Vol. 10 · pages 631–635

610 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : There must be some temporary reason of which I am not at present aware. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai: Is there a demand for more houses for clerks or officers, or not ? Or have you got a full complement ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I must have notice of that question. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : Is it not a fact that Government had to provide so many tents for the accommodation of officers and other people ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: That is quite so. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : This shows that sufficient number of houses are not available. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. 40 * Improvements in the Combined “C” Type Quarters in New Delhi 279. Sardar Sant Singh : (a) With reference to the answer to part (f) of starred question No. 437, asked on the 18th March, 1940, will the Honourable the Labour Member please state what improvements in the combined “C” type orthodox quarters in New Delhi were asked for in the representations received by Government, either through Tenants’ Associations or from individual residents of such quarters ? (b) What would have been the cost of all the additions and alterations asked for per quarter ? (c) Have any additions or alterations been made in any clerks’ or officers’ quarters in New Delhi since the 18th March, 1940 ? If so, which are the different classes of quarters in which such additions, etc., have been made ? (d) What was the amount of expenditure incurred on each different class of quarter so added to or altered ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) A statement containing the information is laid on the table of the House. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 11th March 1943, p. 969.

611 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (b) and (d) The information is not readily available and its collection would involve an amount of time and labour that would not be justifiable in war time. (c) Yes. Additions and alterations were made in “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “E” type quarters. Statement (i) The kitchen, the bath and store rooms at the existing sites be dismantled and new ones constructed in lieu thereof in the open space in the courtyard between the latrines and bath room, and a long verandah be provided in front of all the three rooms. (ii) A window may be provided in each of the rooms towards the inner verandah to make the rooms well ventilated. (iii) A window may be provided adjoining the outer entrance of the first room. (iv) A door may be constructed in the room on the other extreme opening on the outer verandah. (v) One more water tap may be provided. (vi) A servant room. (vii) An additional bath room with a window therein. (viii) Standard type ventilators in all the rooms and closing of the existing holes in the ceiling. (ix) Wooden mantles in all the rooms without fire places. (x) Wall almirahs in all the rooms. (xi) Increasing the inner verandah accommodation, etc. 41 * Improvements in the Combined “C” Type Quarters in New Delhi 280. Sardar Sant Singh : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state the cost of making the following alterations in each combined “C” type orthodox quarter in New Delhi: (i) fitting in of a window in the front room ; * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 11th March 1943, pp. 969-70

612 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (ii) provision of regular ventilators, like those provided in other types of quarters, in all the three rooms ; (iii) providing a pucca floor in the courtyard; and (iv) providing another window in the kitchen ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Rs. 415 per quarter. 42 * Improvements in the Combined “C” Type Quarters in New Delhi 281. Sardar Sant Singh : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state whether it is a fact that all “D” type orthodox quarters in the D.I.Z. Area, New Delhi, were provided with pucca floors in the courtyard in 1940 or 1941 ? (b) what is the number of such quarters and other quarters in which this modification was made? (c) What is the total number of combined “C” type quarters which are located in the midst of these “D” type quarters ? (d) What would have been the cost of providing pucca floors in all of these combined “C” type quarters ? (c) What was the amount spent on all “D” type quarters in which this modification was made ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) 1079. (c) 60. (d) Rs. 13,500 at present day prices. (e) Rs. 29,415. 43 @ Inspection of Combined “C” Type Quarters in New Delhi 282. Sardar Sant Singh : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please refer to the answer to two supplementary questions to starred question No. 438 answered on the 18th March, 1940, in which the then * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 11th March 1943, p. 970. @Ibid. p. 970.

613 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Labour Member promised to inspect the combined “C” type quarters in New Delhi, and state whether he actually inspected these quarters ? If so, does he propose to lay on the table a copy of his report on the matter ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : No The latter part of the question does not arise. 44 * Improvements in “D” Type Orthodox Quarters in New Delhi 283. Sardar Sant Singh : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state whether it is a fact that in 1940 when the galleries inside the “D” type orthodox quarters in the D.I.Z. Area, New Delhi were covered, a suggestion was made that ventilators provided in the walls of the two rooms on either side of the gallery should be of glass case so that they might be closed ? (b) Is it a fact that only wire gauze ventilators with big holes were provided, instead of the old type glass-case ones on the ground that the Health Officer, New Delhi, objected to the provision of the latter type of ventilators as being unhealthy ? (c) Is it a fact that it was proposed to cover up the open space between the bath room and lavatory in these quarters in order to provide shelter for storing fuel, etc. ? (d) Is it a fact that this covering up was also objected to by the Health Department, New Delhi ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: (a) yes (b) No. (c) Yes. (d) No. Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim) . The answer to the other questions of Sardar Sant Singh will be laid on the table. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 11 th March 1943, p.970.

614 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 45 * Inspection of Combined “C” Type Quarters in New Delhi †284. Sardar Sant Singh : (a) Will the Education Secretary please state whether the Health Officer, New Delhi, was ever invited to inspect the residential accommodation in New Delhi, and to see that all accommodation for living purposes was provided with proper ventilation, etc. ? (b) If the answer to (a) be in the affirmative, did this officer ever inspect the combined “C” type quarters in the D.I.Z. Area, New Delhi? (c) If the answer to (b) be in the affirmative, did the said officer submit any report either to the New Delhi Municipal Committee or to the Government of India about the suitability or unsuitability of the rooms in those quarters for use as bed rooms, etc. ? If so, does he propose to lay a copy of that report on the table of the House ? If he did not submit any report, why not ? (d) If the Health Officer was never invited to inspect these quarters, what were the reasons for not doing so ? Is he prepared to issue instructions that these quarters are thoroughly inspected at an early date ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) No. (b) and (c) Do not arise. (d) The design of these quarters was approved by the Municipal Committee before they were constructed and Government have not considered it necessary to have these quarters inspected by the Health Officer. I am however arranging to have these quarters inspected by the Health Officer. 46 @ Transfer to Lien to Allottees of Combined “C” Type Quarters in New Delhi †285. Sardar Sant Singh : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state whether it is a fact that up to last year the allottees * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 11th March 1943, pp. 970-71. @ Ibid., p. 971. † Answer to this question laid on the table, the questioner having exhausted his quota.