then I will have no objection if an inquiry is held into the working of the Corporation during the last five years when the Congress has been in power," he said.

But Mr. Mushtaq Rai (C) went a step further and said that if the Jan Sangh adopted a vindictive attitude then "we will also obstruct the proceedings of the Corporation and its various committees as our members would be represented in all of them."

However, the discussion was cut short when Mr. Brij Mohan, Chairman of the Standing Committee, intervened. He said that he could understand the enthusiasm of the Jan Sangh which would be in absolute majority in the new Corporation. "And although I do not want to lose grace, I would like to point out that Mr. Balraj Khanna's fears doubts and suspicions are unfounded."

Case Against Civic Chief

A seven-member ad hoc committee consisting of members of Delhi Corporation, which was constituted to look into the charges of corruption against Mr. B. N. Seth, a Deputy Commissioner of the civic body, on March 12 called on the Central Vigilance Commission to explain its "viewpoint" on the issue. And it came back after assuring the Commission that it would not like to create a situation where the civic body was obliged to disregard the recommendation of the CVC.

This marks a definite change in the attitude of the committee which had been maintaining that there was no case for prosecuting Mr. Seth. In fact it was not the recommen dation of one of the members of the ad hoc committee that the Corporation on December 19 decided to reinstate Mr. Seth who had been under suspension for over two years.

At March 12 meeting, the Commissioner told the committee that there was a prima facie case against Mr. Seth "which could be vindicated either way in a court of law.” The committee members reportedly "appreciated" this viewpoint. Another meeting may be held shortly as the CVC wants to seek clarification, regarding certain documents connected with Mr. Seth's case.

The meeting of the committee with the Commission had originally been fixed for February 27 but none of the committee members cared to respond to the CVC invitation. On an earlier occasion too only the Deputy Mayor. Mr. Des Raj Chaudhary, who is a member of the committee, turned up at the meeting. It may be recalled that it was decided to hold meetings with the CVC when the ad hoc committee suggested that before passing any order on the issue the Corporation should consult the Central Vigilance Commission.

The committee was appointed on October 31 after the Ministry of Home Affairs had repeatedly asked the Corporation to take a decision on the prosecution of Mr. Seth; the Ministry was goading the Corporation as the Ministry of Law and Central Bureau of Investigation as also the CVC had recommended the prosecution of Mr. Seth.

D. M. C. Congratulates Mrs. Gandhi

Delhi Corporation on March 12 adopted a resolution congratulating Mrs. Gandhi on her re-appointment as Prime Minister. It also decided to hold a civic reception in honour of the Prime Minister.

The resolution which was moved by Mr. Ram Charan Agrawal (Ind), was supported by Mr. Brij Mohan, leader of the Congress Party, Mr. Prem Sagar Gupta (Com) and Mr. Balraj Khanna (J. S.). But Mr. Khanna did not support the part of the resolution relating to the civic reception on the plea that it should be left to the new Corporation. He abstained when the House voted the resolution.

Mr. Khanna, however, was visibly embarrassed when Mr. Brij Mohan moved a resolution felicitating Mr. V. K. Malhotra, leader of the Jan Sangh group in the Corpo. ration of his appointment as Chief Executive Councillor. He described Mr. Malhotra as a man of character and integrity "having an urge to solve the multifarious problems of the capital."

Mr. Ram Charan Agrawal (Ind), Mr. Prem Sagar Gupta (Com) and Mr. Makhan Lal (Ind) supported the resolution.

Earlier, four members of the Corporation.

announced their resignations as they have been elected to the Metropolitan Council. They are: Mr. R. K. Bharadwaj (J. S.). Dr. Roshan Lal, chairman of the Health Committee, Mr. Fateh Singh and Mr. Prem Singh -all Congress.

Delhi Corporation's Cinderellas

Two departments of Delhi Corporation Audit and Accounts-were given stepmotherly treatment by the deliberative wing of the civic body during its five year tenure, which expired on March 22. This was presumably done to prevent them from interfering in the deliberative wing's dealings with the Corporation's finances.

The result is that the record of the Audit Department has been rather dismal. The latest audit report relates to 1962-63; and the report for the subsequent year-1963-64-is still under preparation.

The reason why the work of the audit department had been progressing at snail's pace is that it is under staffed. There is only one deputationist drawn from the Indian Audit and Accounts Service, a part-time Chief Auditor and another officer to look after the massive accounts of the Corporation with its three undertakings, which relate to yearly spending of about Rs. 75 crores.

The deliberative wing's effort had always been to discourage auditing as far as possible. It, of course, had the reports placed before the various committees of the civic body, but the committees often filed them without taking note even if they were critical. What is more, the system of internal audit was abolished by the Standing Committee last year "as an economy measure". Even the physical verification of stock-which is required under the statutory provisions of the Corporation Act-was discontinued at the instance of the deliberative wing.

sanction of the Accounts Department before incurring expenditure, with the result that the civic body's finances have touched rockbottom.

