Vol. 10 · pages 786–790

765L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 195 * Employment of Women for Underground Work in Collieries 702. Mr. K. S. Gupta : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state whether the shortage of coal is the reason for the Government of India to lift the ban on women working underground ? If so, have Government taken into consideration that the price of human life is more precious than the production of coal ? (b) Does the Honourable Member know that such permission would not be tolerated for a moment in England or elsewhere ? (c) Is it not a fact that decent conditions of life and adequate wages are not available for workers in the Indian collieries ? (d) Is it not a fact that scientific extraction of coal is not available in India as in the United Kingdom and the United States of America ? (e) Does the Honourable Member know that subsidence of earth and explosions of coal gas are more frequent in Indian collieries than elsewhere for want of adequate precautions and existence of primitive methods adopted in extraction of the ore ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative. (b) Women are not allowed underground in coalmines in Great Britain. I have no information regarding other countries. (c) As I stated in answer to the Honourable Member’s Question No. 274 on the 1st March, 1944, working conditions in mines have not been very satisfactory. Every effort is being made to see that conditions of life arc improved and that adequate wages are paid. (d) Mechanisation in Indian coal mines is not so far advanced as in the United Kingdom and the United States. (e) Collapses or subsidence are not more frequent in Indian mines than in other countries where the coal scams are near the surface. Gas explosions are not so frequent in Indian mines as in coalmines of most other countries. Safety precautions taken in this country compare favourable with those adopted in any other country. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 30th March 1944, pp. 1745-46.

766 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 196 * Closing of Openings in D.I.Z. Area Squares, New Delhi 704. Sardar Sant Singh : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state the reasons for which openings on the corners and in the middle of the various squares in the D.I.Z. area in New Delhi were closed ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The reason for closing the passages was to prevent people from committing nuisance on them. This action was taken at the suggestion of the Public Health Department. 197 @ Labour Unrest in Karachi Port Trust 715. Seth Yusuf Abdoola Haroon : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state if his attention has been drawn to the memorandum issued by Kazi Mohamcd Mujtaba, General Secretary, Sind Provincial Trade Union Congress, under the heading “A few facts about the labour unrest in Karachi Port Trust” ? (b) Is it a fact that 2,384 workers of the Karachi Port Trust have demanded the appointment of an adjudicator to look into their demands ? (c) Is it a fact that the Labour Welfare Officer of the Government of India had made certain recommendations after his visit to Karachi in July, 1943 ? (d) If the reply to the above is in the affirmative, what action have Government taken or propose to take in the matter ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The Honourable Member, for War Transport has agreed to answer this question. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 30th March 1944, p. 1746. @ Ibid., p. 1751.

767L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 198 * Proposed Conversion of Civil Pioneer Force into Auxiliary Pioneer Force 717. Mr. Piare Lall Kureel : Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state : (a) whether Government intend to convert the Civil Pioneer Force into the Auxiliary Pioneer Force ; and (b) if the answer to part (a) be in the affirmative, when do Government propose to convert the Civil Pioneer Force into the Auxiliary Pioneer Force, whether during or after the War ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) No. (b) Does not arise. 199 @ Pay of Pioneers in Civil Pioneer Force 718. Mr. Piare Lall Kureel: (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state if it is a fact that the pay of a pioneer in the Civil Pioneer Force is Rs. 15 a month only ? (b) Does the Honourable Member consider the present pay of a pioneer adequate under the present economic condition of the country ? (c) Do Government propose to increase the pay of the pioneers as they have done in case of soldiers in the Indian Army ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The basic rate of pay of a Pioneer in the Civil Pioneer Force is Rs. 15 a month. If he is serving in a war area where a similar allowance is admissible to members of the Defence Services, he is allowed batta at the rate of Rs. 3-8-0 per month. (b) Considering that a Pioneer in addition to his pay is provided with free rations, free accommodation, free uniform and equipment, the pay is adequate. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 30th March 1944, p. 1752. @ Ibid. p. 1752.

768 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (c) The matter will be considered in respect of persons employed in a War Area. 200 * Non-Payment of Allowance to Tailors in Civil Pioneer Force 719. Mr. Piare Lall Kureel : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state whether clerks, sweepers and washermen, attached to the Second Unit of the United Provinces Civil Pioneer Force get Rs. 5 each as allowance per month ? (b) If the answer to the part (a) above be in the affirmative, why is the same allowance not given in the case of tailors attached to the said Force ? (c) Docs the Honourable member propose to remedy the grievances of the tailors in this respect ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Owing to the difficulty of recruiting barbers, washermen and sweepers, Provincial Governments are allowed to grant those categories special trade allowance in accordance with the situation in the provinces in respect of each of the categories up to a maximum of Rs. 5 per month. It is open to the Provincial Governments to recommend a trade allowance in respect of categories other than those referred to above, including tailors. (b) No recommendation has been made by the Government of the United Provinces for any special allowance being granted to tailors. (c) The Government of India do not consider that any action is necessary. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 30th March 1944, p. 1752.

769L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 201 * Applications under Payment of Wages Act against Illegal Deductions, etc. by Railway Administrations 222. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Ali : Will the Honourable Member for Labour please slate the number of applications in each year presented by persons referred to in Section 15 (2) of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, respectively, to the Authority since the 1st April,1938, for directions against illegal deductions and delayed payment, respectively, by the Railway Administrations separately ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Government have no information regarding the number of applications presented by railway employees under section 15 (2) of the Payment of Wages Act. The collection of the information required will involve an amount of labour which will not be justified by the results achieved. 202 @ Cases of Infringement of Hours of Work for Railway Employees not covered by Factories Act 223. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Ali: Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state the number of cases of infringement of the Hours of Work for employees on Railways not covered by the Factories Act since 1931, and the action taken thereon ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Information is being obtained and will be placed on the table of the House in due course. 203 † Functions and Duties of Central Electricity Board, etc. 224. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Ali: Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state the functions and duties of: (i) the Central Electricity Board, * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. Ill of 1944, 30th March 1944, p. 1757. @ Ibid., p. 1757. † Ibid., p. 1757.