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The U. S. Food By George P. Larrick President John F. Kennedy in a 1962 priate ingredients; and that all these speech to the United States Congress proclai- products be honestly and informatively med four basic citizens' rights which Presi- labelled and packaged. deat Johason reaffirmed in 1964 : The 1938 law is a modernization of The right to sefety America's first food and drug law of 1906. The right to be informed The right to choose The right to safety. Americans take for The right to be heard granted the benefits obtained from mira culous new drugs and chemical aids to food The President was speaking of the rights production and processing. But any tendency of citizens as consumers who, in the Ameri to take for granted that these products are can free-enterprise economy, must choose without potential danger ended suddenly in daily from among an overwhelming number the early summer of 1962. Complacency and variety of products. Many of these vanished when American families learned products are an intimate part of family that a sleeping pill containing the drug, living, such as foods, drugs and cosmetics. thalidomide, was responsible for the births Nowhere in the world do people buy of thousands of deformed babies in countries with so little hesitation. Nowhere do consu where the drug had been marketed for mers so readily accept new products, several years. It did not reach the American assuming they would not be on the market if market' because of because of the safety-clearance they were not safe and satisfactory. This is requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and due in part to the self-regulation of Ameri Cosmetic Act, and because of the refusal of can industries, and to the geacrally high an FDA medical officer, supported by her ethical standards of individual manufacturers. colleagues, to clear the drug on what she But it is due more particularly to Federal believed to be inadequate evidence presented laws designed to protect American consu. by the manufacturer. President Kennedy mers, and to the agencies which administer conferred a Distinguished Federal Civilian these laws. Service Award on the medical officer. One such ageacy is the Food and Drug The right to be informed. False or misleaAdministration (FDA) whose principal job is ding labelling of domestic or foreign proto enforce the Federal Food, Drug, and ducts marketed in the U. S. is specifically Cosmetic Act. Enacted in 1938, this law was prohibited by law. It is not enough to avoid designed to insure that foods be safc, pure untruthful statements. The label must tell and wholesome, and made under sanitary about the product in a way which will not conditions; drugs and therapeutic devices be mislead the purchaser. It must be easy to safe and effective for their intended uses; read and understand under ordinary condicosmetics be safe and prepared from appro tions of purchase and use. The right to cboose. Consumers must often ( Contioned from page 21 ) have information about a product in addition to its labelling. For example, the housewife availability of cheap power, transport of raw needs to know the general principles of nu. materials, and the ability to dispose of the trition to select a well-balanced diet for her manufactured goods without unduly, long family. She must be warned against false haulage, may play an important role. It information concerning - thc merits of diffcshould be possible to have a list of suitable rent foods. locations for each State, which might be considered at the time of deciding on the To enlighten its citizens and help them to location of new public sector units, and choose wisely from among competing protheir economics worked out in detail for ducts, the Food and Drug Administration such locations. has developed a consumer education pro Page 3
Chief Officer in New Punjab Municipal Set-up Section 81 of the Punjab Municipal Bill immediately inform the Government and also aims at enhancing the financial powers of forward to it a copy of the resolution susChief Officers. Whereas under the present pending the Chief Officer for such further Act the Chief Officer of I Class Nagar Sabha action as it may deem fit. (3) A Chief Officer may without the sanction of the Nagar Sabha, shall be forthwith withdrawn from the Nagar incur petty contingent expenditure inciden Sabha by the Government in pursuance of a tal to municipal administration to the extent resolution of the Nagar Sabha passed at a of Rs. 200, of II Class Nagar Sabha to special meeting convened for the purpose the extent of Rs. 150 and of III Class Nagar and supported by the votes of not less than Sabha to the extent of Rs. 100. The new two-third of the total number of members. section purposes to raise these limits to Rs. The Government may take such further 1000, Rs. 400 and Rs. 150 in the case of I, action on the resolution of the Nagar Sabha II and III Class Nagar Sabha, respectively, as it may deem necessary. The new limits appear more rational and In the Bill Section 86 reads as follows: proper. The Chief Officer may be transferred from a Section 82 of the Bill lays down that the Nagar Sabha by the Government in perChief Officer shall perform all duties and suance of resolution of the Nagar Sabha exercise all powers imposed or conferred on passed by two-third majority of members of the Chief Officer by the Act when the occa- the Nagar Sabha at a special meeting consion arises and shall be responsible for due vened for the purpose after giving him an discharge and exercise thereof except when opportunity of submitting any defence in he has to do anything on persistence of the this behalf as he might like; Provided that Nagar Sabha or the President in which case the Government may refuse to transfer if in the Nagar Sabha of the President, as may be, judiced against the Chief Officer due to his shall be responsible. This section seems to impose on the not complying with their illegitimate wishes or in such a circumstance the Government Chief Officer responsibility for the acts of others as well. For the fulfilment of the may transfer the Chief Officer with credit to him but it shall not be done more than once purpose of the Act the Chief Officer is not the sole authority. The Chief Officer should in case of the same Chief Officer. be made responsible for exercise and dis- The Bill also provides an alternative Seccharge of his own powers and duties. tion 86, which reads as follows :-(1) The In the present Act, Section 86 reads as Nagar Sabha may be two third majority of follows:-(1) The Chief Officer may, at any members of the Nagar Sabha at a special time, be suspended from office by the Nagar meeting convened for the purpose move Sabha on the ground of grave misconduct by Government for transfer of the Chief Officer a resolution at a special meeting called for if in opinion of the Nagar Sabha the Chief the purpose and supported by the votes of Officer has been responsible for implementanot less than two-thirds of the total number tion of its resolution or taking action on of members. (2) When the Nagar Sabha legitimate proposals of the members being takes action under sub-section (1) it shall ignored. (2) Thereupon the Government shall transfer the Chief Officer after giving him an opportunity of submitting such ( Continued from page 25 ) defence in this behalf as he might like to do Finally, the Minister suggested to the so, with discredit to him if resolution of the Conference that the council's member states Nagar Sabha is found just by the Goveraof Europe should work closely together in ment but if the resolution is found unjust fighting air pollution by examining the the Government may either refuse to transfer present arrangements for communicating the Chief Officer or transfer him with credit between themselves relevant scientific and to him but this shall not be done more than technological discoveries. once only in case of the same Chief Officer. Page 4
OCEANS WITHOUT SALT ! By Krishan Gujral On a quiet August evening this year, a of this endeavour would "free mankind from U. S. Presidential jet roared into Roswell, a na ture's tyranay" and make it possible "to small, sleepy town perched on the banks of produce water when and where we need it the Hondo River in the state of New Mexico. and at a price we can afford". When the plane taxied to a halt, 20 dis- The lowest cost achieved in the U. S. SO tinguished visitors stepped out. They hailed far is about $1 per 1,000 gallons. The next from distant lands such as India, Ethopia, target is about 30 cents per 1,000 gallons, a Saudi Arabia, Greece, Yugoslavia, South price competitive with the prescat-day water Korea, Australia and Argentina. costs in many American communities. They were diplomats all, each his country's This is considered possible within the ambassador to the United States. They had next few years, latest by 1970. The key to gonc to Roswell not on a diplomatic errand, this goal, according to top U. S. water technologists, is to build laiger, giant-sized A seven-day symposium on water desalting plants with capacities of 50 to 150 desalination will open in Washington million gallons per day, which, in one sweep, on October 3. Sixtythree nations, in would slash the cost to nearly one-third. cluding India, attended and discussed Five such techniques have been selected means of developing low-cost desalting techniques. by the U. S. Office of Saline Water for experimentation at its various demonstration but in quest of water, drinking water; to see projects. They are: (1) Distillation, (2) for themselves how this obscure American freezing, (3) hydrating, (4) electrodialysis, city is solving the age-old problem of turn- and (5) reverse Osmosis. ing brackish water into fresh water at low The first three processes are thermal in cost. nature, that is they are based on temperature Roswell is operating a pilot distillation changes, Pure water is obtained by evaporaplant which is producing one million gallons ting, or solidifying the_ocean water, thus of desalted water every day at a cost of $1.52 leaving the salts out. While distillation is per 1,000 gallons. The success of this experi- the oldest desalting method known to man, ment may ultimately shape man's ability to both freezing and hydrating have been meet the impending water famine, developed only recently. In hydrating, This is one of the five model demonstra chemical agents, like propane gas, combine with water, but not with salt, forming tion plants being run by the U. S. Government in different parts of the country; the crystals which, on slight heating, turn back into fresh water and the propane. other four are at: (1) Freeport, Texas (million gallons); (2) San Diego, California The other two techniques-electrodialysis (million gallons); (3) Webster, South Dakota and reverse osmosis-employ membranes to (quarter million gallons); and (4) Wrights- separate the salt from the water. Since sea ville, North Carolina (quarter million water contains only 3.5 per cent of salts, it gallons). is more logical to pull the salts out of the These plants are being operated by the water than to separate the water through U. S. Government to test and perfect eco- evaporation of solidification. nomical desalting techniques. The national Simultaneously with the research on the programme was recently expanded, and now conventional methods, the feasibility of has a budget of $185 million for the next desalting water through nuclear power is being increasingly tested in the U. S. It is While signing the legislation called the estimated that atomic energy could change Saline Water Conversion Act-President saline water into fresh water at about 22 Johnson expressed the hope that the success cents per 1,000 gallons-or less than one Page 5
