217.     Adjustment of rents. - Settlement Officers have now no power to commute grain into cash rents of vice versa without the consent of both landloard and tenant (section 13). Rents fixed in terms of th land revenue and  casses, with or without the addition of malikana, may be adjusted at a re-assessment. The new rent will consist of the revised revenue demand and cesses, or, it the former rent included malikana, of these items with the addition of malikana calculated at the old rate on the new revenue (section 27).

 

218.     Statutory Government tenants. - When cultivators are being settled in large numbers on State land, it would be inconvenient if a separaate lease had to be drawn up for each holding and if all the provisions of Act XVI of 1887 applied to the new tenancies. Accordingly it was provided in Act III of 1893, as amended by Act XIV of 1896, that after the issue of a notification applying the former Act to any tract of land, tenancies might be created by entries in a register being signed by the tenant. Prefixed to the register was a full statement of the conditions on which the land included in the different holdings is granted, and, by signing the subsequent entry relating to his own holdings, the tenant be Tenancy Act or not. A simpler procedure was prescribed by Act V of 1972, the Colonization of Government Lands (Punjab) Act, which removed from the purview of the Tenancy Act all Government tenancies to which Act V of 1912 was made applicable.

 

219.     Tenants-at-will.- The incidents of the tenures of tenants for a term of years and of yearly tenants, so far as they ae not determined by contract, are described in Chapter II of the Land Aministration Manual.

 

220.     No inquiry made at settlement regarding status of tenants. - Section 37 of thee Land Revenue Act is a bar to any settlement inquiry into the status of tenants. If a tenant entered as a tenant-at-will claims occupancy right, he must be referred to a revenue suit. Attempt should be made to show occupancy tenants under the different classes described in the present Tenancy Act (XVI of 1887), unless the particular class tow hich subject a tenant belongs has been shown in a previous record or declared in a judicial proceeding.

 

CHAPTER X

Preliminary Measures in connection with a Settlement

221.     Proper time for starting a settlement. - Much loss has been caused to the State with doubtfull benefit to the people by the failure to re-assess districts promptly when the term of settlement expired. A settement should ordinarily begin two years before the expirty of the period for which the existing settlement was sanctioned.

 

222.     Preparing a district for settlement. - It was the aim of the reforms effected by Colonel Wace to provide the Settlement Officer at starting with an efficient staff of patwaris and kanugos, with maps and records corrected to date, and with accuate assessment data. This ideal has not yet been realized, but in the districts of which the last revision of settlement was completed in 1909, or a latere year, it was found possible in consequence of these reforms having been in operation for the greater part of the period of the expired assesssment condierably to abridge settlement operations. Special rules (paragraphs 43-7 of Standing Order 16), have been drawn up for the maintenance of the maps and records of those districts and it is hoped that their observance will result in the utimate realization of Colonel Wace's ideal. But in the other districts of the province as they come under re-settlment some special measure of revision of records will be required thought the rules in paragrphs 35, 42, Standing Order 16, which are applicable to those districts, should tend to simplify it. The methods at present in force of simplifying thsi special revision of records are described in Appendix XXI. There is some advantage in drafting of the district gradualy during the 6 months preceding in commencement of settlements, the special establishment required for revision as the mon become available from other settlement, for this ensures the men being on the sport punctually and starting work with some prvious knowledge or local circumstance.

 

223.     Financial forescast and settlement notification - A general re-assessment of any area can now be undertaken when the sanction of the Local Government has been obtained and a notification has been issued under section 49 of the Land Revenue Act of  1887.

