HOUSING OF THE INDUSTRIAL WORKER. 285: 
colonies somewhere in the vicinity of established towns, so that 
Shere may be opportunity of contact with others living in a differ- 
ent environment and in different spheres of life. When a community, 
employed almost wholly in one industry, such as those at Khargpur 
and at Jamshedpur, is segregated far from other communities and cut 
off from outside interests, an introspective attitude gradually forces 
itself upon the residents and a warped outlook on life tends to develop. 
As a result, these isolated communities only too often become active 
foci of discontent and disruption, even where general conditions of life 
are of a higher standard than those to which the members of the com- 
munity have been accustomed. This psychological factor should be 
taken into consideration in planning for future developments of this 
kind. 
Local Self-Government. 
The creation and development of industrial enterprises has in 
some cases necessitated the leasing of extensive areas by employers and the 
provision of services, such as water, sanitation, housing, roads, lighting, 
etc., which under normal conditions are usually provided by local author- 
ities. In some of these industrial areas there is a large resident population, 
at Jamshedpur for example itis well over 100,000. So farno attempt has 
been made to institute a system of local self-government such as obtains in 
other parts of India. In the notified area a committee has been constituted 
of representatives of the two large industrial companies owning the works 
situated in the area, but the resident population is not required to pay taxes 
in respect of the services provided. At the Khargpur Railway Colony on 
the Bengal Nagpur Railway and at Golden Rock on the South Indian 
Railway, the administrations have provided for the establishment of 
colony committees acting in an advisory capacity. These committees 
are composed of persons of whom some are nominated by the adminis- 
bration and others elected by the resident population. At Khargpur 
the colony committee levies a conservancy cess upon the residents. 
The principle of local self-government has been accepted in India, and we 
believe that in these special areas developments in this direction are 
required as a means of developing a sense of responsibility amongst the 
Inhabitants. We recognise that, where the employer bears the full cost 
of providing services essential to the well-being of any community, the 
facts of the case demand that an effective limit to the powers of any 
8uthority administering such area should be provided. We recommend 
that Government should give continued consideration to the problems 
treated in these special areas with a view to devising a system whereby 
the principles of Jocal self-government may be applied. 
Responsibility of Municipal Councils. 
One fact which stands out from the outline we have given is that 
bhe action taken by the parties concerned—employers, Government 
and local bodies—is in inverse ratio to their responsibility. Employers 
have done most; municipal councils least. The latter are primarily 
responsible for the health of their citizens, and that responsibility cannot