fifth of the current cost-in addition to pro- American officials and scientists hope this ducing abundant supplies of electric power international exchange will be invaluable in as a byproduct. advancing the world desalting technology, The Bechtel Corporation, one of the and prove a giant step forward in the conti. largest engineering firms in the U. S., recen- nuing search for means to conquer water tly undertook a detailed study of the subject shortages all over the world. on behalf of the Interior Department, the Seminar On Water Desalination Atomic Energy Commission and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The possibility of converting salt water Their report has recommended the esta into potable water “is now in the realm of blishment of a 300-million-dollar dual-pur technical and economic reality”, Philippe pose plant south of Los Angeles to produce for Economic and Social Affairs, said in a de Seynes, United Nations Under-Secretary 150 million gallons of fresh water per day as well as generate enough electric power for a statement on September 22 in opening the first United Nations Inter-Regional Seminar city of two million, on the Economic Application of Water New York State, which was recently hit by Desalination. severe water shortages, has already ordered a nuclear-powered desalting plant for com Addressing participants from 35 coun. munities in the vicinity of New York City. tries and territories in closed session, Mr. To be constructed on nearby Long Island, it de Seynes declared that the seminar would will purify one million gallons of water discuss their common problem-the techdaily, besides producing 2,500 kw of electri- nical and economic possibilities for increascity and a substantial quantity of radioactive ing water supply through desalination, isotopes. The plant's capacity can be later Delivering the first lecture on the present increased to five million gallons per day by application and future outlook of water reducing the production of electric power. desalination, Joseph Barnca, Deputy DirecIn addition, plans are being worked out tor of the United Nations Resources and for a much bigger nuclear desalting plant to Transport Division, declared that there were supply New York City 250 million gallons presently about 100 desalination plants of water daily together with 2.5 million kw operating or under construction, with an of electricity. output of about 80 million gallons daily. The U. S., Mr. Barnea added : which has intensified its “Desalination has desalting research in recent years, has always now reached a certain stage of development shared its knowledge with other nations. and momentum, and it is now visualized that At the same time, it has welcomed suggest high cost of water is economically accept wherever water needs are critical, where tions from other countries improve its own techniques so as to make able, and where saline water bodies are them economically more competitive. nearby, desalination can provide a solution to the shortage of water." To share this knowledge on a still larger basis, the U. S. has sponsored an inter As for the future outlook, Mr. Bar nea national symposium on water desalipation in said that it would depend essentially on two Washington from October 3 to 9. Sixtythree factors, namely, the demand for desalinated nations, including India, are expected to water and its cost. participate. “Where a desalinated water supply exists”, The symposium is a major U. S. obser he continued, desalination is already used vance of the United Nations' International by all sectors, except irrigation, and it is Cooperation Year. It is expected to have unlikely that situation will change in the special significance for the developing near future. Desalinated water will remain, nations which, in the words of President as it now appears, far too expensive, under Johason, “must establish adequate fresh most conditions, for irrigation, although it water supplies if they are to achieve their may become cheap enough for a drinkingpotential. water supply for cattle." Page 6
Town Planning DELHI IN 1981 Delhi will compare well with any modern It also proposes to convert Ajmal Khan city in the West in 1981 provided the plans Road into a central business district. approved by the Delhi Development Authority are implemented "successfully." Arya Samaj Road will be widened to about 100 ft. to suit the development of the It will have more schools, more shopping area on either side. The road will have centres, more residential accommodation, two levels, one of them on stilts. better places of work and wider roads. The slums will disappear. The separation of fast-moving traffic along the road will ensure a pedestrian plaza Mr. K. L. Rathi, Vice-Chairman of the along the Ajmal Khan Road complex, withDelhi Development Authority, told news- in the central business area. men on July 30 that the most important consideration before the planners was that Referring to the Curzon Road arca, Mr. the plans should be implemented without Rathi said there would be little difficulty in affecting private properties. developing it. If it was necessary to acquire some The Master Plan had recommended chanprivate properties for the good of the ges in the character of land-use in this area. community, the owners would be paid com- The Government-owned land in this arca pensation as provided in the Land Acquisi- has been allotted for the purpose of grouption Rules, he added. housing, parking places and community The DDA, Mr. Rathi pointed out, bad centres. already invited objections by the people. Six higher secondary schools aro August 10 was the last date fixed for the required in this area. At present there are purpose. only three. The screening committee of the DDA Similar plans have been drafted for three will meet after Aug. 10 to look into the other areas, Ramesh Nagar, Kirti-Nagar, objections and, if necessary, amend the Qadam Sharif and Lawrence Road. plans. The amended draft will be submitted Squatters' City to the DDA which in turn will present it to Mr. Mehr Chand Khanna, Minister of the Government for final approval. Works and Housing, told the Rajya Sabha Mr. Rathi felt that there would not be at question-time on August 18 that the any difficulty in the implementation of the growth of jhuggies was threatening to con vert the capital of India into a squatters' Master Plan in New Delhi. But it would be a different matter in the case of Karol city. Bagh. He firmly rejected a plea for extension of the date already fixed, June July 1960, so Though the Karol Bagh arca had mostly been built after the partition, the housing that all those squatting unauthorizedly till condition was “generally poor with over that date were provided with alternative accommodation. croded dwellings and inadequate services and community facilities." Naturally it had Mr. Khanna admitted “defeat” in chec. over-crowded schools too. king the growth of slums and said the pro cess of their removal was not as quick as that The draft proposes to have a total of of unauthorized squatting, 141 primary schools, 15 higher secondary schools and many nurseries. At present But he would accept no responsibility for there are 10 primary schools and four higher providing alternative accommodation to secondary schools, run either by the Govern those who had been squatting after Juneecat or the local authority. July 1960. Page 7
Defence Fund. The Corporation has already Mysore donated Rs. 11,000 to the Kashmir Fighting Civic Elections Postponed Pand. An ordinance has been promulgated by Rajnandgoan Municipal Council the Mysore Governor postponing elections Mr. Kishorilal Shukla and Mr. Kanhiya to local authorities during the National lal Gultcha, both Congress, were elected Emergency and continuing the administraPresident and Vice-President, respectively, tors of local authorities. The Mysore Local of the Rajnandgaon Muncipal Council in Authorities (Postponement of Elections and Durg district. P. S. P. and Jan Sangh Continuance of Administrators) Ordinance, members supported the Congress in the 1965, says, among other things, that no gene. ral election to, or election to fill election against Congress candidates. any casual vacancy in any local authority shall be held, or if any such election has commenced, but Maharashtra the poll has not taken place, the office of Local Self-Government Day councillors or members of the local authori. ties who are in office on the date of commenThe All India Local Self-Government cement of the ordinance (and whose term or Day was observed in Bombay on August 31. extended term will expire during the period Inaugurating the observations, Mr. Salebhoy of operation of the proclamation of EmerAbdul Kader, M.L.A., emphasised the need gency) shall be deemed to be extended upto for the proper training of local leadership and inclusive of the last day on which the and the proper financing of local institu proclamation of Emergency remained in tions, operation. Mr. Kader also released a sketch on the Local authorities have been defined as life and work of Mr. C. D. Barfivala, who those constituted under the relevant Acts has devoted the greater part of his life to and include the Corporation of the city of the development and promotion of local Hubli-Dharwar, the Municipal Corporation self-government institutions. Coincidentally, of Bangalore, the other municipal bodies, it was also Mr. Barfivala's 78th birthday. taluck development boards, and town pan chayats and village panchayats. Future Of Nagpur Corporation Bangalore Corporation Maharashtra's Home Minister D. S. Desai The relations between the Mysore Govsaid in Nagpur on August 30 that the Cabi- ernment and the Opposition controlled net sub-committee dealing with the affairs of Bangalore Municipal Corporation are bethe Nagpur Corporation would soon be mee- coming increasingly strained. The Mysore ting to decide the fate of the civic body. A Government has refused to endorse the Corshow-cause notice had already been served poration's proposal to abolish the bicycle on the Corporation and the Corporation had tax which brings an annual revenue of Rs. submitted its memorandum opposing the 1.4 laks on the ground that the Corporation sapersession. needs all the resources it can muster. The Mr. Desai said that personally he would Citizens' Forum, which is in control of the favour giving the maximum possible oppor Corporation, has, however, announced that tunity to the civic body to mend its ways. it will not collect the tax in accordance with Unfortunately, however, the various groups its election pledge to the citizens. within the Corporation did not appear to be Bangalore Corporation's Gift To NDF inclined to co-operate with the Government. Mayor of Bangalore. on September 19 Sangli Civic Chief handed over a cheque of Rs. 1 lak to the Mysore Chief Minister representing the first Mr. Prabhakar Mahadeo Athavale was instalment of Bangalore Corporation's conunanimously elected President of Sangli tribution to the National Defence Fund Municipality on September 29. (NDF). Page 8
