are being laid through a tunnel to improve the suburban supply; (2) Plans are under way to make water in suburban wells potable through chlorination; and (3) residents are being urged to use non-potable well water for such needs as gardening and washing of animals."

The water famine in Bombay and the pro. mulgation of an ordinance to deal with the crisis has awakened our planners to the dangerous potentiality of the shortage of drinking water in urban areas,

It is realised that unless rain-fed water sources are properly conserved and the perennial underground and overground supplies of water are tapped, India will face a greater famine of drinking water than even of food, when the country's population reaches 1,000 million by the end of the century.

The planners have begun to emphasise the need for nation-wide tube-wells and the conversion of sea water into drinking water with the help of the Russian or American technique.

Bombay's crisis has set in motion an inquiry into the unplanned and unchecked growth of urban areas outpacing the resources in water and electricity and provision of housing and sanitary services.

Indeed the waywardness of the Rain God has overshadowed economic and political thinking in most States. The monsoon, after a tantalisingly promising start, has over large tracts of the country turned its face away as if in wrath. What this might portend by way of another year of severe drought in a land already reeling under distressing food scarcity is a matter for awesome speculation.

Bombay-Poona Complex

A town planning Bill is proposed to be introduced by the Maharashtra Government during the Nagpur session of the legislature.

The Bill, inter alia, will provide for a more co-ordinated and systematic development of the Bombay-Poona complex in and around 50 miles of the two cities.

Ten to 12 townships will be created in the periphery.

These details were announced by Dr. Rafiq Zakaria, State Minister for Urban Urban Development, at a public meeting organised by the Mahim Congress Workers' Committee in Bombay on July 16.

Dr. Zakaria said that though the Centre received 40 per cent of the total revenue of the country from Bombay alone through income-tax, super-tax, excise duties and capital gains tax, it gave to Maharashtra less than two per cent for State Plan expendi

ture.

Mr. T. T. Krishnamachari, a former Union Finance Minister, had assured the State Government that the Bombay Development Plan would be kept outside the Maharashtra Plan for the purpose of allocation of funds and that Bombay would be given additional funds separately by the Centre. He hoped the Centre would abide by it now.

Changing Skyline

What will Delhi look like in 1981? The signs are already there. On Parliament street, Maulana Azad Road, Indraprastha Estate and Asaf Ali Road one can see the future pattern of development of the Capital in the city's changing skyline.

The city's rapid horizontal growth since partition is now giving place to buildings shooting skywards The influx of refugees from west Pakistan had led to the city sprawling out in all directions. The process has now reached the limit. Thought is therefore being given to an ordered development of the city so that it is able to cope with its repidly growing population. And future development has to be vertical.

Delhi's population is growing at an estimated rate of two lakhs a year. By 1981 its population is expected to touch 80 lakhs. Sir Edwin Lutyen's concept of town planning with single or double-storeyed houses with spacious lawns is clearly unsuited to

present day needs.

The New Delhi Municipal Committee has appointed a sub-committee to lay down proper rules for the re-development of areas along Connaught Place, Parliament Street,

Barakhamba Road and Curzon Road. It will ensure that the heights of the buildings do not causs obstruction of light and air to neighbouring neighbouring buildings and also look into the aesthetic aspects.

Several public and private organizations have plans to build skyscrapers in and around Connaught Place. LIC hopes to build a 35-storeyed building in the Connaught Place area. The building will be over 350 feet high. Its architecture will be contemporary with all modern amenities. The State Bank, the Bank of Baroda and the Municipal Corporation have also plans to build 13 to 15 storeyed buildings. The NDMC's 13 storey Service Home on Janpath is already under construction.

Status Conscious Civic Officials

The Union Health Ministry may have to intervene in the month-long dispute between Municipal Commissioner Rathi and Col. Rao Health Officer of the Delhi Corporation.

The dispute arose over the Commissioner's decision to assume direct charge of the seven major hospitals, leaving the health officer more time to the problems of sanitation and family planning.

Considering this order derogatory Col. Rao proceeded on 30 days' leave.

He was

hesitant to resume his duties and has asked for reversion to the Army.

Union Health Minister Dr. Sushila Nayyars offer to intervene follows the realization that the absence of the health officer from the Corporation at a time when the city is faced with the threat of an outbreak of cholera is not in the interest of the citizens.

She asked Chief Commissioner Jha and Mayor Nuruddin Ahmed to persuade both the officials to work together.

The Health Minister said after Col. Boparai's transfer to the Army, she had agreed to ask for his successor on an undertaking from the Mayor that the officer would be given a free hand to rid the city of the health hazards and there will be no interference in his work from any quarter whatever. "Now that they have again started putting pressures on the health officer, it may be difficult to get an officer from the Defence Ministry."

In a bid to resolve the differences between the two civic officials, Mayor Nuruddin recently convened a meeting of the group leaders of the parties where Mr. Rathi was also called to explain his stand. Mr. Rathi took a very rigid stand at the meeting Rathi took a very rigid stand at the meeting and preferred to make it a prestige issue. He told the meeting: "You have to make a choice between me and Col. Rao."

"Col. Rao says he would resume if the order was withdrawn and there was no interference in his work. The chances of a settlement are bleak and hence the danger of the Corporation losing an honest officer in Col. Rao", said an exasperated group leader.

Road Accidents In Capital

1

The traffic drive, on a vigorous scale, has been on in the capital now for more than two months. There have complaints that the fines have been heavy. A motorist being A motorist being fined Rs. 500 or a cyclist being asked to pay

Rs. 100 gives rise to the complaint that the fines imposed are quite out of proportion to the offences committed.

The traffic police vehemently refute the suggestion. If the drive is to have any great impact the fines should really be quite heavy,

much heavier than what it is now, they suggest.

A total fine of Rs. 51,000 was realized from 1,316 truck drivers for various traffic offences; Rs. 7,250 from 362 car drivers, Rs. Rs. 25,000 from 1,542 scooter drivers, Rs. 10,500 from 562 motor-cyclists, Rs. 8,500 from 391 two-seater rickshaw drivers, Rs. 7,100 from 226 taxi drivers, and Rs. 13,000 from 270 private buses and Rs. 120 from eight DTU bus drivers.

Besides, in the category of slowmoving traffic, over the same period (May to mid July) as many as 1,946 cyclists paid a total fine of Rs. 18,000, 126 tonga drivers Rs. 1,500 and 13 bullock-cart drivers Rs. 300.