67

CHAPTER – III

LOCALE OF STUDY AND SOCIAL PROFILE OF

RESPONDENTSI. LOCALE OF STUDY

For the present study Patiala district of Punjab was

selected. The Patiala city was founded near about 1762 AD by

Ala Singh, the founder of Patiala state. Its name was compound

of two words "Patti" and "ala" meaning tract of domain of Ala.

This was the capital state of princely state of Patiala. Forming

the south-eastern part of state, it lies between 29°-49' and 76°-

54' east longitude. The Estate is also called Phulkian Estate

because Ala Singh was son of Phul Singh. In 1948, Patiala

became the capital of PEPSU (Patiala and East Punjab States

Union) which was merged with Punjab in the year 1966. The

neighbouring areas of Patiala district are Ambala district now in

(Haryana state) in the east, and Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali,

Ludhiana in the north-east and Sangrur district in the south-

west.

Patiala is a city of gardens, palaces, and magnificent

buildings. The Pucca Fort with its Burj of Baba Ala Singh is the

principal palace of historical interest. The mud wall which

surrounded the city was demolished in 1935 Bikrimi but quite

a number of gates with various names still stand. The Fort now

house a number of offices, the state 'Museum'. Another

historical place is Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib which is

associated with the ninth Guru of Sikhs, Shri Guru Teg

Bahadur. The Baradari Gardens is another attraction of the

city. The Baradari Palace, the Rajendra Gymkhana Club, the

Mahendra Maharani Club and Rest House are all important

68

buildings situated within the Baradari Gardens. The other

buildings of Princely City worth mentioning in the city are the

Yadvindra Stadium, the Army Headquarters and the Old Moti

Bagh Palace, which now houses Netalji Subhash National

Institute of Sports. The temple of 'Kali Devi' is an important

place of worship in the city. The city is known for its works of

Gota, Kanari, Zari and Sitara for the manufacture of silk,

Azardands and Parandas. Its main industries are across the

railway station.

Patiala is an important educational centre. There are

number of colleges like Mahendra College, Government College

for Girls, Bikram College of Commerce, Prof. Gursewak Singh,

College of Physical Education, State College of Education,

Khalsa College, Multani Mal Modi College, Gurmat College,

Government Medical College, Dental College, Thapar University

of Engineering and Technology, Ayruvedic College etc. and a

university which is known as Punjabi University Patiala, which

is situated on the Patiala-Rajpura road. Another new university

named Rajiv Gandhi Law Universities situated in the Choti

Baradari. There are so many junior and senior model schools in

the Patiala city. The city also has Headquarters of Punjab State

Electricity Board, State Bank of Patiala, Pollution Control Board

of Punjab and Central State Library is situated on the Mall

Road in Patiala city. The city was expanded after independence

a number of new colonies like Model Town, Phulkian Enclave,

Urban Estate, Sanctuary Enclave, Majithia Enclave, Preet

Nagar, Anand Nagar, Raghbir Nagar, Ghuman Nagar, Partap

Nagar, Badungar, Deep Nagar, Prem Nagar, Deshmesh Nagar,

Officers Colony, S.S.T. Nagar, Mathura Colony, Blossom

Enclave, D.C.W. Colony, Power Colony, Bachittar Nagar, Ajit

69

Nagar, Passy Road, Bhupindra Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Mansahia

Colony, Bank Colony, Rajpura Colony, Guru Nanak Nagar,

Bishan Nagar, Gurbax Colony, Malwa Colony, Kesar Bagh, Tej

Bagh Colony, Harinder Nagar, Tripuri, Raghomajra, etc. have

come up.

II. SOCIAL PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS

In social research, it is not only important but equally

essential to explain the social profile of the respondents,

because they have an important bearing on the attitudes,

behavior and activities of the individuals. Men belonging to

different socio-economic background are likely to perceive

various social aspects differently; their behavior is bound to be

different. The information of the background of respondents is

essential for the further analysis of the data which is collected

and presented in the ensuing chapters. The special

characteristics of the respondents such as age, sex, caste,

religion, education, occupation, income, marital status, type of

family, educational score of the family, etc. are to be discuss in

order to know the truth or their exact social profile. These

features are discussed below:

1. Age

We are fully aware that the factor of age is a matter of

universal concern. It is significant to find out the age

distribution of division of respondents of our sample. In order to

get a clear picture or idea, the entire sample has been classified

into three broad categories. The first category includes

respondents from the age 20 to 40 years; the second, category

includes respondents from the age of 41 to 60 years; and the

third one includes respondents above the age 61 years. The

distribution the respondents in these three age categories are

shown in the Table 3.1.