could be sought. But so far not a single ernment to see whether there had been a officer had asked fit. substantial compliance. Once the departure was condoned by the Government, its The Deputy made this announcement decision had been rightly made final, but it while replying to the debate on a nonofficial did not shut out an inquiry by the court. motion of Mr. P. D. Tandon (Nominated) seeking such a ban on Ministers and officers. Walk-out At Agra Corporation At his request and in view of what had already been done by the Government, Mr. Jana San gb, Republican and Independent Tandon withdrew the resolution. councillors of Agra Corporation walked out of a meeting of the Corporation on July 24 Hapur Water Tax as a protest against the use of English in its official work. The Supereme Court on September 23 by a majority of 4-1 set aside an order of the The Corporation had decided to use Allahabad High Court and held that the the Hindi in place of English in its proceedings. water tax imposed by the Hapur Municipal Board was valid. The meeting was discussing tenders for various works when the walk-out took place. The Board, by a resolution, imposed water tax from April 1, 1957. This was notified Mr. R. S. Agarwal, leader of the Jana by the Government, as required by Sec. 135 Sangh group, moved the resolution for the (2) of the U. P. Municipalities Act, 1916. walk-out stating that rules regarding the Fifteen house-owners challenged the tax tender works were distributed in English by on the ground that the proposal and the the Corporation office which was against its draft rules had not been published, and they policy. had been deprived of an opportunity to Mr. B. Agarwal (Independent) and a lodge their objections. Republican member criticised the CorporaThe High Court held that non-compliance tion's policy of continuing English although it had earlier decided to switch over to with the mandatory provision of the Act rendered the tax illegal. Thereupon the Hindi. Later the members belonging to the three groups walked out. Board appealed to the Supreme Court. It was contended on behalf of the Board Blackout In Nine Towns that whatever the defect, it was rectified in view of Sec. 135 (3) of the Act which provi Complete blackout on the Delhi pattern ded that a notification under Sec. 135 (2) was was observed in nine towns of the State on a conclusive proof that the tax had been September 18. imposed in accordance with the provisions These towas are Lucknow, Allahabad, of the Act. Kanpur, Banaras, Agra, Bareilly, Meerut, Mr. Justice Hidayatullah said certain Mughalsarai and Gorakhpur. provisions were vital for the imposition of a A State Government spokesman said tax and they must be complied with as they skeleton schemes were also being, prepared were mandatory. for 28 other towns for being put into effect But, there were others which may he when necessary. complied with substantially and not literally because they were directory. In the nine towns mentioned above, air raid precaution schemes have been introAfter examining the relevant provisions, duced. Rehearsals will be held frequently Mr. Justice Hidyatullah said the complaint and for this purpose trenches are being dug. was of a breach of one of the provisions, Exercise in fire-fighting, first aid and which could only be regarded as directory. messenger service are already being orgaIn case of minor departures, especially in nized. Fresh fire-fighting equipment has matters not fundamental, it was for the Gov. Page 9
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An uproar lasting half-an-hour, punctuated criminal to do so" he shouted Jana Sangh with cries of "shame", "shame” and the members loudly denied this; and Mr. Balraj thumping of desks marked the proceedings Khanna promptly climbed on top of his of Delhi Gorporation on October 11. desk, microphone in hand, to declare that he The Deputy Mayor, Mr. H. K. L. Bhagat, important” broadcast by the Prime Minister was not coming down until the "vitally kept pleading: “For God's sake, keep on food was taken for discussion. This quiet", but order returned only when the up was the climax. Shouts of “shame, shame" members had apparently shouted themselves filled the air. Some called for a photograph hoarse. It was an uproar the like of which of the member. As laughter mixed with the has not been witnessed for many months. shouts, the Deputy Mayor was somehow It started innocently enough, with a able to assert his authority and persuaded request from the leader of the Jana Sangh, Mr. Khanna to resume his seat. Mr. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, for a discussion on Delhi's fourth Plan. Mr. Bhagat disallow- Another Co-ordination Committee ed this, first on the plea that Mr. Malhotra's Bombay Corporation has a Co-ordination motion for discussion had reached him only in the morning, and, later, on the ground of the State Government, which helps in Committee at which also sit representatives that the Plan was anyway coming up for discussion next week. quick disposal of matters which require understanding between the State Goveromcat Mr. Malhotra insisted that at least the and the Corporation. Delhi Corporation has food production part of it be discussed been forced to set up a co-ordination comespecially the matter of the 100,000 acres mittee to ensure better co-ordination betfrozen by the Ģovernment and lying useless. ween its several branches. The land could be brought under cultivation Delhi Corporation on October 11 elected to augment food production, he said, Mr. the six members of the Co-ordination ComBhagat did not agree. He said it was the mittee it had earlier resolved to constitute for concern of the Delhi Administration and not the “proper" co-ordination of working of its within the DMC's purview. generel wing and of its three undertakings. A Congress member, Mr. Trilochan Singh The following are the members : Mr. suggested that a special meeting be held later Nur-ud-Din Ahmed (Mayor), Mr. H. K. L. for consideration of specific schemes for Bhagat (Deputy Mayor), Me. Des Raj Chaqaugmenting food production. Mr. Balraj dhary (Chairman, Standing Committee), Mr. Khanna (Jana Sangh), however, demanded Vasu Dev (Chairman, DTU), Mr. Amar an immediate discussion. This was the first Nath Chawla (Chairman, DESU), and Dr. meeting of the Corporation this month and Roshan Lal (Chairman, Water Supply and a discussion would be in order, he said. The Sewage Disposal Committee). chair, Mr. Bhagat told him, would not be dictated to by anyone. It was about this The members were elected unopposed but time that the exchanges began heating up. not before a protest was registered by the leader of the Jana Saagh group, Mr. Vijay Things were not helped by a suggestion Kumar Malhotra, that his group would from two Congress members that if a discus refrain from voting, since the committee's sion on stepping up food production was composition seemed entirely a "Congress to be held it should be held immediately affair". since the time for rabi sowing would soon be coming to a close. The Deputy Mayor The leader of the Congress Party, Mr. Brij Mohan, however, assured him that there seemed to agree and, after consultations with the leader of the Congress Party. Mr. Brij was no political colouring in the matter; it Mohan, announced that a special meeting had been actually made clear even at the time could be held this week itself. One Congress of passing the resolution that the committee member remarked at this stage that the would comprise the chairmen of the four Opposition was needlessly injecting politics existing committees of DMC, besides the into what was a national question : “It is Mayor and the Deputy Mayor. Page 11
the Provencal, while his rivals, the Meridio- tion, or about the man himself. His passion nal, an extreme right-wing daily owned by for yachting, his middle-class respectability, another Protestant newspaper king and his English clothes, his admiration for Ame shipowner, and the Communist Marseillais, rica, and to a lesser extent for England, do conducted a war of attrition every morning. not reflect the general tone of French There were nine court actions arising Socialism. from the election campaign, ranging from U K. extortion and kidnapping to libel. Deferre had accused the Communists and Gaullists Indian Architectural Student's Work of collusion in an effort to defeat him. Acclaimed In U. K. Marseilles politics are famous throughout An Indian architectural student, 26-yearFrance, but as one observer put it, "times old Deepak Kulkarni, has designed a project have changed, we don't have the street fights costing £2,250,000 (Rs. 3 crores) for a and cut-throat battles any more.' double-storey motel, casino, restaurant and The city has about it something of Naples from Liverpool. a service station at St. Helens, about 15 miles and of Athens. It has always been a haven for left-wing Italians and Spaniards, fleeing His design has already been acclaimed as a from Mussolini and Franco. More recently striking example of modern achitecture which these have been balanced by the 120,000 would be an asset to the area. cx-colonials from North Africa. The pro- Mr. Kulkarni, who comes from Bombay, fessional classes of the city are largely formed arrived in Britain in 1962 and is now study. by Corsicans (more than 100,000) and it is ing for a Master's degree in architecture at this heterogeneous mixture which makes the Liverpool School of Architecture. Marseilles politics so volatile. He was chosen for the project by the Although Deferre . runs on a Socialist agent, Mr. John Morgan, who was impressed ticket, his support comes mainly from the by a block of flats which Mr. Kulkarni had right-wing bourgeoisle, the Greeks, the designed. North African Jews, the less less extreme Biggest Challenge Algerian expatriates and the Armenians. At one political meeting one of Deferre's' sup “I saw this as the biggest challenge of my porters addressed the crowd in Armenian. career'', said Mr. Kulkarni. “There is not much modern development in St. Helens, so They back his cause, not on account of my aim was to bring something that was his ideology but for what he has done in the up-to-date and streamlined." way of resettlement, industrial grants and housing. In his 12 years as Mayor he has In his design, a model of which has been brought the city from bankruptcy to pros made, he has blended the traditional Eastern perity, earning him a national reputation as style of design with the modern Western an administrator. outlook in architecture. The pyramid-shaped casino will be linked to the motel, which It is a far cry from socialism. One pro- will be built on stilts. The casino, which minent Socialist, M. Daniel Matalon, a will overlook a lake, will have three sloping former deputy mayor, refused to associate roofs of brass or copper. Mr. Kulkarni has himself with Deferre's coalition and split to even designed the roof of the casino to ally himself with the Communists to form a match the shape of the hills on the opposite "popular front.” As the election results side of the lake. show, Matalon took very few Socialist votes with him. Lavish praise for the design has been But as for the presidency ......even fiercely given by Mt. Morgan, who has submitted the plans to the authorities. If all goes well, partisan local supporters say Deferre hasn't a work will start on the project next year, chance against de Gaulle in December." Progressive Ideas The Socialist Party have given Deferre their approval to carry their fag. There is Commenting on Mr. Kulkarni's work, he nothing Socialist whatever about his coali ( Continued on page 7 ) Page 12
