Famine of 1943 in Bakarganj and British Colonial Policy

In the vast literature of Bengal famine of 1943, it is hard to offer new insights about that vicious source of mass misery. Local history may mark a significant departure here, as it provides scope for an in-depth study of both the origin and course of the famine. Bakarganj was called the granary of Bengal, which used to supply rice to other regions even in the driest years due to its large production. But the famine of 1943 gravely affected this district. The present study shows how it was the colonial measures that played a vital role in intensifying the famine in Bakarganj. The government’s led to: hoarding of rice and serious shortage of food supply. The article concentrates on four aspects of the government failure: inappropriate warning system, callous purchase policy, lack of effective government inspection and a policy of disaster denial.

Blockchain-Based Network Concept Model for Reliable and Accessible Fine Dust Management System at Construction Sites

In total, 44.3% of particle matter 10 (PM10) is fugitive dust, and one of the main sources of fugitive dust generation in Korea is construction work (22%). Construction sites account for 84% of the total business places that have reported fugitive dust generation. Currently, the concentration of fine dust at construction sites is being remotely monitored by government inspection agencies through IoT sensors, but it is difficult to trust that appropriate fine dust reduction measures are being taken, because contractors can avoid taking these measures by submitting false reports or photos. In addition, since the fine dust monitoring system under government management is not an open platform and centralized system, residents near construction sites encounter difficulties in accessing information about fine dust. Therefore, in this study, we designed and constructed a blockchain network model to transparently and reliably provide network participants with the information associated with IoT data and fine dust reduction measures. To operate the blockchain network, we designed the chaincode, DApp, and network architecture. In addition, information on fine dust concentration and reduction measure photos were shared with the participants via the blockchain search tool (Hyperledger Explorer). The proposed blockchain network is expected to form a trust protocol among contractors, government inspection agencies, and citizens.

Public administration strategies that stimulate reverse logistics within the construction industry: a conceptual typology

PurposeReverse logistics (RL) is a waste revaluation process aimed at reintroducing once-used materials back into the production cycle. Public administration (PA) plays a strong role in influencing the implementation of RL in the construction industry through policy and laws. While much research identifies PA as an important driver in RL, no research yet describes how this occurs.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted on the theme PA in RL with 93 relevant publications retrieved.FindingsSix strategies used by PA to promote RL were extracted: (1) legislation, (2) government subsidies, (3) landfill disposal fee, (4) government inspection, (5) use in public construction works and (6) penalties and fines. Moreover, a typology built on these six strategies was developed, mapping 15 interactional relationships between strategies, according to three levels of influence: (1) encouragement (2) requirement and (3) regulation.Practical implicationsIt was found that legislation and government subsidies prove to be the more effective strategies, with the remaining strategies greatly neglected. Importantly, however, this study reveals that a combination of strategies are most effective when appropriately combined.Originality/valueThis study confirms the importance of PA in RL, in construction, while documenting the extent of current research. The resulting proposed typology, along with 15 identified future research priorities, is expected to be of value to academics and policy makers looking to advance understanding in this domain.

Evaluating Performance of Government Inspection Bodies: A Possible Approach

Ensuring the public safety and limiting administrative barriers have been the two core objectives of most reforms in the area of business inspections and regulatory enforcement for the past decade. However, measuring these efforts has proved quite challenging both in OECD countries and in Russia. Lack of attention to the results achieved or misinterpretation of progress may affect the success of the reform efforts. Th e objective of this paper is to develop a framework for defining and evaluating both the effectiveness and the efficiency of regulatory enforcement and to apply this framework to several areas of inspection activities (such as occupational and food safety) in Russia. Th e proposed framework advances the existing international approaches to measuring the performance of government inspection bodies and accounts for perspectives of citizens, businesses and governments as crucial stakeholders of inspection reforms. Th e paper is based on both qualitative and quantitative methods (sociological surveys and statistical research). Th e results suggest that evaluating the performance of business inspections should include all aspects of minimizing risks and losses in the controlled area - from prevention of violations (reducing risks) to ensuring the reimbursement, should the risk event happen. Various levels of results, including final outcomes (impact), intermediate outcomes and outputs, are needed as they allow for detecting important inconsistencies and gaps in the performance of government inspection bodies. Th e use of various sources of performance data, independent from inspection bodies, is critical for the successful implementation of the proposed framework.

