Vol. 10 · pages 691–695

670 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 102 * Commercial Aspects of Indian Spring-Waters 50. Mr. K. C. Neogy : Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to refer to the unstarred question No. 92, dated the 30lh March 1943, and make a statement : (a) explaining whether the commercial aspects of the Indian spring-waters referred to therein have been examined, and whether the arrangements to bottle the waters for trial have been completed ; and (b) indicating the location of the different springs which have so far been tried and found satisfactory ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The commercial aspects of Indian spring-waters are still under examination. The arrangements to bottle the waters for trial are complete. (b) The springs occur on private land, as negotiations are still in progress with the proprietor of the land, Government do not consider it desirable to disclose the location of the springs at this stage. 103 @ Survey of Hydro-Electric Possibilities in India 274. Mr. T. T. Krishnamachari (on behalf of Mr. R. R. Gupta) : (a) Will the Honourable member for Labour be pleased to state if Government have directed a survey of Hydro-electric possibilities in this country ? If so, when was the survey last carried out, and by whom ? (b) Do not Government consider that, in view of the generally accepted policy of conservation of India’s better class coal resources, hydro-electric developments should be actively encouraged, particularly in the United Provinces, the Punjab and the Central Indian States, which are situated away from the sources of India’s coal supply ? If so, in what form do Government propose to encourage such development ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1943, 5th August 1943, p. 434. @ Ibid., 12th August 1943, p. 642.

671L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (c) What is the installed generating capacity of the State Hydroelectric schemes developed by the United Provinces and the Punjab Governments, Native States like Mysore and Travancore, and the Tatas in Bombay, and what is the unabsorbed load available from these schemes at present ? (d) Does the Honourable Member propose to lay on the table a statement showing from their latest data the possible head works site of the new hydro-electric schemes in India, together with the power likely to be obtained from each of the generation schemes ? (e) Have Government thought out any possibility of converting Railways to be driven electrically in those localities where cheap power can be obtained ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) A brief survey of major hydro-electric possibilities throughout India was made about the end of 1941 by the Electrical Commissioner with the Government of India ; (b) Promotion of hydro-electric schemes is primarily the concern of Provincial Governments and States. The Central Government is, how ever, fully alive to the desirability of hydro-electric development and the post-war organisation of the electricity supply industry including hydro-electric development is engaging the attention of the Reconstruction Committee of Council. (c) and (d) During war-time it is not in the public interest to publish the information asked for. In any case, as already stated, the promotion of hydro-electric schemes is primarily the concern of the Provincial Government and States. (e) Yes, the question has been considered from time to time and is always kept in view, but the availability or cheap power is only one of the factors which would determine the conversion of a particular section to electric traction. 104 * Inclusion of certain Details in the Working of the Payment of Wages Act 289. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Ali : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state if it is a fact that the Report on the working of the Payment of Wages Act on Railways does not indicate * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1943, 12th August 1943, p. 654.

672 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES the particulars of the applications presented to and disposed of by the authorities appointed under the Payment of Wages Act ? (b) If the reply to part (a) be in the affirmative, does he propose to take steps for the inclusion of the particulars of the applications with a review thereon in the next reports ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) At present what the Honourable Member suggestes is a fact. (b) I shall consider the suggestion. 105 * Sulphur Mined in Baluchistan and Firms Supplied with Sulphuric Acid Manufacturing Plants 290. Mr. T. T. Krishnamachari (On behalf of Mr. R. R. Gupta) : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state the quantity of sulphur mined in Baluchistan by the Utilisation Branch of the Geological Survey of India, and the total amount so far spent in such mining operations ? (b) Is it a fact that the deposit of sulphur in the present site of mining in Baluchistan, available for further exploration, is small ? In any case, what is the estimated tonnage of the unworked deposit at the moment ? (c) Is it a fact that the Department of Supply has notified the sugar mill concerns in India that no supply of sulphur can be arranged for the mills in connection with the next crushing season ? If so, what is the reason for such a notice being given to the sugar mills ? If no such notice has been given, how were supplies of sulphur secured for the sugar mills in the last two crushing seasons, and how is it proposed to arrange the suply during the next ? (d) Is it a fact that a large quantity of sulphur-dioxide (SO2) gas is wasted as a by-product in connection with the operation of copper smelling furnance in India ? If so, is it a fact that such gaseous waste * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1943, 12th August 1943, pp. 654-55.

673L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS can be easily converted into sulphuric acid ? Did Government examine the posibility or such a source of supply of sulphuric acid, and, if so, with what result ? (c) Is it a fact that since the outbreak of the war, the Department of Supply imported a number of sulphuric acid manufacturing plants ? If so, what is the number of such plants, and how have they been disposed of ? Do Government propose to lay on the table a statement showing the firms to whom such plants, if any, have been made available, and the special reason for which the plants were supplied to them in each case ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) It is not in the public interest to state the quantity of sulphur mined. The total amount so far spent on Baluchistan Sulphur Operations is Rs. 11,85,000. (b) No. It is not in the public interest to disclose the estimated tonnage of unworked deposits. (c) No. Supplies of sulphur for the sugar industry during the last crushing season were met partly from American imports and partly by depiction of reserve stocks. Sugar mills are being supplied with Baluchistan sulphur ore which they will refine individually or alternatively have refined at a central plant set up with Government sanction and the resultant pure sulphur will be used in the sugar mills during the crushing season. Any deficit on estimated requirements will be met from American imports arranged by the Supply Department. (d) Sulphur dioxide is produced as a by-product during the smelting of copper in India. It occurs in the flue gases in a highly diluted form with other gases and its efficient conversion into sulphuric acid is difficult. The possibility of using this source of supply for production of sulphuric acid and sulphur was examined very early in the war but was not proceeded with as the processes called for the import of complicated and expensive machinery with technical personnel and even then successful recovery was problematic. (e) No. Full information regarding the proposed import of plants from America was given by the Honourable the Supply Member in answer to unstartred question No. 47 on 4th August 1943.

674 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 106 * Lead Mine in Jawar in Udaipur State 291. Mr. T. T. Krishnamachari (on behalf of Mr. R. R. Gupta) : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state if it is a fact that a lead mine is being worked in Jawar in the Udaipur State by the Utilisation Branch of the Geological Survey of India ? If so, what is the. amount of money spent so far in the working of this mine, and what is the average percentage of lead and zinc occurring in the ores extracted from this mine ? (b) Have Government any information or lead deposits occurring in any other part of India, and, if not, what fraction of India’s lead requirements is likely to be met from Jawar source alone ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. A sum of Rs. 6½ lakhs has been spent upto the end of June 1943. The average percentage found in exploration up to date is 2 per cent lead and 8 per cent zinc. (b) Yes, the most likely occurrances known at present are at Chauthka-Barwara in Jaipur State. 107 @ Wolfram Deposits Discovered in a Bengal District 292. Mr. T. T. Krishnamachari (on behalf of Mr. R. R. Gupta) : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state if it is a fact that some wolfram deposits have been discovered by the Geological survey of India in a Bengal District ? If so, what is the quantity of wolfram so far won from this source, and how has it been disposed of? The Honourable Dr. B. R, Ambedkar : Yes. During wartime it is not in the public interests to disclose the quantity of wolfram won. The ore is disposed of through the Supply Department (Directorate-General, Munitions Production). * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1943, 12th August 1943, p. 655. @ Ibid., p. 655.