grave defects in many parts.
At Razmak, where the open channel and exposed pipe supply was a
constant source of trouble, 2 tube wells have been completed inside the " wire "
but the supply is limited. Traditionally tribesmen were never believed to
tamper with water supplies ; but during this year they not only cut the supply,
but poisoned the water with Picric acid. There were no untoward results.
In the Western Independent District at Fort Sandeman one Indian Hospi-
tal Corps man, employed as water chlorinator outside the fort, was murdered by
a pathan. At Karachi, there have been two acute shortages, and now water is
bought from the municipality. Manora now receives a piped supply, the old
water barges having been discarded. At Quetta chlorination has been reduced
to 0.25, the water is very good. Boring, to augment the supply in case of
summer shortage, was commenced in the Hanna river but had to be stopped
owing to the action of the local zemindars who exhibited " Oliver Twist "
propensities.
Swimming baths for British Troops .—W ork was in progress on the provision
of swimming baths and filtration plants at the following stations:
—
Rawalpindi.
Lahore.
Ambala.
Ahmedn agar .
Lucknow.
Water filtration plants were installed in the existing swimming baths at
Poona and Kirkee.
E. ANTI-MALARIAL MEASURES.
•
All reports from Hygiene Officers comment on the enthusiasm and skill
with which anti-malarial work was carried out in many cantonments. The
reports from anti-malarial officers show the intense interest which many
devote to this work.
During the year Rs. 1,58,000 were allotted for the work in cantonments :
Rs. 66,757 for works M. E. S. and Rs. 91,243 for non-M. E. S. works, labour and
other activities. In addition 14,480 gallons of Malarial were supplied and
11,500 gallons were used as a trial anti-larval measure in lieu of the crude oil
and kerosene mixture which. is normally issued on an as required scale and of
which 25,800 gallons are required annually.
As a protective measure when nets or. Bivi-nets, of which 2,000 were
issued in Waziristan, cannot be used an anti-mosquito cream has been made
available on an as required scale, and aluminium containers authorised on
a 25 per cent. basis for all stations. This cream was extensively tried out in
Waziristan in. 1937 and 1938 and proved most successful.
In construction work the policy has been continued of alloting a large
amount to one or two stations, e.g. Meerut and Jhansi, in order to carry through
major projects considered to he essential for the completion of the cantonment
general anti-malarial scheme with the idea that subsequently the work required
will be limited to maintenance and routine measures. In a number of canton-
ments in which the large works have been completed, maintenance now requires
very considerable expenditure, for example in the Poaka nullah, Peshawar,
Rs. 3,000 had to be expended on repairs. In view of this in many stations the
use of " Kuchha canalisation " is favoured in preference to expensive " pukka "
works. In the latter repairs take much time and money, in the former the
anti-malarial staffs can effect repairs rapidly and cheaply. For example at
Poona the main nullah has been dealt with effectively by grassing as follows.