‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1919-20’ [‎317r] (181/192)

jlS) 19 *lS 20 .]
SANITATION.
149
, 0 f which Es. 58,83,927 were spent in improving water-supply, drainage
conservancy and other measures for promoting public health within municipal
limits.
Chapter VI.
VITAL STATIS
TICS AND MEDI
CAL RELIEF.
2 . There were 26 district cind 219 talukcr local boards with, aai aj^’OTG^ate
income of Bs. 88,49,132, out of which Es. 3,44,448 were spent on" works
connected with public health.
3 . The Bombay Sanitation Act of 1889 was in force in 538 villages
an increase of 33 on the previous year. Sanitary Inspection Books are now
maintained in 1,585 selected villages, entries in which are made from time
to time by the officers of the Sanitary Department.
Local boards.
Village sanitation.
4 . The religious fairs at Vautha in the Dholka tahika of Ahmedabad Pilgrim centres,
district and Shukaltirth in Broach district were held during the first week of
November 1919, at which 1,00,000 and 35,000 pilgrims, respectively, assembled.
At Dakor, the chief pilgrim centre in the Gujarat Begistration district, an
epidemic of cholera broke out, infection spreading to Anand, Kasur, Umreth
and Surali. In the month of July the Aland! Palkhi became infected while
passing through Bhor and Phaltan States. Infection was thus carried into
Pandharpur. As a result of treating the water-supply at Pandharpur
with permanganate the epidemic was brought under control and only a few
villages were infected by the out-going pilgrims. In the Southern Begistra-
tion district three villages were invaded by influenza as a result of importation
of infection from pilgrim centres, namely, Dharmatti of Gokak taluka infected
from Kodak in the Kolhapur State and Halsangi of the Indi taluka from
Pandharpur and Hirekop of Nargund peta also from Pandharpur.
5. Famine relief camps were opened in the Panch Mahals, Poona, Famine.
Satara and Ahmednagar districts. Beturns received from 23 relief camp
hospitals showed that 3,109 in-patients and 20,551 out-patients were treated.
There were 5 poor-houses, in which 1,427 patients were treated. Cholera was
first introduced at the Sheogaon famine relief works in the Ahmednagar
district from the Nizam’s State. It also appeared in the other famine works
in Ahmednagar and Poona districts but was quickly brought under control.
Measures were taken to disinfect water-supplies on a wide scale.
6 . The constitution of the Sanitary Board remained unchanged. The Sanitary Board,
whole of the amount of Bs. 1 lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , placed at the disposal of the Sanitary
Board, was distributed for minor sanitary schemes throughout the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent.
and Sind. Grants amounting to Rs. 91,081 were made by Government
for sanitary work in certain municipalities. A number of water-supplies
and drainage works were in progress or completed during the year. Eighty
projects, including minor sanitary schemes, were under investigation.
Borings for artesian water-supplies were in progress during the year at
Kaira, Dholera, Bavla and Nadiad. Borings at Banebennur near Huletti
on Hirekari Nalla, Jalgaon, Sholapur and Poona were put down to ascertain
the possibilities of water-supplies or to test for foundations. The staff under
the Sanitary Engineer reduced during the war remained so. With the
cessation of hostilities some of the long deferred schemes will be taken in hand
though revision of the cost will be necessary.
7. At the port of Bombay 1,348 vessels altogether with crew and inspection of vessels,
passengers numbering 430,786 were examined as against 1,268 vessels with
1*6443 crew and passengers during the preceding year. The clothing,
edding and other articles of 125,649 members of the crews and passengers
? °ut-going and in-coming vessels and of members of crews of vessels lying
i 11 the port were disinfected. Of these, 99,181 were Asiatic or African mem-
ers of the crews or third class or deck European or non-European passengers
^pilgrims, who left the port of Bombay for ports out of India, and 26,468
ere mei ^bers of crews, troops or passengers who arrived by vessels on which
!^ es infectious disease had occurred. In addition, 2,187 baggage coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory.
8 evedores’ men were disinfected in order to enable certain vessels to
the* car £° as early as possible after medical inspection and disinfection of
ca^ Cr , e y s an ^ passengers. One hundred and seventy-six vessels, on which
^ G ! ec ti°us diseases had occurred were disinfected and nine vessels
c carried pilgrims to Jeddah were thoroughly cleansed and freed from