70

Table 3.1

Distribution of the respondents according to their age

categories

Age Frequency Percentage

20 to 40 years 187 65.15

41 to 60 years 84 29.25

61 years & above 16 5.60

Total 287 100.00

The above table clearly shows that a vast majority of the

respondents were quite young at the time of data collection.

Further as shown in the given table, it becomes clear that the

majority of respondents are placed in the age category of 20 to

40 years of age i.e. 65.15 percent of the total sample taken;

secondly the 29.26% respondents were placed in the second

category i.e. 41 to 60 years and rest 5.6% belongs to the third

category i.e. above 61 years of age.

2. Sex

The sex structure is the second characteristic of the

respondents. The proportion/ ratio of males and females race

constitute their sex structure, is absolutely true that the

human is composed of two types of beings i.e. male and female.

And, it is one of the fundamental facts of life. It is a fact that at

the very first glance, it may seem obvious to mention this fact

that, yet it is often ignored or overlooked in our efforts to raise

the plane of satisfaction in living, Out of this fact of sexual

dimorphism (two forms) grows much of the world's beauty in

art, literature, drama, and human relations. Out of it, also grow

some of life's most tiring problems, bitterest disappointments,

deepest/serious hurts, and most distasteful ugliness. Human

71

beings can choose to utilize the potentialities of sexual

difference as one of the most fruitful means of overcoming the

essential loneliness in the individual life, or instead of

establishing meaningful and enduring relationship- they can

choose to use sexual difference to widen the gulf between self

and others. There is no wider gulf between one individual and

the other than that created when one considers the other a

material thing. Sexual difference is one of the inescapable

which everyone must face and to which everyone must in some

way orient himself. Members of the opposite sex, with their

attributes, their roles, and their expectation are part of the

environment in response to which personality develops. Each of

these two types of beings male and female, must in some way

take into account the existence of the others (Bowman 1974) He

wants that both must respect each other. The table given below

shows the data regarding the sex composition of the

respondents related to the present study.

Table 3.2

Distribution of respondents according to their sex

Sex Frequency Percentage

Male 179 62.4

Female 108 37.6

Total 287 100.00

The above table establishes that majority of the

respondents were males that comes to 62.4% and females were

37.6%. The table also reveals that a large majority of the

respondents came forward were males. This may be due to the

fact that when male members are at home, the women hesitate

to respond. 108 females who respond were not scare of their

72

better half because they were not at home at the time of

researcher visits to their house.

3. Caste

Caste too has been considered as an important factor for

social stratification (Ghurye. 1961, D'Souza, 1972). According

to these studies the status and role of the members in Indian

society are influenced by their respective castes to which they

belong.

The caste system is a very deep rooted and mighty

institution in the Indian society. It has important impact on all

other institutions such as social, economic, political, religious

and also educational. As caste system is very powerful in all

aspects of life, therefore, it was considered essential to collect

information about the caste background of the respondents.

This information was necessary because one of the hypotheses

of the present study is that caste background of an individual is

likely to influence/ his /her performance in all works, of life.

Srinivas has dealt with the concept of ritual status as the

determinant of caste in a little more analytical way. He

describes caste system as consisting of groups which are also

autonomous communities, but are united in a hierarchy. When

he states time it brings that community into relation with

numerous other communities all going to form a hierarchy"

(Srinivas 1952, 31). But according to him, the caste hierarchy is

a unique one, as it is based on the concept of ritual status that,

"caste guarantees autonomy to a community, and at the same.

This concept is absolutely fundamental to the system, and

along with the concepts of Karma and Dharma, it contributes to

make caste the unique institution; it is, "The caste system is

present both among the Sikhs and Hindus and even in the

73

Muslims, though this segment of he society, being in quite

minority has not been included in the present study. However,

reference to their existence in various regions of the Punjab is

very essential. This community is also not free from the caste

taboos.

In the present study the castes have categorized according

to traditional occupations linked to various castes groups.