Also, there is no financial adviser in the civic body. The Chief Accountant is not an independent officer, but subservient to the Municipal Commissioner. And his advice, when accepted by the chief of the executive wing, was always disregarded by the deliberative wing. The Standing Committee, assumed the role of financial expert, ignoring the advice of the Chief Accountant and indul

ging in a jugglery of the figures and making the civic body's budget surplus, although it ended with a heavy deficit every year.

Meanwhile, the Economy Committee of the Corporation, which was appointed by the Municipal Commissioner, Mr. K. L. Rathee, held its meeting on Thursday. It is exami ning how far the Commissioner's directive to be implemented without affecting their effect 20% economy in all departments could working. It is expected to submit its report in July.

Corporation Winds Up With
Introspection

The last meeting of the outgoing Delhi Corporation, which had earned notoriety for noisy scenes, off beat discussions, wranglings and a knack for avoiding civic issues during its five-year-term, was held on March 21.

It was a comparatively sober meeting primarily because of the thanksgiving speeches delivered by the Mayor, Mr. Nur-udDin Ahmed, and leaders of the political parties. It provided an opportunity to the leaders to review their performance; there was an element of introspection in the speeches and the leaders were conscious of the fact that the civic body had not succeeded in delivering the goods to the extent it was expected

to.

But it was the Mayor who gave the councillors a pat on their back. "You have no reason to feel ashamed as the civic body undoubtedly has done good work", he said, and expressed the hope that the Corporation would do better under the Jana Sangh regime. The main argument of Mr. Nur-ud

Din Ahmed for justifying the performance of the civic body was that it had to deal with the population explosion in the capital.

Mr. Nur-ud-Din, who remained Mayor for four years during the five year term of the Corporation, offered a guideline to the future Mayor; impartiality, a fair chance to minority groups in the civic body and noninterference in the work of officers.

The first thanksgiving speech was delivered by Mr. Brij Mohan, leader of the Congress Party in which he too justified the performance of the Corporation, on the ground that the civic body had had to face numerous difficulties.

Mr. Balraj Khanna (JS) praised the Mayor for his judicious rulings. While thanking the Congress Party leader he pointed out that administrative expenditure had been increased by the Corporation "leaving an almost bankrupt civic body for the Jan Sangh to take over." He appealed to the Congress for co-operation.

Mr. Prem Sagar Gupta (Com). who has been a councillor for the last 13 years and who was singled out for praise by spokesmen of all parties for "his intelligence, grasp of constitutional problems and integrity", said the affairs of the civic body could not be improved unless "some radical measures àre taken." "Our weakest point is the discre tionary element at all levels which is being exploited by the vested interest", he said.

Mr. Ram Charan Agarwal (Ind.) confined himself to the problem of corruption and said that it could be eradicated only when there was a will to do so. He praised the Municipal Commissioner, Mr. K.L. Rathee, for his zeal to solve civic problems. D. E. S. U. Dispute Award Accepted

Delhi Corporation, which on March 21 cleared several routine items, also accepted the award given by a tribunal in respect of the dispute between employees of the Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking and the DESU management.

According to the award, the managetnent will adopt a uniform pay scale-Rs. 180-10 -290-E. B.-15-380-for all meter read

ing inspectors whether promoted before May 11, 1962 or after. Secondly, senior and junior and head cashiers will now be given a cash handling allowance at the flat rate fixed by DESU from April 18, 1963. Daily-rated emplopees who have been working for DESU for three years or more will be paid a cycle allowance as is applicable for regular DESU mazdoors. Also all mistries and linemen will be provided boots and chappals as part of their uniform. The implementation of the award will cost Rs. 1.85 lakhs.

The implementation of the award was opposed by Mr. Balraj Khanna (JS) who wanted to know the details of its financial implications. Later it was resolved that the award be implemented in toto.

The first meeting of the new Delhi Corporation will be held on April 3 to elect six aldermen.

First Meeting of New Corporation

The first meeting of the New Delhi Corporation will be held on April 3 to elect six aldermen.

will be filed on March 30, scrutiny will take The nomination papers for the election place on March 31 and withdrawals will be allowed up to April 1, it was announced in a Press Note issued by the Coporation on March 21.

Development Plan

The Curzon Road area in New Delhi will. be a crowded place to live in the near future. The zonal development plan for the area approved by the Ministry of Works and Housing recently has recommended a rise in population density from the present 30 to 40 per acre to between 75 and 150.

Of the 698-acre area (bound by Janpath on the west, Purana Qila on the south and the railway line on the north-east) as many as 413 acres have been earmarked for purely residential purposes.

Provisions have been made in the final draft plan of the area for a number of facilities for the residents, including 3.75 acres for the use of children. The area meant for children would be uniformly distributed so

that each child has enough space to play in the neighbourhood. The minimum area suggested for the "totlots" is 200 square yards.

Of the land allotted to the Government is four acres for building the proposed Delhi High Court opposite the Supreme Court and 7.5 acres for a hotel on Curzon Road. The police get five acres.

The area will also have better educational facilities. Land has been allotted for three more higher secondary schools which would be in addition to the existing four. Lady Irwin, Modern School, Mater Dei Convent and Guru Har Krishen Public School. One

of the locations is the existing Nursing College which is to be relocated elsewhere. Two other schools would be on the Kapurthala plot and one behind Eastern Court.