WASTEWATER EFFLUENT GENERATED BY GROUT INDUSTRIES IN BRAZIL

Civil construction has grown inadvertently in Brazil, and, consequently, its demands for raw material. The production of such materials, as to any industrial process, yields wastewater effluents and has, in general, as destination water resources such as rivers and lakes. Nonetheless, government inspection can not keep up with the number of starting companies, resulting in the projection of impunity. The present work, the first of the kind, has the goal of analyzing the some chemical physics aspects of wastewater effluents samples generated from grout industries. The study shows that the pH of these samples lie outside the established limit by the national laws. The extremely alkaline pH and high conductivity of these effluents may cause severe damage to the aquatic environment in which they are disposed.

WASTEWATER EFFLUENT GENERATED BY GROUT INDUSTRIES IN BRAZIL

Civil construction has grown inadvertently in Brazil, and, consequently, its demands for raw material. The production of such materials, as to any industrial process, yields wastewater effluents and has, in general, as destination water resources such as rivers and lakes. Nonetheless, government inspection can not keep up with the number of starting companies, resulting in the projection of impunity. The present work, the first of the kind, has the goal of analyzing the some chemical physics aspects of wastewater effluents samples generated from grout industries. The study shows that the pH of these samples lie outside the established limit by the national laws. The extremely alkaline pH and high conductivity of these effluents may cause severe damage to the aquatic environment in which they are disposed.

Application of an Automated Hydrophobic Grid Membrane Filter Interpreter System at a Poultry Abattoir

The performance of a system to measure broiler carcass hygiene was investigated in the abattoir environment. The system involved: whole carcass rinses aided by a mechanical carcass shaker; filtration of rinse solutions though hydrophobic grid membrane filters (HGMF) (ISO-GRIDR, QA Laboratories Ltd.); and use of an automated HGMF interpreter. The interpreter recorded culture results in units of most probable number (MPN) of aerobic bacteria, in electronic data files (MI-100 HGMF Interpreter System, Richard Brancker Research Ltd.). Set-up and operation of the system by government inspection staff at an abattoir ran relatively smoothly with minimal interference to normal plant operation. The system demonstrated good repeatability in measuring log10 most probable number per gram of carcass (LgMPN/g), between repeat readings of the same filters (r=0.993 p<0.001), and good repeatability between repeat filters within the same carcass rinses (r=0.970 p<0.001). Overall, the LgMPN/g ranged from 0.258 to 3.955 with a mean of 2.276 and a variance of 0.324. These corresponded to MPN/g counts in the range of 2 to 9000 and a geometric mean of 188.8 MPN/g. A regression model was developed to investigate poultry supplier and abattoir effects on the variability of counts. A significant supplier effect was observed. The addition of two more carcass showers located just after the venting machine along the evisceration line was not associated with a change in carcass hygiene.

Dependency, the Credit Market, and Argentine Industrialization, 1860–1940

The factors responsible for Latin American economic “dependency” have long been debated by economic historians. In this article, Professor Guy considers the example of Argentine industrialization between 1870 and 1940. Argentine reliance upon foreign capital, she concludes, was due much more to local Argentine institutions — the commercial law, the stock market, and the government inspection bureau — than to any pressures from abroad. She adds that, though dependency theory has its limits, by focusing attention on local institutions, it remains a valuable tool for understanding Third World development.

British Government Inspection, 1832–1875: Some Observations

Many historians now recognize that the establishment of central government inspection was of great importance in advancing mid-nineteenth-century social and administrative reform. MacDonagh, for example, calls the appointment of inspectors ‘a step of immense, if unforeseen, consequences’. Parris, in many respects MacDonagh’s critic, acknowledges that inspectors ‘played a leading role in legislation, including the development of their own powers’. Other authorities have taken a similar line; indeed, Burn maintains that the period could be characterized ‘the age of the inspector’, so pervasive was his influence.

The State and the Steam-Boiler in Nineteenth-Century Britain

The search for the origins of government intervention in the nation's economic life has long interested historians of Victorian Britain. Indeed, in recent years it has given rise to an extended and enthusiastic controversy. This debate is so well known and has been so often summarised that it is only necessary to observe here that the core of the argument has been about whether government growth was generated more by ideology (Benthamism) or force of circumstances (Professor MacDonagh's “intolerable situation”). There is, however, consensus on several other points, namely, that the mid nineteenth century was not the “golden age” of laissez-faire that Dicey supposed and that government inspection was crucially important as the agency of state intervention.