( 64A ) 



such work. Mr. Fremantle is very strongly of opinion that an 

 experiment on these lines should be undertaken. 



25. Reclamation by famine works. The writers think that 

 there can be no doubt that the construction of a series of small 

 bandhs in the ravines is a work which is eminently suitable for 

 famine labour. In the first place it is a work which cannot be 

 swamped and which can be adipted to suit either large or small 

 numbers. In the second place it is a work which can be closed 

 down immediately without leaving the work in an uncompleted 

 condition and in the third place it is a work on which even the 

 younger children can earn their daily allowance. In the Etawah 

 district some work was actually carried out successfully in the 

 recent famine, and it is believed that some officers of the Public 

 Works department are now convinced that the work is suitable. 

 In their opinion it is better adapted to Civil Works than to large 

 Public Works and this is probably the case, but the writers think 

 that it will be found that there are no insuperable objections to the 

 work being done on a large scale also. They admit the difficulty 

 of preparing detailed projects in advance, but fail to see the 

 necessity for this. As far as they understand famine procedure, 

 it is only essential that Government should be satisfied in advance 

 that works have been provided sufficient to give labour to as many 

 persons as are likely to seek employment, and that an estimate of 

 the amount of money required should be prepared. From an 

 experiment made by Mr. Courthope with an officer of the Public 

 Works department and other similar experiments could be carried 

 out it was ascertained that the average amount of earthwork 

 per acre would be about 1,680 cubic feet, which is sufficient to 

 keep about 80 persons, including quite young children, employed 

 for one day. Assuming a famine work to continue for 150 days, 

 a work extending over ravines aggregating 4,000 acres would be 

 necessary for 2,000 persons. 



But the writers also claim that famine labour can also be 

 employed on other operations necessary for reclamation such as 

 the breaking-down of ridges between ravines, and preparing ridges 

 and pits for sowing and planting. Moreover, they claim that in 

 areas already under the process of reclamation a very large amount 

 of labour can be employed at ordinary rates in years of scarcity, 

 thus in many oases probably avoiding the necessity of opening 

 relief works. 



*6- The writers wish to lay special stress on one point, 

 however, namely, the absolute necessity of Government assuming 

 control, in some form or other, of all large blocks of ravines 

 reclaimed by famine labour for which Government has paid or, ia 