The application for sanction is accompanied by a forecast of the brobable financial resuits of re-assessment prepared by teh Deputy Commissioner of the district, or some other officer selected by the Financial Commissioner for the purpose. The order regarding such forecasts are contained in the second and third of the settlement instructions of 1893 revised in 1914 (see Appendix I), and some suggestions as to their proparation be found in Appendix II and in the rules framed under section 60 of the land Revenue Act, as amended by Act III of 1928, in Part E of Appendix I, Usually the question whether a distric will be re-assessed when the term of its settlement expires will be determined by financial considerations. But a preliminary report should not only deal with the gross amount, but also consideratios. But a preliminary report should not only deal with the gross amount, but also with the character of the existing assessment, the suitability of inform to local circumstances, and the fairness of its distribution over estates. Cases may occur in which an assessment is so high, or so bad in form or distribution, as to require revising quite apart from the question whether re-assessment will yield any profit to the State comensurate with the cost of making a new settlement. Before the report is prepared the leading agriculturists and organizations of land-owners of the area concened shall be consulted so far as practicable and it shall be noted in the report to what extent this  have been done and what opinions have been elicited. The sufficiency of existing maps to do the other documents included in the records of right for practical revenue work and where they requires correction, the possibility fo carrying out the necessary measures by the ordinary district agency without the employement of a settlement establishment should be noticed. Re-assessment may be ordered without a special revision of the record of vice versa, or it amy be clear that it is desirable to combine these two operation. If re-assessment and special revision of reassessment and special revision, of the records are both necessary it is well that notifications under sections 49(1) and 32(1) of the Land Revenue Act should be issued simultaneously. Proposais for the additional establishment to be employed in connection with settlement operations will be framed in the Financial Commissioner's office.

 

224.     Preliminary operation. - On taking up his duties a Settlement Officer will find it a good plan to make a rapid march through all parts of the area to be re-assessed in order to obtain a general idea of the life of the country and the nature of the cultivation, the chief varieties of soil and irrigation, the suitability of existing assessemnt should be obtained from an examination of the tahsil and assessment circles, and the character of the maps and records and of the staff responsible for their maintenance. As each  tahisil is visited the assessemnt report of the last settlement should be studied, and a rough notion of the changes which have occureed since the rpvious assessment circle revenu registers. At the same time the accuracy of the annual records and the sate fo the business connected with the attestation of mutations should be examined by himself of th business connected dinates. Great pains should be taken to dispose of all arrears of mutation work so as to make the first jamabandis prepared during settlement really accurate statements of existing titles. If this is done the record words connected with the new surveys which are made will be greatly simplified.

 

225.     Matters for early decision. - There are five subjects which claims early attention and on which a Settlement Officer must ask ofr orders as soon as he feels himself able to report upon them. These are -

(a)        the extent to which re-measurement is requied;

(b)        the classes of land which should be recognized in the record;

(c)        the circles in which the estates should be grouped for assessement purposes.

(d)        the communcation prices to be used in the produce estimate; and

(e)        the cycle of years which should form the basis of the produce; estimate.

            The Commissioner sends the reports with this own recomrnendations  to the Financial Commissioner for orders.

            It is unneccssary, and will probably be found inconvenient, to dispose of all these matters in a single report. The first two are the most urgent and should be dealt with together, the others may be reserved for a separate report or reports. The considerations which govern the question whether a new survey is required or not are noticed in Chapter XII, and the classificationof land for assessment purpose in Chapter XIII. The XVIth Chapter of this work deals with teh formation of assessment circles, and the subject of commution prices is dealt with in Chapter XIX. The rules framed under section 60 of the Land Revenue Act bearing on these matters should be duly borne in mind.

 

CHAPTER XI

The Settlement Officer and his establishment

226.     The Settlement Officers. - The Settlement Officer is a revenue officer charged with the durty of making a general re-assessment. While engaged on this task he is also responsible for the continuance and improvement of the regular work of the village record agency, and, when a notification directing the special revision of existing records-of-rights is issued, for the carrying out of the additional operations which such an order entails. He should so lay out his work that it shall fit in with the ordinary duties of the patwari and kanungo agency. It is improtant that during a settlement the usual routine of the revenue work of a district should be as little as possible interrupted. The Settlement officer may be -

(a)        the collector or Deputy Commissioner of the district,

(b)        an officer invested with most of the powers of a Collector, but working in subordination to the Collector of the district, who is ultimately responsible for the assessemnt and for the correctness of the records, or

(c)        an officer invested with most of the powers of a collector and solely responsible for the assessement and record work.

