Report of the Health Officer, Corporation of Madras Health Department.

  • Madras (India). Health Department
Date:
[1916]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Health Officer, Corporation of Madras Health Department. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    95/218 page 49
    Several of these are still unsatisfactory. The course of action adopted about ^ the end of last year was continued. A circular containing directions with regard to sanitary improvements of stables is sent to the owner or occupier, and after an interval of three months the usual departmental steps are taken. Out of 181 hack stables, 60 were licensed unconditionally ; in the case of 103 stables, conditional licenses were granted, and licenses were refused in the case of the remaining 18 stables. Out of the 103 conditionally licensed stables, the owners of 83 stables were prosecuted for failing to comply with the terms of the licenses. For improving the sanitary condition of private stables, 159 fresh notices were served during the. year under review ; 95 notices were pending undisposed at the close of the year 1915. Of these, 43 were complied with voluntarily, 1 after prosecution and 78 were either cancelled or withdrawn, leaving a balance of 132. The above figures are gratifying in showing that the public have realised io some extent the great need to im¬ prove their stables and to put their horses in more decent places. It cannot be denied that there are still many stables requiring attention, and it is hoped that the citizens of Madras will co-operate with the Corporation in this direction. In cases where notices under section 315 have failed, notices under section 316 were served. If existing stables are bad, the cart-stands are worse. Every cart-stand is intended to serve as a place of temporary shelter for the bullocks Cart-stands. and men coming from up-country into the City for trade purposes. They halt for a day or so and then return to their homes. The cart-stands have as a rule no decent stalls for picketing bullocks, nor sheds for the men to eat and sleep. Each cartman cooks near or under his cart with the bulls at his side and perhaps sleeps under the cart or inlit. The dung and dirt collected is removed by some relative of the owner or by some contractor who manufactures bratties in one or other corner of the cart-stand. There will probably be no satisfactory drainage arrangements. The state of insanitation may not directly affect either the owner or the temporary sojourner. The former gets his fee allright, while the latter probably thinks that he must put up with some discomfort when he is away from home, and be thankful for the little mercies shown by the owmer of the cart-stand. With a view to improve the existing state of affairs special conditions are now' imposed before granting licenses for cart-stands. But, of course, the progress can only be slow7 ] and w7e cannot expect radical changes to take place in a day. We have to be content for the present with any small improvement that the owner may effect ; if we insist on a large outlay on improvements at one time and refuse the license pending compliance,, the owner may think that the job is not remunerative, and close up his cart-stand, with the result that carts and bullocks may be stationed anywhere in a blind alley, at a road-side-corner, which means that the remedy for the nuisance is worse than the very nuisance it w7as intended to cure. In the case of new licenses, however, they are not granted unless the following conditions are complied with 1 The site selected must be at a safe distance from human habitations. 2. There should be properly paved bays for stabling bullocks. 3. There should be suitable sheds for sheltering men. 4. Good water-supply must be ensured. 5. Sufficient latrine arrangement should be provided and 6*. The whole place must be properly drained and connected with the public drains. or sewers. 13
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