Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

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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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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter XXI. - Wages on planatations

Collection:: Economics Books

Ne CHAPTER XXIl. weeks to a proportion of new arrivals in order to improve their physical condition before they were set to work. This is not surprising when it is remembered that these emigrant labourers are in many cases forced to leave their villages. through sheer want. But on the gardens visited by us few signs of malnutrition were evident either in the adult working population or amongst the non-working children ; and medical evidence was to the effect that the dietary of the plantation labourer is fairly satisfactory, in that articles such as milk, dal, and vegetables are fre- quently added as supplementary to the staple rice diet. Supply of Milk and Vegetables. We do not intend to imply that malnutrition does not exist, or that improvement is unnecessary. Indeed we believe that much larger supplies of fresh milk, ght and vegetables are a vital need for the labour forces resident on the plantations, if their general health is to be improved. In order to obtain the first, suitable land for the grazing of cows should be set apart on each plantation, as is already done on many gardens, As regards the second, the suggestion has been made that estate managements might with advantage lay out vegetable gar- dens from which fresh supplies could be obtained. Alternatively, where separate plots of land attached to the individual workers’ houses are not feasible, an area should be set aside on each estate for allotments which the labourers themselves could cultivate. Where possible, a more gene- rous allocation to them of land for grazing and for cultivation would not only effect improvements in their health by providing the necessary animal fats and vitamins, but would also promote a spirit of contentment in a people actuated by a deep inborn love of land. Malaria. Infection with the malaria parasite plays a very important part in lowering standards of health and physique. In every plantation area, whether in North or South India, malaria causes most of the sick- ness and is chiefly responsible for the existence of ‘ unhealthy ’ gardens, whilst malaria-ridden plantations are as unpopular with the labourers as healthy plantations are popular. In one garden which we visited, where the incidence was very low, it had been unnecessary to do any active recruitment for over 20 years. In another the manager admitted that his labour force was infected 100%, with malaria, and that very little anti-malarial work had been undertaken. Low standards of health are avoidable, and as a good example of what can be done, we would site the admirable results obtained in the Labac area of Assam. There, by the practical application of the chief medical officer's researches, large reductions in malaria incidence were effected at a comparatively moderate cost. We believe that the effective control of malaria would bring about a radical transformation in the health conditions of the plantation areas. One result would be to increase the effectiveness and contentment of the existing labour force. In addition less difficulty would be experienced in reconciling labour recruits to the new conditions of life.

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