Therefore, here it is pertinent as well as worth mentioning that

the present study clearly shows that the Jats and Kambojs, etc.

have been placed in the category of agricultural castes, Khatri,

Verma, Aggarwal, Gupta Arora, Sodhi, Walia, etc. all are placed

the category of commercial castes; Brahmins in priestly castes;

Barbers (Nai), Washerman (Dhobi), Ramadasia, Sweepers,

Mahjbi Sikhs in Backward and Schedules Castes respectively

stated above, the category which includes Muslims and

Christians in not applicable in the present study. Respondents

according to the above mentioned categories is shown in table

given below.

Table 3.3

Distribution of the respondents according to their caste

category

Caste Frequency PercentageAgricultural caste 65 22.7Commercial caste 98 34.2Priestly cast 47 16.40Backward caste 25 8.7Schedules caste 45 15.6Not applicable 7 2.4Total 287 100.00

74

Therefore the distribution of the respondents in the

preceding table shows that a higher number of respondents fall

in the category of commercial caste followed by agricultural

castes. If the categories of commercial and priestly castes are

clubbed the Hindu Castes will comprise almost half of the

sample. In the present study 15.6% and mentioned that they

belong to scheduled castes while only 8.7% mentioned that they

belong to Backward caste category. Only 2.4% fall in the

category of Not-applicable

4. Religion

'Religion' when we utter the word as soft and delicate

feeling comes to our mind because directly or indirectly, it

makes us attached to God. It is a mean to join the distorted

hearts together. Religion in one of the oldest serving social

institutions of humanity. It appears to be peculiar to only

human beings, no other specious of the world living in groups

or an organized society has anything similar to religion. It is

one of the most important facets of human being viz. birth,

education, marriage, death, etc. It is very sensitive and private

matter of human life, touches every temporal aspect of social

and cultural life of human. No one can bear even a very healthy

criticism of his/her religion. As Karl Marx says, 'religion is the

opium for the masses' an individuals' attitudes, beliefs, faith

and action pattern are considered to be influenced by the

religion to which the individual is attached. According the

Census Report of 2001 that is, the total population of Punjab is

2458999 and the household population by religion 14592385

(59.91%) in Punjab belong to Sikhs, the number of Hindus are

8997942 (36.94%) and Muslims are 300000 (1.57%). However,

other religious groups living in Punjab are Christians, their

75

number is 292800 (1.20%), Buddhists are 41487 (0.17%), Jains

are 39256 (0.16%) and others are 8494 (0.04%). But

particularly in the Patiala district of Punjab the majority of the

population belongs to the Sikhs. They constitute 56% whereas

the Hindus are 42% of the total population of Patiala, according

to the Punjab Census Report, 2001. The proportion of the

religious affiliation of the respondents in the presents study is

given in the table cited below:

Table 3.4

Distribution of respondents according to their religious

affiliation

Religion Frequency Percentage

Sikhs 160 55.8

Hindus 120 41.8

Others 7 2.4

Total 287 100.00

The data presented in the foregoing table reveals that the

distribution of the respondents according to their religion

shows that majority of the respondents i.e. 55.8 percent belong

to the Sikh religion and 41.81 percent belong to the Hindu

religion of the total sample taken. Only 24 percent fall in the

category of other which includes Christians and Muslims.

5. Education

Education is considered as a very important factor in

present day society. Education induces not simple changes

rather brings absolute transformation in attitude of the

individuals and helps in modernizing values. As Sheppard

stated, Education of course may affect the individual's chances

76

for bringing in a given occupation, which in turn predetermines

other life chances, including health, status and job security

(Sheppard 1976).

The educational level of respondents has been classified

into four major categories-uneducated upto middle and

secondary, higher secondary & graduates and postgraduate and

professionals. Here especially note should be taken that at

present more emphasis have been given on the technical and

professional education. It may be substantiated by the fact that

large numbers of such institutions have been established by the

private agencies to deliver this kind of education. The interest of

the young scholars is lessening day by day in the subject of

social sciences. The distribution of the respondents has been

shown in the table given below.