hide & skin market in Parade is a dangerous part of the city in almost all directions thing in the sense that it pollutes the catire creating traffic bottle-necks. atmosphere. Roads:-The land under the use of roads is 862.3 acres. Industrial Use :-Land under industrial The important roads of the use in the city of Kanpur is 1407 acres i. e. city are G. T. road whose width ranges from 2.4% of the total incorporated area and 9.4% 92 to 179 ft. Kalpi road which has a width of the whole developed area. The industries ranging from 99 to 155 ft., Mall road 95 to established in the 19th century are located in 118 ft. width, Halsey road having 85 to 104 the thickly populated residential localities ft. width, Meston road having 68 ft. width, like Parade, Paramat, Latouche Road, Rail- Latouche road having 68 ft. width, Birhana bazar, Anwarganj, Darsanpurwa and Phool road having 41 ft. width, 'P' road having 60 bagh with the result that they suffer from air ft. width and Benajhabar road having 74 ft. pollution, noise and chaos. The newly width. The oldest of all these are G. T. developed industries are located along the road and Kalpi road width directly link the Kalpi road in Pazalganj and Jajmau of which city with other important cities of the prothe former one is, again, sandwiched bet vince and the country. The unsual increase ween residential colonies. Probably the area in population, commercial and industrial was selected for the purpose because some activities and consequently the increase in administrative activities have created serious very important factories like Small Arms Factory, Gun factory, Singh Engineering traffic problems. Works, Jute Mills, Cotton Mills and Flour Transport Agencies:--Area under the use Mills were existing there and also because of of transport agencies is 2.8 acres. The the availability of land at this place. agencies located in Collectorganj, Dhankutti, Birhana Road and Canal road. Recreational Use :-Land under recreatio They are found mostly on the ground floor nal use in the city is 259.8 acres i. e. 0.5 of of the residential houses and have no parking the total area and 1.7% of the whole deve spaces nor the spaces for loading and unloped area. The density works out to be loading the goods. The trucks are parked 1000 persons which is very low along the roads blocking the whole road and below minimum standard required to meet width. the basic necessities of the inhabitants. The use includes parks, playgrounds, clubs Use of Public Facilities:--Land under pubstadiums etc. Most important among them lic facilities is 1443.2 acres i. e., 2.5% of the are the Memorial Well Park, Ganesh' ůdyan, incorporated area and 9.4% of the whole Allen Forest, Kamla Retreat, Green Park developed area. Further break-up of this and Moti-Jheel. category is described below. Educational Institutions:- Area under the Circulatory Use (Railways) :-Land under use of educational institutions in the city is the use of railways is 1024.3 acres within the 814.3 acres. Most of the primary schools city. This includes Central railway station, are located in rented buildings adjoining Juhiyard, Old Kanpur station, Loco area, residential and religious buildings. There Anwarganj Station, Gutaiya station Kallyan are 549 educational institutions in the city pur railway station. The Central station is comprising 5 technical institutions and located in between the city area and Kanpur research centres, 10 degree colleges, 59 Cantonment. Kanpur is the junction for higher secondary schools, 51 junior high several railway lines: Kanpur-Calcutta and schools and 429 primary schools. There is Kanpur-Lucknow line under Northern Railway, Kanpur-Banda & Kanpur Jhansi institutions. Most of them are working in no scope for future expansion of these under Central Railway and Kanpur-Fatehgarh several shifts because they run short of of North Eastern Railway. The Goods Shed enough seats. Many of them do not have situated in Collectorganj, the most congested recreational facilities. part of the city because of the transport agencies and a grain market there. The Hospitals and Dispensaries: The total railway lines have penetrated in the interior number of 65 hospitals and dispensaries in Page 13
There was ample reason for the clamour Glorious Past for a separate identity. Land sold at Rs. 7 per Tolerance and non-violence, the idea of sq. yard in the city rose to Rs. 40 in the live and let live, were bred in this part of twinkling of an eye. Oddly, the “pugree" India. The Gujarati has a long and glorious system which saturates so many transactions in other cities, has seeped very slowly history of civilization and of abundant tole rance. He has been deeply influenced by through Ahmedabad society. It is barely Jainism and Vaishnavism. Why then now noticeable. this spirit of regional isolation in a people Expanding City outwardly tolerant, who have pioneered Indian trade in every corner of the world? Since Gujarat became a State, Ahmedabad has expanded her industry; beautiful houses Perhaps non-violence grew and flourished have appeared like choice mushrooms in the in Gujarat because this region was for censuburbs : but the flat system is still almost turies robbed and plundered by violence unknown. The city has ample space to ex from outside. For 15 centuries Gujarat pand—in spite of the proposed green belt was ruled and exploited, from the days of out, instead of up. The one or two third Chandragupta Maurya to the Muslim conclass hotels and scruffy cafes have multiplied quest in the 13th century. The Saka tribe and improved in the past eight years. Now ruled Gujarat for nearly 300 years; from 70 there are a couple of decent hotels with more B. C., the Guptas, the Gujjars and the Arab coming up, though in comparison with other invaders from Sind. places, standards are low. Four centuries of Moghul rule drove the Though still a deficit State, Gujarat is Hindus into isolation. The Muslim conquest unlikely to remain so. Gujaratis do not was followed by further rulers of the Khilji squander money, hence the comparative and Tughlug dynasties, and the original civilidearth in the capital city of places of enter zation slowly decayed, as the Portuguese, the tainment. Ahmedabad is save money and British, the Moghuls and the Marathas occuinvest it. It is not in their nature to waste pied Gujarati soil. Before 1947 Gujarat had hard earned funds on idle pleasures. Life not known independence since 1573, when means business. The storage of furniture Akbar invaded it. and fancy goods shops in the city is one On The March proof of frugal living. Into the city come daily the big news Ahmedabad, once a thriving and beauti papers from Bombay. They are read by non ful city, clean and prosperous at a time when Gujaratis. Local people are interested main the cities of the world were steeped in filth ly in stocks and shares. Gujaratis are not and disease, is on the march again, rising over-fond of books. In all Ahmedabad there out of a period of decay. It is not just a is only one bookshop which merits the name, city of belching mill chimneys and industrial and that is small. Outside the city centre, squalor. It has less of squalor, less poverty not a single wayside stall or small shop than most Indian cities. Beggars do not caters to the reading public, because such a clamour as they do in Delhi, Bombay or Calpublic does not exist. cutta, for they are few Some sort of a job is available for anyone who is not afraid of In this forgotten city, lying by choice work, and Ahmedabadis are industrious outside the general stream, one and hard-working, though educationally back the isolationist policy of Gujarat for backward. centuries. The “pole" system of building, rings of houses one within the other like a Trees, parks and gardens flourish in this cas bah, is peculiar to Ahmedabad, as also city of dust, for they are carefully tended. Water flows copiously from taps, even in the persistent modern trend of building housing societies for particular castes and the suburbs-something no other Indian city sub-castes. It is rare to come across a Mus can boast of. Epidemics in Ahmedabad are lim, Parsi or Christian family outside the rare, for the water supply is ample, if not adequately distributed, and clean. Mosquicity centre. Page 14
