Vol. 10 · pages 936–940

915 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 330 * Liquor Shops in Vicinity of Railway Coal Mines 1470. Shrimati K. Radha Bai Subbarayan : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) if it is a fact that there are liquor shops in the vicinity of Railway coal mines; and, if so, the days and hours when they are open; (b) whether the management of these mines are aware that these liquor shops tempt miners to waste their wages on drink and ruin their health and that, consequently, the attendance of the miners and the output of coal in the mines on the day following the pay-day is adversely affected; (c) if the reply to (b) above is in the negative, whether Government propose to call for a report on the matter; and (d) whether Government also propose to ask the authorities concerned either to abolish liquor shops in mining areas, or to restrict the hours of opening and the quantity of liquor sold per individual and to close them fully on paydays ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. There are liquor shops in the vicinity of coal mines owned by railways as well as by others. I regret I have at present no information about the days and hours of opening but I shall obtain it and place it on the table of the House. (b) No. (c) Government will call for a general report on the relations between drink and the health and production of miners. (d) Excise administration is a Provincial subject. On receiving a report, however, Government will consider if any recommendations appear necessary in regard to liquor shops. I should add that about December 1944, the retail prices for distillery liquor in the Bihar coalfields was increased and the Provincial Government is watching the effect of this increase of prices before considering any other action to restrict the consumption of liquor. A report received last year from Bengal suggets that there has been *Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 29th March 1945, p. 2239.

916 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES no evidence of excessive consumption of drink in the Bengal coalfields area. Shrimati K. Radha Bai Subbarayan : Sir, in view of the fact that the coal situation is very grave in this country and that it is necessary to have the utmost output from coal mines, will Government consider the importance of taking immediate steps to close down the liquor shops in their vicinity, even though it is a provincial matter ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am afraid we have no control as the Honourable Member suggests. Mr. G. Rangiah Naidu : May I know if the liquor shops were located in the vicinity with the consent of the Local Government ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I say, that is a matter for Provincial Government. 331 * Primary Schools for Railway Coal Miners’ Children 1471. Shrimati K. Radha Bai Subbarayan : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) whether there are any primary schools for children of the miners working in the Railway-owned coal mines; and, if so, the number of schools and pupils—boys and girls—attending each of them; (b) whether the number of schools and pupils has increased or decreased since June, 1939, and what the difference now is; (c) whether these schools are co-educational, and if there are women teachers on their staff; (d) if a midday meal is provided to the pupils at these schools; and, if not, why not; (e) whether these schools are under entire or partial management of the Coal Mine Authorities or under some other local authorities; and (f) what steps Government are taking to promote elementary education among miners ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 29th March 1945, p. 2239.

917 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. I regret I have no detailed information about the number of schools but I shall obtain it. As regards the number of children of miners attending the schools, it will not be easy to obtain the information as the schools are open to other children as well. (b), (c) and (d). I have no information but I shall obtain it and place it on the table of the House. (c) The schools are under the management of the Hazaribagh Mines Board to which the Railway Collieries make financial contribution. (f) The responsibility for educational facilities is primarily that of the Provincial Governments. Shrimati K. Radha Bai Subbarayan : Sir, the Honourable Member told us the other day that there is a welfare committee, may I ask if the Honourable Member will draw their attention to the suggestions that I have made in this question and also get a record of the children of the miners who attend the schools ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : There is nothing to prohibit the Welfare Committee from interesting themselves in this and taking action in the matter. Shrimati K. Radha Bai Subbarayan : I want to know, Sir, if the Government will give instructions to this Committee to give their attention to these matters ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes, it might do. There is nothing to prevent the Committee from doing it. 332 *Application of Essential Services Ordinance to Government Employees 1485. Mr. N. M. Joshi : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state : (a) whether Essential Services Ordinance applies to all Government employees; and * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 29th March 1945, p. 2245.

918 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (b) whether protests have reached the Government regarding non-application of the provisions of sections (5) and (6) of the Essential Services (Maintenance) Ordinance II of 1941, in regard to obligation of the Crown not to discontinue the services of the Crown servants without a reasonable cause, and the issue of rules regulating or empowering a specified authority to regulate their wages and other conditions of service ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) No. Mr. N. M. Joshi : May I ask why Government have not taken steps that are necessary to be taken under the Essential Services Act ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : My Honourable friend’s question was whether protests were received. * * * *Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : Item 3 in the ............... The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member) : I am sorry I was not here to listen to the points raised by my Honourable friend, Mr. Avinashilingam Chettiar. But I should like to tell him that these quarters are permanent. Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : All of them ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes, and the necessity that forced us to undertake this construction...... Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : I know that. I know my Honourable friend can give a lecture on that. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I think it is a great advantage that in the midst of so much money which is being spent on building temporary structures, we have succeeded in securing at least these quarters as permanent houses which will enable us to house a large number of clerks’ population which will be working in the Secretariat. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1945, 29th March 1945, p. 2261.

919 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 333 * Erection of Wall Round a Mosque in Karol Bagh, Delhi Maulvi Muhammad Abdul Ghani : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) whether he is aware that under the Delhi Muslim Wakfs Act (XIII of 1943), there has been established a Sunni Majlis-e-Awkaf; if so, whether the said Sunni Majlis-eAwkaf is the sole Administrator of all the Wakfs in the Province of Delhi; (b) whether he is aware of the existence of an old mosque and a grave yard attached to it in the Karol Bagh area in New Delhi near the recently constructed Government quarters and that the Muslims do offer their prayers therein; (c) whether it is a fact that the Central Public Works Department intends to enclose the said mosque by erecting a wall around it and thereby slopping ingress of Muslims in it for offering their prayers; (d) whether his Department has sought the permission of the Sunni Majlis-e-Awkaf to erect a wail around it; (e) whether it is a fact that on the objections of the Mussalmans offering their prayers in the said mosque the contractor and men of the said Central Public Works Department is of the Central Public Works Department now ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) I am not aware of the existence of any old mosque although evidence of an old and unused grave-yard is visible near the recently constructed Government quarters in Karol Bagh. But I am aware of the fact that some Muslim residents of this area have recently built a pucca platform with a thatched roof and an enclosure on this area and say their prayers in this structure. (c) In consultation with the Local Administration, Government have proposed to wall off this area in order to prevent encroachment on this Government land by either the Muslims or the Hindus. In deference to the representations received from representatives of the Muslim * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1945, 2nd April 1945. p. 2304.