Table 3.5

Distribution of respondents to according to their education

Education Frequency Percentage

Uneducated 56 19.52

Upto Middle and Secondary 30 90.45

Higher Secondary & Graduates 69 24.4

Post Graduate & Professionals 132 45.99

Total 287 100.00

The distribution of the respondents in the table given

above clearly indicates that 45.9 percent respondents were well

qualified followed by 24.01 percent who were higher secondary

Graduates. While 19.51 percent were totally uneducated and

only 10.4 percent were educated upto middle class. If the data

of first two categories is clubbed, then it becomes clear that

77

19.9 percent of respondents were educated at the low level and

20.04 percent upto middle level and the remaining are highly

educated. This level of education may affect in the

environmental degradation differently. This kind of poor

percentage of the literate may prove differently. This kind of

poor percentage of the literate may prove harmful for the rising

buds in city Patiala which may not help in the overall

development of individuals and the city.

6. Occupation

It serves as an indicator of socio-economic status and

stature of the family. It affects life style behavior, conduct and

even morale as well as one's roles in society. Varying degree of

honour and prestige is attached with each occupation. The

occupational status of the respondents has been classified into

four broad categories such as Agriculture, Business service and

Labour class. The distribution of the respondents according to

the type of their occupation has been shown in the following

table. However a few categories have not been included because

the respondents were not available of this category to the

scholar, despite her best efforts.

Table 3.6

Distribution of respondents to according to their

occupation

Occupation Frequency Percentage

Agriculture 46 16.02

Business class 82 28.51

Service class 117 40.76

Households 18 6.27

Daily wages and labour 24 8.36

Total 287 100.00

78

The distribution of the respondents in the Table 3.6

clearly indicates that 16.02 percent of the respondents engaged

in the agriculture, 28.51 percent of the respondents engaged in

business, 40.76 percent engaged in service, 6.27 percent

engaged in household work and only 8.36 percent of the

respondents engaged in daily wages and labour class.

7. Income

In the present day materialistic word economic condition

of an individual or the family plays an important role in getting

higher education or achieving social status. In the present

study the respondents have been divided into four categories

relating to their income. The first group constitute of those

whose monthly income is less than Rs. 10000 per month; the

second category is with income Rs. 10000 to Rs. 20,000; the

third with income of above Rs. 20000. There were some

respondents who mentioned that they do not have any income

of their own. They are included in the category of not

applicable. This category included the housewives, the young

children below the age of 18 years etc. The distribution of the

respondents in this regard is presented in the form of a table

given below:

Table 3.7

Distribution of respondents according to their income

Monthly Income Frequency Percentage

Less than Rs. 10,000 72 25.08

Rs. 10001-20000 136 47.38

Above Rs. 20,000 62 21.62

Not applicable 17 5.92

Total 287 100.00

79

Table 3.7 clearly indicates that 47.38 percent of the

respondents fall in the income category of Rs. 10001 to Rs.

20000 which means middle class income followed by 25.08

percent who mentioned that their monthly income was less

than Rs. 10,000/- which is lower income level. The respondents

who mentioned that their monthly income was more than

rupees 20000. While only 5.92 percent mentioned that they had

no income of their own. This table further indicate only one fifth

of the respondents belongs to higher class.

8. Marital Status

Marriage is one of the oldest institutions; it has remain

throughout most universal and most distinctive of human

institutions. There is no record of any society, however simple

its economic and political systems that does not have marriage

system as one of the key elements of its social structure (Fuchs,

1983). As the society made evolution and advanced individuals

started proclaiming marriage either socio-religious union of

man with a woman. Thus marriage is the public recognition of

joining of a man with a woman. Thus marriage is the public

recognition of joining of two sexes, under socially specified

regulations, of a man and woman as husband and wife.

According to Lundberg (1958) marriage consists of "the rules

and regulations which define the duties and privileges of

husband and wife with respect to each other." Another

sociologist Mazumdar (1966) defined marriage as a socially

sanctioned union of male and female, for purpose of (a)

establishing a household (b) entering into sex relations (c)

procreating and (d) providing care for the off-sprigs. Prof.

Vinogradoff (1960) observes that it is not only an institution

regulating sex relationship and kept by conjugal affectation, but

80

also an arrangement for bringing up of children and a

partnership for economic ends and social co-operation. In the

present study the respondents have been classified into three

categories, that is, married, widow/widower and unmarried.

The following table presents the distribution of the respondents

on the basis of their marital status.

Table 3.8

Distribution of respondents according to their marital

status

Marital status Frequency Percentage

Married 160 55.74

Unmarried 100 38.84

Widow/Widower 27 9.42

Total 287 100.00

The above table indicates that more than half of the

respondents that constitutes 55.74 percent fall in the category

of married. While another good proportion of the respondents

mentioned that they were still un-married. Only 27 respondents

i.e. 9.42 percent fall in the category of widows/widowers.