This is a key to stronger and more stable Nothing will do more to put federalCanadian economy. I am not a professional provincial financial discussions into proper economist, but I ask you to consider whether focus and to justify prompt decisions than we do not need in this country—whether in the programs that municipalities will put fact we do not have the unparalleled op- forward for the building and rebuilding of portunity-to put our own resources of Canadian communities: materials and men into an accelerated program for the growth and improvement of The Federation has already gone a long our towns. way toward voicing this demand in its annual submissions and other statements, I Canada is one of the countries that is fortunate in having all the physical resources can only suggest: let us redouble our efforts. necessary for the building and rebuilding of Under-representation in legislatures cities and towns. Does this not provide us must be corrected with an opportunity to create a steady and increasing market for our There is a disturbing obstacle to the own Canadian labour and materials?-transforming our welfare of our urban ple which I think own skills and materials into a vastly better we are too silent about. This is the unenvironment for living? balanced representation in our legislatures, both federal and provincial. The current The statement that this Federation has delay in facing up to this problem in the made a number of times to the Federal Gov. Federal Parliament is almost unbelievable. ernment should be repeated over and over Are we to remain silent while still another again until it becomes the basis for a dyna- Parliament, elected on the basis of an outramic program: geous disregard of the principle of equal “As at no previous time, our three levels. voting rights, neglects its duty of correcting of government today have the opportunity this injustice? and the responsibility to stimulate the healthy The great majority of the Canadian development of the nation's economy by people, dwelling in cities are denied equality taking concerted action to select the projects... of political representation. This is not a which will not only employ people and enable partisan question. I quote again from the private enterprise to employ people, but will address of Mayor Summerville last year. employ them in fulfilling a need for essential Speaking of the fact that over 70% of community facilities and services." Canadian live in urban municipalities, and of Since, as municipalities, we hold the key the continiuing movement into the cities, he to this double-barrelled assault on the pro- said: blem of employment and community-build “Unfortunately they don't bring their ing, let us not be shy about defining the rural or small-town voting strength with aims; let us not wait until financial solutions them. The moment they become city fall into our laps. It is a mistake to think dwellers they are automatically dowothat financial solutions come first; financial solutions will follow from the irrestible logic graded, along with the rest of us, into second-class citizens under the antiquated of the program itself. I suggest that it is system of representation we have in our our opportunity and responsibility, through the Federation and through our provincial legislatures—both federal and provincial. Their individual voting strength may be Associations and in our individual munici only one-half or one-third-yes, and in palities, to some cases only one-fifth-of what it was declare our programs, in their rural or semi-rural riding." to estimate the cost of the investment, I am sure that this Federation will reaffirm to show the value of the investment to the the strong stand it has already taken on Canadian economy and to the quality unequal representation. Without question, of Canadian life, and this is one of the main impediments to to submit our demand for the necessary municipal progress for that vast majority of sharing in that investment. Canadians who are, in effect, partly disfran Page 15
to various factors, which are mainly that bodies would take up works to mitigate the sufficient funds are not available, and the hardships, public cooperation is essential villagers constribution and agreement to It is, therefore, a period of test and the peomaintain the works are not forthcoming. ple will have to manage with reduced water In addition, reasons for slow progress are supplies. want of suitable technical staff i. e. Assis Fourth Five-Year Plan tant Enginecrs and Overseers for working in The State Government have given a very rural areas as there is general shortage of Engineers in the State. Moreover rural areas high priority for water supply and a proviin Madhya Pradesh suffer for want of proper sion of Rs. 50 crores was suggested for the communications and most of the villages are Fourth Plan. Due to unexpected hostilities unapproachable. Jeep is the only suitable and emergency conditions prevailing, the conveyance for rural areas but these are not Plan has to be defence oriented. Side by available in required number. There are side, a greater importance has to be given to certain areas in Madhya Pradesh specially the food production and, therefore, the Plan tribal areas where the population of each outlay for this sector is likely to be reduced village or Tola is extremely small and to Rs. 35 crores. During the first year of the Fourth Plan funds proportional to the piped water supply schemes become extremely costly in capital cost and maintenance total outlay are not likely to be available. cost due to non-availability of ground water. It is anticipated that only Rs. 130 lacs would The State Government have sanctioned 15 be available for the first year of Fourth Survey Sub-Divisions and taken up surveys Plan. This is hardly sufficient to continue the urban schemes in hand and provision for providing water supply in the rural areas. In addition Government of India for rural water supply is likely to be limited to about Rs. 25 lacs. have provided one division and 4 sub-divisions for rural surveys. Considering the area (M. P. Information Directorate) of Madhya Pradesh which is the largest State in the Union, this staff is considered inade New York's Proposed “Pure quate. The Goveroment of India have been Water” Programme requested to provide additional staff. The A $1.7 billion programme to combat available staff have been able to prepare 42 pollution sources in New York State awaits schemes covering 320 villages and further approval of the state's voters in November. surveys are in progress. Under the provisions of a programme proIt is estimated that over 13 crores would posed by Governor Nelson `A. Rockefeller be needed even to provide minimum water and passed unanimously by both houses of the requirements to all the villages of this state state legislature, one billion dollars in state alone. It is estimated that funds to the debt would be created to combat water pollaextent of Rs. 60 crores would be needed if tion as part of a six years crash programme. all urban population is to be provided with New York's so called "pure water” prowater. Underground drainage schemes which gramme includes plans for state aid of thirty are also essential would need a further sum per cent and prefinancing of the full federal of Rs. 62 crores. The total need would be share up to an additional thirty per cent of in the order of 132 crores. This is a very the cost of the construction of public sewage large sum and the works would take consi- treatment facilities. The act would exempt derable time for surveys and execution. waste treatment facilities constructed by Scanty Rainfall In 1965 private industry from local real property taxes and provide in the year of construction In addition to these difficulties, the state is for a deduction under the state income tax now facing a severe water famine due to laws of the total cost of the facilities. scanty rainfall during the last monsoons. The act also provides for quicker and Water reservoirs were not filled and flow in majority of rivers have already dwindled more rigid enforcement of the State's anti. down. This has aggravated the existing pollution laws. ( Continued on page 31) problem. While the Government and local Page 16
The Problems Of Mass Transportation In Bombay
Greater Bombay is growing at a faster Many streets of the central business disrate than any other metropolitan area in the trict are adequate only for pedestrian and country, not excluding Greater Calcutta. cart traffic, while the present requirements are for fast moving vehicles. This is shown The population of Bombay within the limits of the Municipal Corporation (169 by the width of the existing streets and also in the relation of roads to neighbourhood square miles) increased from 17 laks in 1941 to 42 laks in 1961 and it is expected to units and in the arrangement of intersections. Intersections of arterial roads ultimately touch 70 laks in the next decade. limit the capacity of an urban road network. The density of population on the Bombay Island averages 105,800 person's per square In addition to the problems created by mile and for the Bombay Municipal Corpora increase in population, vehicles and vehicle tion averages approximately 24,600 persons. movements, there numerous traffic 22% of the area's population or 886,000 barriers like the railways, the creeks and the persons live within two miles of the centre harbour which retard and complicate traffic of Bombay's commercial area. 58% of the movements. Mixed traffic of animal and population is concentrated within six miles mandrawn carts and automobiles also cause of the central business district. considerable congestion in the traffic stream. Employment in the GreaterlBombay area Two major north-south routes form the is even more concentrated. Over 40% of basis of the arterial system on Bombay the area's total employment of 1,301,900 Island. Traffic counts clearly establish the (1961-62) is located within two miles of the north-south orientation of heavy traffic on city centre and nearly 80% within a radius of the Bombay Island. The heaviest flow is six miles. on Netajisubhas Road (Marine Drive) along Registration of vehicles within the area which move 48,000 vehicles a day. Volumes has been increasing at an even faster rate. exceeding 30,000 vehicles move along a The number of vehicles has increased from number of other roads. 38,000 in 1955 to over 110,000 presently. Private cars have increased by over 75% and Flows of traffic assume tremendous intenthe iacrease for all cars, trucks and taxis sity in the vicinity of the bazar area and the together has been over 100% during the past Fort. About 53,000 fast vehicles which ten years. move down the island daily from the north are joined by others along the way to total During the last six or seven years the 164,000 crossing Maulana Shaukatali Road number of bus passengers has gone up by and 162,000 crossing Caroac Road. Vehicles nearly 70% and that of suburban railway entering the Fort from the south number passengers by 45%. All these have put a about 54,000. heavy demand on Bombay's roads, many of which were built for more leisurely traffic. On the Bombay Island, contrast between low speeds attained on the Mohamedali-Dr. Inadequacies Of Bombay's Roads Ambedkar-Sion Road route and higher Functionally, Bombay's roads may be speeds on the Netaji Subhas. Reddar grouped into two classes : roads and streets Hornby Vellard--Cadell Road route is evident. predominantly serving local needs of access There is a serious inadequacy of routes and circulation and arterial routes which penetrating the bazar area which allow afford communication between different parts reasonable speeds in movements of vehicular of the city. It is on these arterial roads (154 traffic. toiles63 in the city and 91 in and beyond the suburbs) that most travel is concentrated The major taxi movements are also locatalthough they account for less than one-third ed within the central business district. 53% of the total road mileage in the Bombay area. of all taxi trips have origins or destinations Page 17
