20

No. 1997 of 1876.

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF BELGAUM,

To

      T. G. HEWLETT, ESQUIRE,

Sanitary Commissioner, Bombay,

Belgaum, Collector's Office,

12th October 1876.

      SIR,

      In returning the accompaniments to your letter No. 8976, dated 8th ultimo,
I have the honour to inform you that the Municipal Commissioners have duly
considered the report that you have made on the sanitary condition of the town
of Belgaum, and have passed the resolutions which are annexed to this letter.

      2. I beg at the same time to offer the following remarks on the sugges-
tions which you have made.

      3. The Civil Surgeon has been requested to take steps to procure the
necessary apparatus for analysing the water of the different wells; but he informs
me that there is no testing-box in his charge, and that as only one is allowed for
several stations in the Deccan and Southern Mahratta Country, he cannot say
when he can carry out my wishes.

      4. I entirely agree with you that a fresh water-supply to this town would
be an immense benefit to its inhabitants; but at present it is quite beyond the
means of the Municipality. It is not even known that water can be found in
the neighbourhood, and under any circumstances it could not be introduced
under a cost of two or three lakhs. The Municipality could not even afford the
expense of a survey for the purpose.

      5. Your remarks regarding the privies in the town have received the full
consideration of the Commissioners, and I wish it was as obvious to them as it is
to you and the European members of the Municipality how objectionable the
present system of disposing of the night-soil must be. It has been with very
considerable difficulty that I have induced the Municipality to consent to a
Halalkor Cess being imposed at all; and to close many of the pit privies and
induce persons to make use of either public or punch privies, or bhunghi privies
in their own premises, must be a work of time. It will of course be possible for
the Municipality to erect more public latrines as soon as their funds will permit
them to do so, and perhaps one or two blocks may be added to the town every
year. As these latrines are constructed and people use them, pit privies may
be closed; but I foresee many difficulties in substituting bhunghi privies for pit
privies, because, as you say, there are few sweepers' gullies and it will be difficult
to make them in many places. This system of pit privies has existed in Bel-
-gaum from time immemorial, and it is almost impossible to convince the people of
the objections to it, The Municipality have already taken steps to procure night-
soil carts of an improved pattern. One is now on its way from Bombay, and
others will either be made here or ordered as may be found desirable. I am
afraid the plan of sewage drainage recommended in your 42nd para will be quite
beyond the means of the Municipality for many years to come.

      6. The Municipality has lately engaged the services of a Health Superin-
tendent, Mr. Baretto, who has been in the service of the Poona Municipality for
several years. He seems a very active officer, and I have no doubt that under