9. Type of Family

Family is the most significant instituting in the

socialization process of the individual. Moreover, the family

ascribes an initial status to the individual prior to his achieving

status on his own. In India can find various types of families.

However, for the present study the classification of families as

given by Morrison (1959).He mentioned three major categories

of family i.e. the nuclear, quasi-joint by taking the conjugal pair

as a basic unit. Accordingly, the nuclear family consists of one

conjugal pair with or without other relations and the joint

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families consists of two or more conjugal pairs with or without

other relatives and further if the husbands in the two parties

are related as father and son, this type of family has been

termed as quasi-joint by Morison. Classification of Morrison

has-been followed in present study because of its suitability for

empirical research. The type of family in which an individual

lives has significant influence on his personal joint life. The

distribution in this regard is presented in the following table:

Table 3.9

Distribution of the respondents according to type of family

Family Type Frequency Percentage

Nuclear 156 54.36

Quasi-joint 82 28.57

Joint 49 17.07

Total 287 100.00

It is evident from the above given table that a large

proportion of the respondents that is 54.36 percent were living

in the nuclear families and 28.57 percent were living in quasi-

joint families, while only 17.07 percent were living in joint

families. This indicates that the traditional joint family is

breading sharply in the urban areas and made a continuum

like joint family, quasi joint family and nuclear family.

10. Educational Score of the Family

Before we discuss the educational status and stature of

the family it will be useful if the development and spread of

education is very briefly narrated here because this will make

the things more clear that the development of education has

82

definitely help each and every family to acquire more education

and raise their living standards as well as their mental eye-cue.

In the present study, educational score of the family has

also been taken into account. The educational score of the

family can also be good indicator regarding the general

background of the family, its status and living style. Due to the

availability of various educational institutions in the city has

more influence of the individuals which opens various channels

for earnings. This study shows that majority of the respondents

are highly educated in Patiala. Accordingly, it is decided to

assign educational score to each family with reference to the

number of educated persons in the family. Average educational

score for each family was worked out and the score classified

into three broad categories. These educational score categories

were upto 10(low), 11-20 (middle) and above 20(High). Table

3.10 will show the distribution of families according to their

educational scores.

Table 3.10

Distribution of families according to their educational score

Educational score Frequency Percentage

Upto 10 (Low) 45 15.69

11-20 (Medium) 41 14.2

Above 20 (High) 201 7.03

Total 287 100.00

The data given in the above table shows that on

overwhelming majority of the respondents families came under

the last category i.e. above 20 which come in a higher

educational score of the families consisting of

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11. Type of House

House is dwelling it serves as a living place for one or

more families. The nature of the atmosphere in the house where

people live has a profound effect not only on their physical

health but also on their mind. It was therefore, becomes

essential to get details of the houses in which the respondents

were living. The type of houses were devised into three main

categories i.e. Kacha, Pucca & Semi Pucca houses. Their

responses in this regard are vividly shown in the following

table.

Table 3.11

Distribution of respondents according to type of their house

Types of house Frequency Percentage

Kacha 6 2.09

Pucca 271 94.43

Semi Pucca 10 3.48

Total 287 100.00

The table given above reveals that the majority of them

were living in Pucca houses. This may be due to the growth of

urbanization. In cities people are more aware about the type of

house they are living in. It plays a vital role in determining the

living standard of the people in a particular area. It was observe

that every respondent whose income is even less than Rs.

10000 also live in Pucca house. Even in rural area one can see

Pucca houses. This change is due to the growth of urban

centers. In the present study we can safely say that very few

respondents were living in Kacha and Semi Pucca houses. They

were those who were doing labour and had not much wealth

and the property. It is worth mentioning here that a large

84

number of them live in slum areas. These respondents faced

certain difficulties due to their Kacha houses and kacha floor

like dust nuisance of rats dampness and heaps of waste near

there houses. However, despite of those problems many of them

could not afford to get the floors plastered. They were also

asked to mention the frequency of cleaning the floors, which

had Pucca or plastered floors were cleaning daily with

detergents and other cleaners and periodical readjustments

have been made. But those who have Kacha floors mentioned

that they clean the floor with cow dung weekly or fortnightly. It

was found that very few of them change their kacha floors with

pucca one. It was also noticed that most of them clean the

floors of their houses once in a month. This shows that they

were aware of the necessity of keeping their houses clean.

