PATNA: Preventive and curative measures adop­t­­ed by Government to deal with the cholera epidemic in north Bihar are in progress. Extra staff has been employed and some medical students have been appointed as inoculators especially to help in the anti-cholera work in mofussil areas.

It has been noticed, however, that the number of women inoculated is small owing to the purdah system which makes villagers unwilling to bring their women forward to be inoculated. Headmen of villages have been asked to assist in all the measures needed including the disinfection of wells and inoculation of men and women. Some of the operations to check the epidemic are being hampered on account of untouchability which prevents people of the depressed classes from using the same wells as other caste Hindus. Mr. P.T. Mansfield, Adviser to the Gover­nor, has returned from a tour of Muzaffarpur where he studied the application of the anti-cholera measures taken by Government.

[Meanwhile, as reported from Simla,] an increase in the starting pay of Foot constables from Rs.17 to Rs.22 p.m. plus a total of Rs.17 in various allowances in which dearness allowance hitherto granted will be merged, has been sanctioned by the Punjab Government.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2019