            Under present circumstances the third plan is, as a rule, by far the best. The advantage which would result from posting the future Settlement Officer, ot the district as Deputy Commissioner or Revenue Assistant for a year or tow before the re-assessemtn begins is clear, but to unite the offices of Deputy Commissioner and Settlement Officer in one person is likely to be unfair to the work and ijnurious to teh worker. It may become feasible to do so when the reforms introduced by Colonel Wace have borne their full fruit. If the assessment is carried out tahsil by tahsil. The second arragnement is very difficult to carry out in practice. Tact on the part of both the officers concerned may make the position endurable. But it i really a false one. The Deputy Commissioner cannot find time to make himself so fully acquainted with the details of the work of the settlement, and especially of the assessment part of it, as to become really responsible for the result, and it is not right that the officer to whose exertions any merits which the settlement possess are due should not get the full credit for it.

 

227.     Relationship of district and settlement staff. - Where the Settlement Officer is neither the Deputy Commissioner nor under the order of the Deputy Commissioner, it is essential that they should themselves act cordially together and insist on thier subordinates doing likewise. Their respective spheres of work may be marked off to some extent but each in his own sphere requires and has a right to look for the help of the other. Indians are quick to detect any want to harmony between their official superiors and street their course accodingly.

 

228.     Additions to district staff during a settlment. - The special settelment staff ally consists of -

(a)        an Extra Assistant Setltement Officer who may also be Revenue Assistant of the district, and who in both capacities works under the orders of the Officer-in-cahrge of Settlement operations

(b)        a settlement Tahsildar for each tahsil,

(c)        a Settlement naib-tahsildars, each in charge of four or five kanungos circle

(d)        Settlement field and office kanungos, each field kanungo being expected to supervise about five survey parties.

            If the district is a large one is often necessary to have a Revenue Assistant working under the orders of the Deputy Commissioner as well as an Extra Assistant Settlement officer. One of two extra tahsildars are sometimes appointed in the second year of Settlement operations, if the quantity of work turned out by the subordinate staff is such that the settlement tahsildars cannot keep on with in their final attestation. The district tahsildars and naib-tahsildars are excepted to co-operate in settlement work, and, where possible, should be given some definite share of the duty of supervision. the patwaris and kanungos of the tract under settlement are placed entirely under the control of the Settlement Officer. If the patwari establishment is strong enought to carry our efficiently the duties which fall to it in ordinary time it will not be increased simply because a settlement is in progress. It is an acdepted principle of settlement policy that all work connected with the revision of land records including re-measurement, if that is found necessary, shall be done by the patwaris, and it is one of the Settlement Officer's principal duties to train them to do such work properly. Any patwari who, after fair trial, cannot learn to do it should be dismissed. A grant for temporary establishment is usually included in settlement budges. But is must not be used so as to relieve patwaris of any part of their proper duties. It is available for providing allowances to kanungo adn naib-tahsildar candidates under training and salaries for a limited number of temporary clerks, colourists, etc., as wel as for paying extra settlemetn patwaris. Great care must be taken to employ as men as possible to the last class (see paragraph 247). No extra kanungos must be appointed and paid from the grant for temporary establishment without the sanction of the Commissioner. Further instructions about the temporary establishment will be found in paragraphs 19-23 and 26-29 of Standing Order No. 16.

 

229.     Business assigned to Settlement Officers.- The business under the Tenancy and Land Revenue Acts assined to Settlement Officers is detailed in Appendix VI. Questions may occasionally arise as to the division of work between the Deputy Commissioner and the Settlement Officer which the instructions in that  appendix do not cover. These it will generally be possible for the two officers concerned to settle for themselves. The rule of desison should be as far possible to maintain the ordinary course of revenue administration and to avoid weighting the Settlement Officer with any duty which is not esential to the progress of his special work. The fact that a re-assessment of his district is being made is not intended to relieve the Deputy Commissioner of duties other than those connected with assessments and village records.

 

230-231. Cancelled.