Moreover, it is found that most of the respondents who were

having Pucca houses got their houses whitewashed after two or

three years. This shows that most of the respondents were

aware to keep their house atmosphere should remain hygienic

to make their life smooth and jovial.

Those respondents who have pacca houses further

mentioned that they were also aware about the ventilation of

their houses. They know about the advantage of windows and

ventilators. Only those who did not only have pucca houses

were not aware. This may be due to their poor economic

conditions. The respondents were also asked whether sunlight

passes through their houses. Even they know the importance of

sunlight. They mentioned that sunlight is not only useful for

health, rather it is essential for purifying the air and also for

removal of dampness, the elimination of mosquitoes, flies, and

many other kind of insects.

85

Further the respondents were asked to mention that

whether they have a separate kitchen or not because the

women folk have to spend most of their time in the kitchen. So,

it is therefore, considered of some interest to find out how many

houses had separate kitchen.

Table 3.12

Distribution of respondent according to the type of their

kitchen

Whether kitchen separate Frequency Percentage

Yes 271 94.43

No 16 5.57

Total 287 100.00

The table given above shows that a vast majority of the

respondents have separate kitchen in their houses. It is found

that the respondents who have pucca houses had separate

kitchens. But who had semi pucca house and kaccha houses

did not have separate kitchen because they could not afford to

build a separate kitchen. Most of them made their kitchen in

the courtyard which is open and commonly called (Chaunka),

which had no roof and made their kitchen temporarily.

Further the respondents asked to mention that what kind

of fuel they use in the kitchen. Because it is a matter of concern

that if they use such kind of fuels which are harmful to their

health and environment. Their responses are given in the Table

3.13.

86

Table 3.13

Distribution of respondents according to the type of fuel

they use

Type of fuel Frequency Percentage

LPG 257 89.54

Cow dung cakes & wood 18 6.27

Kerosene oil 12 4.19

Total 287 100.00

The table given above reveals that majority of respondents

were using LPG in their kitchen. Only 6.27 percent of the

respondent mentioned that they were using wood and cow dung

cakes in their "Chaunka". Only 4.19 percent were using

kerosene oil. If we club these two categories, that constitute

10.46% of the total sample. Who were either poor they

mentioned that they did not afford LPG because it is very

expensive and they have to use such type of fuels which is

cheaper and harmful for their health. Some of them mentioned

that sometime they feel suffocation because of the smoke. This

indicates that though their number is small but they are

degrading the environment in a bigger way.

After that the respondent were asked to mention where

they dump the domestic waste. According to Laurent Hodges

that the domestic wastes in urban areas must also be

considered. Generally the waste waters are disposed of in the

ground through the use of pit privies, cesspools, or septic

tanks, some times the absorptive capacity of the soil is

inadequate for proper disposal. The main concern is to prevent

contamination of ground water supplies (Laurent Hodges). To

analyze the data wastage is categorize in three broad categories

87

i.e. solid waste, raw waste and liquid waste. Solid waste

consists plastic, polythene, kitchen waste etc. Raw waste

consist wood husk, burning of leaves, cow dung cake's husk

etc. Liquid waste consist kitchen liquid waste, dying liquid

water, industrial liquid waste etc.