The area will have 37 nursery schools. There will also be three primary schools. There will be 26 acres of parkland and open spaces besides a green "linkage" for pedestrians wherever possible. This is in addition to 15 acres reserved for playgrounds.

Land has also been allotted for shops, commercial and dhobi ghats. The area will be well served by broad roads-80 to 60 ft. wide.

With the summer ahead, the Baroda Municipal Corporation, is tapping all possible resources to meet the water scarcity.

Mr. V. T. Kothari, health officer of the corporation, said because of the complete failure of rains during the last two seasons, the level of Ajwa lake, the main source of water supply to the city, had considerably gone down, necessitating a cut in the daily water supply.

The present daily supply, he said, was seven to eight million gallons-five million gallons from the Koyali refinery, two million from tube-wells and one million from Ajwa

Lake-as against the normal dailysupply of 12 to 15 million gallons.

The corporation, he said, had proposed to drill more than 30 tube-wells in different parts of the city to meet the water shortage.

Mr. Kothari said the health department of the corporation had geared up its machinery and was taking precautions to meet any epidemic that might break out as the result of the water shortage in the city.

Raichur has been without water supply since March 8 evening as the main pipes have breached about six miles from the town Raichur gets its water supply from Krishna river about 15 miles away through 30-yearold pipes.

In some places a pot f water was sold at 20 paise and a barrel of water for nearly Rs. 4.

Haryana

Municipal Elections Postponed

The Haryana Government has postponed elections to 22 municipalities in the State which were due to be held in April next.

It is understood that the Government revised its earlier decision in view of the popular demand for holding elections to all such municipalities where they were overdue at one time while in certain cases formalities for the elections were not com. pleted. Preparation of fresh electoral rolls' delimitation of wards in certain municipalities and immediate merger of new areas in municipal limits were some of the essential formalities to be completed before elections could be held.

Maharashtra

Action Against Civic Body Is Dropped

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously decided on March 28 that no further action need be taken against the Bombay Municipal Corporation in the matter of breach of privilege arising out of the adjournment motion passed by the civic body on August 3, 1964.

A resolution moved by the Chief Minister, Mr. V. P. Naik, to accept the plea made by the Corporation was adopted by the House without debate.

The Assembly had found the Corporation guilty of committing a breach of privilege of the House. The privilege issue arose out of an adjournment motion passed in the Corpo. ration in 1964. During the debate Corporation members had criticised the speeches made by members of the Assembly.

The Corporation, by its resolution of February, 1967, declared that it had, at no time, intended to cast any slur or aspersion on the authority and dignity of the august body which it respected. The Corporation, therefore, accepted the decision of the Assembly, holding it guilty of breach of privilege.

The Corporation also requested the Assembly to reconsider and withdraw the punitive part of the Assembly resolution which required 1) rescinding the adjournment motion of August 3, 1964, or payment of Rs. 10,000 as fine, in default, and 2) tendering of conditional apology or administering admonition in default.

Mr. T. S. Bharde, Speaker, made it clear that the Corporation had accepted the decision of the House, but had only requested the withdrawal of the punitive part of the decision.

The resolution was later passed without debate.

Civic Body Urged To Appeal

Town Congress corporators have drafted a resolution urging the Corporation to appeal against a court judgment in a dispute between the Corporation and the Mayor involving six acres of land.

Two corporators from Opposition parties have drafted a non-confidence resolution against the Mayor because he did not place before the court some records of the municipality.

The four corporators have requested the Corporation to discuss the resolution on March 31, when it is scheduled to discuss the draft budget proposals for 1967-68.

Zilla Parishad Poll

The Jana Congress dealt the first blow to the Congress in Nasik district when its nominee, Mr. Namdeorao Thakre, defeated the Congress candidate, Mr. Vijaysingh Thakur, in the presidential election in the zila parishad.

28 secured by his Congress rival, was supMr. Thakre, who polled 33 votes to the ported by all Opposition parties.

Commenting on the success of Mr. Thakre, the Jana Congress leader, Mr. Dhairyashirao Pawar, said that it was not the victory of the Jana Congress alone, but was the triumph of the united opposition.

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He announced that his organisation would fight the Congress together with the other Opposition parties in the ensuing elections, to the parishad, taluka panchayats and municipalities.

Mr. Y. J. Mohite, Minister for State Transport, told the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on March 29 that the State Road Transport Corporation had decided to revise the fares of its bus services from April 1, as it was otherwise beyond its capacity to balance the budget.

Making a statement on a calling attention motion by Mr. R. V. Bhelose (Cong.), Mr. Mohite stated that the increase was "not unjust."

The fares are to be raised from 20 paise per state of 6.4 kms. to 21 paise of 6 kms. in the case of mofussil services and from 3.1 paise to 5 paise per kilometre up to 3 kilometres and 3.6 paise from each additional kilometre in the city services.

By this increase, the Corporation would be able to just meet its additional expenses make profits. during 1967-68. The intention was not to

Mysore

Supersession Of Civic Body

The Opposition in both Houses of the Mysore legislature today walked out in protest against the supersession of the