within the central business district. In fact, ximately 16.2 lakh passengers are carried on Bombay's 6,500 registered taxis between the suburban railways. Between 1958-59 and them make 240,700 trips and this accounts 1962-63 there was a 47% increase in passenfor a higher total of daily vehicle trips than ger traffic on the Central Railway, as compathose made by the 42,000 registered private red with 22% for the Western Railway. automobiles. Most people who commute to work or to Pedestrian movement within the central school by rail use monthly or quarterly business district is a problem to reckon season tickets. The lower telescopic fare per with. One-hour counts at two railway ter- mile charges on monthly and quarterly mini were taken. Between 9-30 a.m. and season tickets makes the rail journey both 10-30 a.m. 42,400 pedestrians were found popular and expedient to longdistance comto cross the streets in front of the Church- muters. The speed and economy of rail gate Station and 21,500 in front of the travel thus make it the preferred mode for Victoria Terminus. journeys over longer distances between the central business district and Bombay's farVery often the stream of pedestrians Aung suburbs. The average distance travelspills on to the roadway because the foot. led by a rail commuter is eight miles as path is occupied by vendors. The high against half as much by a bus passenger. incidence of interference between pedestrians and vehicular traffic in many parts of the Bus transportation in the Bombay Muoi. city indicates the need for better regulative cipal Corporation area is provided by the measures. Bombay Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST). Beyond the limits of Modes And Problems Of Mass the Corporation bus transportation is furniTransportation shed by the Maharashtra State Road Trans port Corporation. All these factors have complicated the problem of mass transportation in Bombay. Public conveyance in Bombay is based on Bus coverage is generally for people the city's electrified suburban railways and living within a quarter-mile distance from each side of the route system. All suburban an efficient road transit system. It can be communities are covered by the system, assumed without question that the economy barring a few isolated areas on the Bombay and the shape of the city would not be what Island. they are now if low-cost mass transportation was not available to its working people. Traffic trends over the last three or four And in a metropolitan city the demand for years show that there has been an average transit service for travelling to work is certain to multiply even if private passenger increase of about 4% per year in the number of passengers carried by the Best buses. In travel gains in importance. the year 1962-63, an average of 1,809,000 bus passengers were carried per day. SubThe electrified suburban services of the urban buses operated by the State Transport Western and the Central Railways cut Corporation carried an average of 24,000 through the core of the city with terminals passengers per day. Comparatively speaking, at Churchgate and Victoria Terminus, both a Glasgow or London bus carried only about in the commercial centre. 1,000 passengers per day whereas a Bombay bus carries almost 2,000 The suburbån service of the Western passengers. Tee authorities in Bombay Railway extends to Virar, 38 miles north of have to put more vehicles on the road in the churchgate Station. On this distance, about coming years to clear the long queues that 28 miles lie within the Greater Bombay area. form at the bus stops during peak periods. The suburban system of the Central Railway BEST has plans to increase its fleet to 2,000 reaches to Kalyan, 34 miles from Victoria buses during the next ten years so as to carry Terminus. On an average week-day appro- 35 lakhs of commuters daily. Page 18
A spate of supplementaries followed. A Deputy Mayor H. K. L. Bhagat, who common theme was that so much money presided, reminded Mr. Malhotra the House should not have been spent on such a project was not allowed to discuss personalities, aot when "we hear every now and then that the present there. Corporation has no money with it at all." Mr. Malhotra replied that members had Primitive Health Conditions a right to discuss personalities who allowed themselves to be associated with “misuse of Municipal Commissioner told the Delhi public funds." Corporation on October 18 that “big halwais” in the Capital had, with the expan. brochure was a kind of thing that was pro Mr. Prem Sagar Gupta (Com.) said the sion of their business, begun to use their duced only on political considerations. licensed premises as restaurants while catables were made at unlicensed places. “Very Moving postponement of the debate, Mr. insanitary and, sometimes, even primitive Brij Mohan, Congress Party leader, said the conditions prevail in these places", he Delhi Corporation would be unworthy of its added. task if it reflected differences, particularly in the current national situation. Personally, he The Commissioner was speaking in res would like a discussion on all controversial ponse to a short notice inquiry following a issues avoided as long as the situation lasted. food poisoning case. Had there been an intensive drive against the halwais before the Mr. Brij Mohan said if the Opposition poisoning incident, the mishap might have had found the brochure objectionable it been avoided, the Commissioner said. should have discussed the matter with the Congress Party in the Mayor's chamber Demand For Supersession instead of making it the subject of a public discussion. A Jan Sangh member Mr. Vijay Kumar Malhotra on October 19 demanded that N. D. M. C. Members Re-Nominated Delhi Corporation be superseded like the because, like Nagpur Corporation because, the The Chief Commissioner of Delhi on October 4 re-nominated all nine members of latter, it was bankrupt and had failed to improve civic services. He said the financial the New Delhi Municipal Committee for position of the Corporation was precarious another year. The term of the members had and thoughtless expenditure was a criminal a criminal expired on October 3. neglect of the war effort. No official should The members are: Mr. S. C. Chhabra, be appointed for a year. President; Mr. R. S. Krishnan, Mr. T. He was speaking on an item relating to Dorairaj, Mr. G. A. Ramrakhiani, Mr. B. D. Bhatt (all ex-officio members), Mr. Maheshthe upgrading of the post of the Deputy Chief Accountant in the Water Supply war Dayal, Mr. Mohan Singh, Mr. Soni Ram Undertaking. The Opposition suspected and Miss Surriader Saini. foul play and they charged the Congress Midday Meals In N. D. M, C. Schools Party with squandering municipal funds to please their political bosses. The midday meal scheme in some schools run by the New Delhi Municipal Committee Mr. Malhotra referred to a borochure will be intensified with the help of the brought out by the Education Department Catholic Relief Service. for the "cultural evening" in aid of the Mayor's Defence Council on October 16 and The Catholic Relief Service has already said there could be no worse instance of been supplying food packets and milk powder misuse of public founds. It carries messages for school children. The intensification of from Mr. Brahm Prakash, M. P., and Mr. the scheme will cost Rs. 85,000 annually and Sham Nath, a Union Deputy Minister, “per. the Catholic Relief Service has decided to haps to get election tickets for municipal provide for the entire amount. The NDMC Congress leaders". confines itself to the expenditure earmarked Page 19
East Asia. The Mayor was on his way to Corporation, one third of the cost being India after his far east tour of Malaysia, donated by the Birla Trusts in memory of Hongkong, Japan and other countries. He Raja Dr. Baldevdas Birla. told newsmen that he had gained valuable suggestions for massive housing projects symbolised the Corporation's interest in The Mayor Madhavan said the Centre forming part of a ten year development programme to be launched in Madras this providing increased facilities to the citizens. year. In Singapore, this Madras Mayor dis Bombay Mayor For Colombo cussed with Housing and Development Board officials how Singapore solved her housing Mayor of Bombay M. Madhavan will problems. attend the centenary celebrations of Colombo Municipal Corporation. He left Bombay for Salem : Sister Cities Colombo on October 28. Salem in Madras State and Salem in Poona's New Mayor Oregon, U. S. A. have been linked in a sister city programme. A "sister-city com- Mr. B. D. Killedar of the Nagari Sanghamission'' consisting of 15 members was tapa, the ruling party in Poona Municipal formed in Salem (India) on October 9 to Corporation, was elected Mayor of Poona on foster the people-to-people programme with October 19. In a straight contest, he defeatSalem Oregon (USA). Mr. R. Ramakrishnan, ed his erstwhile colleague in the Sanghatana Chairman of Salem Municipal Council, is the and the outgoing Mayor, K. U. Pardeshi, chairman of the commission in Salem (India). who contested the election in defiance of the The corresponding Salem Oregon Sister party, by 34 votes to 29. Two other candiCommission has already been established. dates, Mr. G. P. Bhagwat (Jan Sangh) and On October 9 the Oregon Commission Mr. Shankarrao Kurumkar (Independent), had withdrawa from the contest. In the greeted the Salem India Commission on longdistance telephone. The sister city House of 65 members, the strength of the programme between India's and America's respective parties is : Nagari Sanghatana 26, Salem was signed in September, 1963. Congress 25, Jana Sangh 4 and Indepen dents 10. Maharashtra One vote was declared invalid and one councillor was absent. The candidature of Liberty Bell For Bombay the outgoing Mayor was supported by the Bombay, like so many other cities of the Opposition Congress Party. world, will soon have a liberty bell. Before the filing of the nominations for It will have “Quit India" inscribed on it the election, the Congress Party had suggestand will commemorate the Quit India reso- ed to the ruling Nagari Sanghatana an lution adopted in the city on August 8, 1942. arrangement by which office bearers, includ ing the Mayor, would be allowed to contiThe Mayor of Bombay, Mr. M. Madhavan, announced this at the opening ceremony of nue in their respective posts for another the Birla Kreeda Kendra (Recreation Ceotre) term. The aim was to maintain unity in on October 17. He said that Mr. R. D. view of the emergency. The Nagari SanghaBir la had donated Rs. 1 lak for instaling the tana, however, rejected the offer. liberty bell. Mr. P.B. Jog (Independent) was re-elected Deputy Mayor for a second term. In a straight Birla Kreeda Kendra contest, Mr. Jog defeated Mr. Shrikrishna Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri Bhide (Jan Sangh) by 33 votes to 31. The declared open on October 17 the Dr. Baldev. third candidate, Mr. Raj Salve, withdraw das Birla Kreeda Kendra on the Chowpatty before polling beach. The multipurpose recreational centre for children has been made at a cost of Rs. 15 The Congress Party's stand in the Mayoral laks and will be conducted by the Bombay election has been criticised by Sanghatana members. Mr. N.G. Goray, PSP chairman, end of December, 1967, in view of the precriticised the Chief Minister of Maharashtra sent emergency. The necessary legislation, Mr. V. P. Naik, for having taken an interest he said, will be enacted in the coming session in the civic politics. He alleged that he had of the legislature. given a directive to the councillors to vote for Mr. Pardeshi. Mr. Goray said Mr. Among others the State Council of the Naik's attitude ran counter to the repeated Page 20
