Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1850495947

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-233603

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Majesty's Stationery Off.

Year of publication:: 1931

Scope:: xviii, 580 S.; graph. Darst., Kt.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter VIII. - Mines

Collection:: Economics Books

MINES. 183 improvement of health administration by Governments and local autho- rities. It seems appropriate, however, to deal here with another form of health administration which is in force in two of the mining areas we have visited and which was evolved to meet their special needs. Owing to frequent outbreaks of cholera and small-pox among the mining popula- tions and with the primary object of preventing these epidemic diseases, new sanitary authorities in the form of Boards of Health were consti- tuted during 1915 and 1916 by the local Governments for the Asansol and Jharia mines areas. The membership of these Boards comprises officials, non-officials and representatives of the mineowners and royalty receivers. Both Boards have been remarkably successful in their main task. Not only have health organisations been built up to deal with the prevention of diseases, but medical arrangements have been improved, sanitation has been controlled and the question of housing of labour has also received considerable attention, The Jharia Mines Board, hav- ing more adequate powers, has perhaps made greater progress. In addi- tion, the Jharia Water Board, specially constituted for the purpose, has been able to provide a large and permanent protected water-supply, which is now distributed over more than two-thirds of the area under its control. These are admirable achievements for which the mineowners must be given credit, the whole cost having been met from self-imposed Cesses on owners and receivers of rovalties. Extension of Health and Welfare Activities. As these Boards of Health have successfully served the purpose for which they were originally constituted, it is not surprising to find that Shey should look for other fields of activity. These lie to hand and have been already explored to some extent. For some years past the Asansol Mines Board of Health has maintained three certificated midwives to give free attendance and advice to the women of the mining settlement. The Jharia Mines Board has at present under consideration the construc- tion of a central hospital, the extension of medical relief for women and the provision of maternity-relief and child-welfare centres. Some months ago the Jharia Board also sanctioned an experimental maternity scheme, and in November 1930, a Maternity Supervisor was appointed to supervise the work of midwives employed on a group of collieries in the centre of the coalfield. We dealin another chapter with general welfare activities, including those specifically affecting women, but we believe these to be legitimate extensions of the Boards’ activities, and we recommend a policy of steady growth along these lines, In order that no doubt may arse as to the functions which the Boards may legitimately assume, Wwe recommend that the Mining Settlement Acts, which provide for the control and sanitation of these areas in Bihar and in Bengal, should be amended accordingly and that the Boards be re-named Boards of Health and Welfare. We also recommend that each Board should be enlarged so as to give increased representation to employers and to include representatives of the-workers, chosen where possible in consulta- bion with their organisations, and at least one woman member.

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