Table 3.14

Distribution of respondents according to dumping the

wastage near the house or not

Dumping of wastage near the

house

Frequency Percentage

Solid Waste 185 64.45

Raw Waste 80 27.87

Liquid Waste 22 7.68

Total 287 100.00

The table given above depicts that most of the

respondents keep the wastage from their houses or from other

activities of their house, some respondents hesitatingly

mentioned that they use dustbins to keep the waste but throws

this dustbin near to the house or in the remote corner of the

area. Some respondents mentioned that they use polybags and

throw on roadside or near the house. In the same way they

used to do with raw material from their house like when they

cut the grass of their lawns and the dead leaves they used to

throw this kind of raw material near their house and the stray

cattle eat that grass, and it is harmful for them because they

use pesticides in their lawns. This reveals that the people were

aware about the harms from the wastage but do not bother

about it and do not bother about environment. They used to

clean their house only but not their outskirts and near by

88

place. It is really shocking to note that there are some who

throw their wastage from windows and roofs in the streets and

the vacant plots. This kinds of the solid waste comprising many

harmful chemicals. The people who were running small scales

industry at their homes like dairy, dying, shoe making, poultry

like to make jaggary (Gachak) etc. always used drains for

disposal of their liquid waste. One of the respondent who was a

resident of Mohindra Colony had a small industry of making

Rewari and Gachak mentioned that he use to dispose the liquid

waste in the drain adjacent to his house. In the same manner

who had dairies dying work, Poultry etc. at their home have no

such facilities to dispose the waste, so they used drains which

chokes the drains. And people used to throw the dead leaves in

the vacant land and burn it which causes smoke which

contributes a lot in environmental degradation.

Further the researcher asked the respondents to mention

that is their any open roadside toilets near to your house or

adjoining to your house. The table given below shows that how

many respondents had open toilets near to their house.

Table 3.15

Distribution of the respondents according to their response

about the roadside open toilets near to the houses

Toilets near the houseRoadside open

toilets Yes No

Total

Near the house 92 (48.67)

(74.19)

97 (51.32)

(59.50)

189 (65.85)

Adjoining the

house

32 (32.65)

(25.80)

66 (67.34)

(40.49)

98 (34.15)

Total 124 (43.20) 163 (56.79) 287 (100.00)

89

The preceding table depicts that about 43.20 percent of

the respondents had near or adjoining the open toilets to their

houses. The respondents further mentioned that they had a big

problem from that open toilets because there was no

cleanliness and that toilets are stinking. Respondents also

mentioned that Municipal Corporation is responsible for it.

There is no sweeper or toilet cleaner appoint to clean that

toilets. Respondents said that the stinking smell from that open

toilets harmful their health and environment. They also

mentioned that flies and mosquitoes and some insects come

from there and which prove very harmful for them.

The researcher further asked to mention that have they

proper sanitation facilities or not, because in Patiala city some

colonies are unplanned like Bains colony near Bhadson Road,

Ranjit Nagar, Adarash Colony etc. These colonies don’t' have

sewerage system. Sivarama Krishana stated in his study that as

for consumption, 300 million people in India have no access to

safe drinking water, while 700 million people have no access to

elementary sanitation (Sivarana Krishana). Even it can be said

that if people don’t have sanitation facility at their home they

used to go their excreta disposal on roads, near the public

places, gardens etc. The poor people who don’t have basic

amentias like toilets mostly used roads, railways tracks for

excreta disposal. The distribution of the respondent in this

regard is presented in the Table 3.16.

90

Table 3.16

Distribution of the respondents whether they have

sanitation facilities

Whether the sanitation facilities at

their house

Frequency Percentage

Yes 220 76.65

No 67 23.35

Total 287 100.00

The table given above reveals that majority of the

respondents has sanitation facilities. But at the same time they

also mentioned that they have a sanitation facility but it is not

properly maintained by Municipal Corporation. They mentioned

that the sewerage pipes are frequently blocked because the size

of the popes is small and they can not bear the load. In the

rainy season the sewerage gutters used to blocked and

overflowing when it rains and the stinking smell occurs which

causes environmental degradation. The respondents who

mentioned that they had not proper sanitation facilities. They

said that the Municipal Corporation is responsible for it,

because it does not bother about their sanitation facilities. They

also mentioned that they use pits for toilets disposal.

Sometimes they made drain for the disposal of water from

kitchen, bathing, washing etc. This toxic water is quite

dangerous and harmful for environment and it too degrades the

ground water quality.

91

References

Fuchs, V.R. (1983) How We Live, Cambridge MA: Harvard

University Press, pp.23-24.

Geeta, “A Critical Analysis of Offences Relating to Religion in

India”, LL.M. Dissertation (unpublished), pp.1-3.

Henry A. Bowman (1974) Marriage for Moderns, United States of

America: Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication

Dart, pp.1-3.

Lundberg (1958) Lundberg on Sociology, New Delhi: Harper and

Bros., pp.13-14.

Mazumdar (1966) Grammar of Sociology, Asia Publishing

House, pp.1-3.

Punjab Census Handbook, No. 18, Patiala District, 2001.

Srinivas, M.N. (1952) Religion and Society among the Coorgs of

South India, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.135-185.