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Against such heavy odds the civic bodics' Agriculture has announced plans of a more executives have to carry on; which obviously liberal pattern of Central financial assistance is a major contributory of the poor standards to the States for conversion of urban wastes of civic bodies. into manure and utilisation of sewage for manurial purposes. According to the Minis try, nearly 80 cities and towns have complete Cities & Grow More Food or partial sewerage system. Besides, there Food shortage is a national problem. are nearly 600 towns which have the surface Self-sufficiency in foodgrains appears a dis- drainage system. The total availability of tant dream until a sustanined national effort sewage per day all over the country has been is made to grow more food and to prevent estimated at 700 million gallons with a waste of food. manurial value of Rs. 6.60 crores. The available sewage can irrigate an area of Cities can play an important part in both. 2,10,000 acres if properly utilised and the According to the Central Food Technologi: extra produce from this acreage would be cal Research Institute, Mysore much about 3 lak toones valued at Rs. 15 crores. quicker solution of the food problem lies in preventing heavy losses due to rodents and To translate these figures into reality will insects and defective methods of processing be as difficult as has been the effective 'utili sation of scientific methods that have been developed to prevent losses. A great deal In a paper, “Why the food crisis ?", pro- depends on the administrative apparatus of duced for a conference on research and the civic bodies, which has been found woeindustry in New Delhi on December 18, the fully wanting in meeting the day to day Institute estimated that these losses account obligations. The fifth conference of Mayors for 50 percent of the food output and are and Municipal Corporations, to which above valued at Rs. 4600 crores, twice as much as note of the Food Ministry indicating the inthe Central Government's budget. Accor- centives in the shape of loans and grants ding to the Institute, the annual food short- that will be available to them, was presented, age is approximately, six million tonnes cos dutifully passed resolutions recommending ting about Rs. 350 crores. to the civic bodies to co-operate with the The paper estimated that six rats eat food Food and Agriculture Ministry. But if the equivalent to the calorie requirement of one good intentions are to be carried beyond human being. The rodent population, esti paper planning, and the cities' resources are mated between 2,400 million and 5,000 to be harnessed in the grow more food million, destroy atleast 25 percent of the plans, without unnecessary waste and avoi dable failures, a close look would have to food costing Rs. 1,650 crores. be taken into how the cities with their The Union Food Ministry has done some present kind of administrations, can be bird watching with a view to estimating the made to play their part in providing fertiliextent of loss to foodgrains caused by birds. sers to the rural areas around them. The results show that a crow takes 30 grams a day, a pigeon 25 grams and a sparrow 8 Milk Supply grams. But the rodent with an intake of 50 grams a day remains the most potent usurper Confronted with the problem of growing of the country's food stocks. food shortage thoughts have naturally turn ed to the problem of shortages of milk, Cities can play an important part in the vegetables and other substitutes for cereals. devising of scientific methods to prevent The country's present milk production of these losses, and also in their implementa- about 60 million litres per day from as many tion. Agriculture can no more remain a as 80 million cows and buffaloes is just problem that concerns villages alone. enough to provide for a per capita consumpFertilisers play an important part in tion of five ounces of liquid milk and milk growing food. 'The Ministry of Food and products as against a daily consumption of Page 22
Mysore, That Was Once The 'City Of Lights' By R. K, Narayan (Mysore City may have lost its primacy as they hurt no one, I am saying nothing about the State capital, but its leisurely ways and auto-rickshaws because Mysore has the unipicturesque beauty have not suffered too much, que distinction of having only one of its despite the effort of man and animal, as Mr. kind. Cattle, singly of in berd, moving, Narayan points out here.) recumbent or stationary, hold top priority Mysore was once upon a time the royal in all the public thoroughfares; buffaloes capital ; when it ceased to be that, it became especially enjoy a i privileged existence (in the Governor's residence, but later it ceased spite of the fact that Goddess Chamundi on the hills incarnated herself especially to to be even that when the Governor's office destroy the buffalo-demon Mahisha). When moved to Bangalore. Long before All India all these items of traffic have passed, autoRadio was thought of, “Akash Vani" had its mobiles, trucks and lorries birth in Vontikoppal Extension of Mysore, clearance. and then All India Radio came along, absorbed it, and moved off to Baag alore, aban A visitor to the city once asked why the doning a perfectly designed studio. Mysore bulk of the population of Mysore City, was the seat of the University, but after the mostly in groups of four or six, seem to be creation of a Bangalore University, its juris concentrated in its streets. The answer is diction has shrunk. simple. Mysoreans have not yet lost the All things that could be dislodged and use of their limbs; the distances are shifted have been moved from Mysore. Mysore. insuperable, and the weather and the general What has been left behind is the Chamundi surroundings are always conducive to a Hill with its temple, also the rivers Kaveri walking philosophy, tempting, one to go and Kabini on the outskirts, and the forests out. For everyone, a daily visit to the on the farther perimeter, with their tigers, “Market side" is indispensable, if not actu. bisons, elephants and a hundred other crea ally for shopping, at least to meet people. As in ancient Athens, people settle many tures. matters of philosophy, politics, and personal Privileged Priority affairs, while strolling around the statue or down Sayajirao Road. To me at any rate, the really worthwhile things are still here and form an immutable Matters Of Moment background to life in Mysore, which goes on unruffled, free from the fiet and fury of But this creates certain traffic situations a modern city life. The Railway Offices and as such discussions, by preference are held Workshop, the silk, sandal oil and scooter at road junctions, rather than on the very factories, and the Krishnarajendra Mills, broad footpaths (which, for some mysterious where the maximum number of persons are reasons, are detested and avoided by one and employed, receive their workers and release all). Driving in Mysore is peculiarly comthem at the end of the day without creating plicated as one must be able to weave one's any obvious rush or peak-hour scenes. way without losing one's serenity of mind. The pedestrian still commands the mas If the accident-statistics of Mysore are neglitery of the roads ; the next, in order of pri. gible, it is not for want of opportunities, ority, are cycles in formation in a kind of but due to the general all-round good hu-' mobile barricade, while the riders are loudly mour, and a certain imperturbability in the sorting out their collegiate problems; bul- Mysore temperament ; no driver would ever lock carts in mile-long caravans carrying dream of demanding the right of way and fuel from the jungles, and then tongas, in the pedestrian has the confidence that it will consideration of the state of their horses, not be necessary for him to interrupt his are permitted to meander at will as long as conversation and move, as the vehicle, if the Page 23
Indian Institute of Technology but it is turing industry. The extensive and flatted difficult to absorb this land due to its long factories have the second importance in this distance from the core of the city. connection. The extensive industry employs about 28% of the total industrial working The area between Allen Forest and force. These facts have been taken as the Bithoor Road is the most important site but guide line to work out the total industrial the land available on this side is almost nil land allocation. The number of persons because of its own physical character. How available and the land allocation under each ever, the total available land of 41,471 acres type are illustrated in Table No. 13. have been deliniated for the future proposals of land uses, the details of which are illus After considering the wind direction, trated in table No. 12. accessibility and present trend, two major in dustrial zones have been worked out in KanAny plan for Kanpur without due consideration to industrial allocation will be an pur. The first and the most important zone incomplete one. The major employmeat in which covers almost the total existing industhe industrial sector goes to light manufac trial arca falls between the funnel of Kanpur. TABLE NO. 12 Bxisting land use 1961-62 Proposed increase (1991) Sl. No. Land use Category % Built up, ex Area in cluding culti- Arca jo ACICS vated Land. acres % 1. Residential. 6,958.3 32.6 16,000 38.6 2. Commercial. 406.7 1.9 1,470 3.5 3. Industrial. 1,497.0 6.6 4,880 11.8 4. Park & Play field. 1.3 6,510 15.7 5. Public facilities. 1,443.2 6.7 5,100 12.3 6. Governmcat. 366.7 1.8 749 1.8 7. Circulation & Transport, 1,907.1 8.9 4,536 10.9 8. Defence establishment. 2.226.1 10.5 2,226 5.4 9. Open Land. 6,352.8 29.7 10. Cultivated Land. 36,280.4 TOTAL 57,608.1 100% 41,471 100.00
Table No. 13. Type of industries, proposed number of workers and arca. Type of Industries. Total % Workers No. Industrial Land Large scale 28 59774 BXTENSIVE Light Mfg. 40 85390 Platted (inlying) 4 8539 INTENSIVE Flatted (out lying) 4 8539 Service 5 10674 Warehousing 4 8539 Mixed land uses in trade... 10 21347 Special Industry 5 10674 Total 100 213476 Page 24
A zoning regulation will have to be and above sized plots should not be allowed worked out at the final stage for whole of the to enjoy in the city area for residential uses. region. All urban centres will have their own plan for future development. To work out Planning Standard:--The Delhi master plan this type of planning some preliminary surstandard has been taken as a guide line to veys of all such places will be required. The provide planning standard to Kanpur metro- informations already collected will have to be polis. At places some modifications have redressed and analysed to work out much been made to meet the requiremcots. detailed schemes. It is quite possible that a few more surveys will have to be undertaken Health:-It is suggested that Kanpur to fill up the requirements. should have 13 more hospitals to meet the total bed requirements in the final plan A fiscal scheme has to be worked out to period. 500 beds have been kept as a stan- implement the final plan. A fiscal scheme dard number for a hospital. It is also felt will be planned in such a way that the total that every 50000 population should have a expenditure must come out from the plan dispensary to cater the outdoor patients. A itself. hospital must have 15 acres of land and every third hospital must bave 25 acres of Implementation & Administrative land in order to provide specialised services Problems in it. The authority whoever it may be must TABLE No. 15 have a proper planning caforcement rules to implement the plan. The broad categories Existing density pattern of Kanpur city. of the land use must have its zoning law. The standard building bye-laws framed for the whole of Uttar Pradesh may not be suitaPersons per Percen- % of the ble for this town and that a special building Sl. No. residential tage to popula- the total acre. bye-law may have to be framed for this tion town. The proposed area standard should area be binding to the administrative agencies for carrying out all future developments in 1 Below 75 18.0 5.8 the city. The Interim General Plan should 2 75 to 125 35.0 18,6 3 21.0 125 to 200 be seen as a guide line in the city for future 16.8 developments. 4 200 to 250 7.0 8.4 5 Above 250 19.0 50.4 A period of 60 days from the date of the publication of this Plan be given to the pub. Total : 100.0 100.0 lic to put forward their suggestions and recommendations, if any, and the plan has to Education:—There is absence of proper be finalised after the same being received. distribution of educational institutions in the This method of public participation will help city and to cope up with this unequal distri the planners to understand the aspirations bution and to extend the facilities to all areas of the people so that the plan will be more the future requirements have been worked of public consensus guided by proper planout keeping 20000 persons as the standard ning thought than a rigid implementation scheme. size for a neighbourhood. Details are illustra The public co-operation will ted in Table No. 15 above. The arca alloca be welcome to make this effort a success.. Page 25
Housing :- A Stupendous Problem By P. V. L. Narasimharao While mankind is facing a revolution of precision in announcements causes greater rising population, a conspicuous pheno- confusion. menon of the modern economic system has been that it tends to be increasingly urban. As Rajaji has dever tired of emphasising, the much-talked of eradication of slums in The countryside empties its people into the cities throughout the four corners of the the manner we do with rats and vermins is globe, uninterrupted and unabated. Cities in fact the least practicable solution. It grow and congest. The growth is haphazard would be more prudent to attempt at slum and the congestion leads to sprawling slums. improvement programmes like provision of The city could well become as lethal as the better sanitation, lighting and water facilities, Bomb ere long iøstead of aiming at total clearance. In this context, it may be worth while to recapituThis unplanned urbanisation generates a late that, although the slum clearance scheme Staggering array of unwholesome problems. came into existence in 1956, most of the It is now known that in urban areas 61 per States have lagged behind in their programcent of the families live in slum conditions mes despite generous subsidies and loans and in the rural areas 82 per cent in flimsy from the Centre. Consequently, a substantial huts. According to Dr. Sushila Nayyar, portion of the amount of Rs. 22 crores Union Health Minister, only five to six per allotted for this purpose during the Third cent in urban areas have sewage systems and Plan period will remain unspeat. in some areas of Calcutta one latrine is shared by as many as 50 persons. Slums From an appraisal of the Census Report breed epidemics, vice and crime. Juvenile on slums of Madras, it is found that 79 per delinquency becomes rampant. They lack cent of the slum-dwellers live close to their basic amenities like power, water, transport, place of work and 74 per cent of them were sanitation and even fresh air. In Bombay unwilling to quit them. The reasons are alone, there are 144 slums spread over an self-explanatory. People like sweepers, area of 877 acres with a population of more domestic servants and industrial workers than four lakhs besides another six lakhs naturally choose to be in close proximity to living in insanitary “huts or pavements. their places of work and any attempts to shift Similarly, Madras has 550 slums as assessed them to far-off places are bound to meet with by the Census Department. opposition. The authorities should, there fore, be persuaded to take up building of No Co-ordinated Plan multistoreyed tenements near the workspots. It is really surprising that nothing sub It should be made obligatory on the part of stantial has been done so far by way of con employers to provide neat and self-contained certed attempts in formulating a well-inte accommodation to all of their employees. grated plan towards future development in How far the latest decision of the Central town planning. Even bodies like the Inter- Government to sell houses and tenements State Committee on Town Planning do not constructed under the slum clearance scheme go beyond repeating off and on familiar at full cost to the allottees will help solve principles of town planning. It can perhaps this problem remains to be seen. draw up a feasible model town planning scheme and ask the States to implement it According to the census report "it is without fail. The Planning Commission rather disquieting to note that the slumcxhorted the States to define "tolerable mini dwellers who constitute a little above a fifth mum standard” in housing programmes. of the city's population should be confrontThis is theoretically unexceptionable, but ed with problems of promiscuity, suscep; what is more important is that this minimum tibility and high fatality to disease and standard should be within reach of most of woefully poor health conditions”. Environthe people. This only shows that lack of ment proliferates habits, peculiarly endemic Page 26
compost have also acquired a new impor- around. This is also evident where towns tance in the light of recent knowledge about are located in low rainfall belts or where their contribution to soil fertility, there is an absence of irrigation facilities. In Short Periods cities or towns, which have their own sewage The method of composting generally system, the absence of night soil as a starter compost. used in this country takes four to six precludes the making of urban months. In Japan, systems have been deve Besides, there is also a prejudice against the loped where quantities of waste organic sub use of night soil compost, particularly in hilly areas. But a lot of town waste matter stances, grass, hay, straw, etc. are turned is still thrown into depressions for land into high grade organic fertilizer in the reclamation. shortest possible time, sometimes in as little us seven days, by enclosing the waste mate- Town sewage or sullage is disposed in rial in a digester which speeds up the whole two ways. First, by road irrigation on the composting process, and hastens the forma- land, with or without treatment, and secondtion of necesssary fungi, bacteria, micro- ly, by discharging it into the nearest river or elements, etc. This method has the additional stream. This not only causes pollution of advantage of saving space and labour, both water but also deprives the soil of valuable of which are usually scarce in urban areas. manure. The total quantity of sewage or A full-scale compost plant processing 100 sullage irrigation available from towas is tons of material per day is estimated to cost estimated at 700 million gallons per day. As between Rs. 5 lakhs and Rs. 10 lakhs. There against this, it is estimated that only 200 is no reason why these could not be re- million gallons are being utilized for irrigadesigned and adapted to Indian conditions tion in about 70 towns and cities. Ordinary so that they may meet the particular condi domestic sewage contains nitrogen, phostions of different areas. Smaller units could phoric acid, potash and other organic matters. turn every mediumsized farm in India into Working out the proportions, the manurial its own fertilizer factory and/or permit every coostituents of the available 700 million village to set up its own working unit. And gallons of sewage would be 80 tons of nitroif these were used in urban centres, plants of gen, 16 tons of phosphoric acid, 48 tons of different sizes would be required to meet the potash, and 1,280 tons of organic matter needs of bigger areas. daily. The total value of this would work Certainly, a pilot project to construct out to Rs. 5.58 crores annually. and adapt a plant of this sort would scem The discharge of 700 million gallons of desirable. sewage per day is equivalent to the flow So far, the principal difficulties experi from 1,400 tubewells and could irrigate an enced in the preparation of compost and the area of 210,000 acres or double this figure intensification of this work in urban areas are biennial rotation were adopted. The extra the inadequate arrangements which exist for produce in terms of foodgrains, from this the removal of city wastes and the apathy acreage, could well be three lakh tons valued and absence of interest on the part of many at approximately Rs. 12 crores. Sewage municipal authorities, resulting partly from irrigation which supplies both plant nutritheir inability to meet expenditure on com ents and water has a very great potential for posting. Poor transport facilities to culti- increasing agricultural production. vated areas surrounding cities, the poor quality of town compost (farmers complain production of sludge, also a valuable manure. The treatment of sewage results in the regularly that town compost is never free of It is estimated that about two lakh tons of foreign matter and is low in nitrogen con sludge could be available annually by treattent) are other handicaps. ment of all the available sewage. Taking the Local Demand composition of sludge as 3% nitrogen, 2% Then again, there is sometimes a lack of phosphoric acid and 0.5% potash, this would sufficient local demand, particularly in cities contain 6,000 tons of nitrogen and 4,000 which do not have much cultivated land tons of phosphoric acid. |
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