 

232.     judicial power of Settlement Officers.- The judicial powers of Settlement Officers, once so extensive, are now very limited.1[1] It is true they are invested with all the powers of a collector under the Tenancy Act, but, unless the Financial Commissioner otherwise directs, the exercise of th powers should be restricted to the disposal of the business noted in Appendix VI. The only judicial function which the question at issue is the alteration of the rent of a holding and suits relating to the emoluments of kanungos, pativaris, and village headmen. Suits of the latter class are very rare. By Chapter XI of the Land Revenue Act the Local Government is empowered to invest a Settlement Officer with exclusive jurisdiction as regards all or any specified classes of suits relating to land, and also, if it thinks fit, to divert the ordinary course of appeal and revision as regards his orders and decrees in such cases from the superior civil to the superior revenue courts. But so far no use has been made of these provisions.

 

233.     Revenue and magisterial powers of settlement staff.- Settlement Officers are invested with the powers of a Collector under the Land Revenue Act, except those relating to the collection of revenue. In the exercise of their powers as judicial and revenue officers they are not subject to the controal of the Collector of the district. When Assistant Settlement Officers are appointed the same powers are conferred on them to be exercised subject to the Settlement Officer. Extra Assistant Settlement Officer are appointed Assistant Collectorr of the Ist grade and, as such, hjave powers under both the Land Revenue and Tenancy Acts1[2] It is often conveninent to give  them the special powers referred to in section 77 (4) (b) of the latter Act in order to enable them to hear rent enhancement cases. All Settlement tahsidars and naib-tahsildars are as such Assistant Collectors of the 2nd grade undr both Acts.2

            Settlement Officers are invested with the powers of Ist class Magistrates. It may be convenient to give similar powers to Extra Assistant Settlement Officers. If they have sufficent experience of criminal work. The powers of a Magistrate of the 3rd class have been conferred on very Settlement tahsildar “permanently to temporarily employed in the work of settlement”. The powers are to be used” only for the purpose of disposing of complaints brought by or against members of the district and settlement...establishments working under their orders.”3

 

234.     Duties in connection with suspension.- The duties of the Settlement Officer under Chapter V of the Land Revenue Act comprise not only the general re-assessment of the disrtict but also the carrying out of all special assessments such s the yearly revision of the demand in villages subject to river action. Although the notification which confers on him the powers of a collector specially execept those powers which may be exercised under Chapter VI of the Act his responsibility in connection with the collection of the land revenue is still considerable. His daily work enables him to judge better than any one else when a suspension of the whole or part of the demand is required owing to failure of crops. It is his duty to report all such cases to the Deputy Commissioner, and the latter is bound to call on him for a report on any case that comes under his own observation, and cannot set his recommendations aside without reference to the Commissioner.

 

235.     Powers as regards headmen and zaildars.- The apppointment of village headmen rests with the Settlement Officer, otherwise he might not be able to get that ready assistance from them which is essential for the prosecution of his work. Their help is specially necessary to procure the attendance of right-holders, whose presence is required in connection with the attestation of mutations or with the makin of new maps records. As far as possible formeal proceedings should be avoided in such case, but in the event of recusancy the provision of escion 149 of the Land Revenu Act can be put in force. The Settlement Officer is eimpowered to dismiss headmen for neglect of duty on disobedience of orders when the duty or orders relate to business controlled by the Settlement Officer. Before dismissing a headman he should consult the Deputy Commissioner, but he is not bound to follow his advise. Similarly, when the Deputy Commissioner preposes to dismiss a headman for miscounduct unconnected with settlement work, he should consult the Settlemnet Officer before passing final orders. The Settlment Officer should be very careful to thwart any attmept on the part of heamen to plead occupation in settlement work as an excuse for neglecting their ordinary duties or for delay in obeying orders addressed to them by the district authorities. Zaildars ar appointed and may be dismissed by the Deputy Commissioner, but he is bound to consult the Settlement Officer before filling up vacancies. He need not accpet the Settlement Officer's recommendation, but when in settlement operations should be considered. It may also sometimes be convenient to defer the filling up of an appointment, if a revision of existing zaildari, arrangements will probably be made close of the settlement.4[3]

                The Strength of the additional staff required when a general re-assessment of a district undertaken will depend on the amount of revision necessary to put the records of rights and the revenue registers in a satisfactory condition, and on the questions whether re-measurement must be undertaken in a large number of estates. As far as possible these questions should be settled before re-assessement operations are started. But, if experience proves to a Settlement Office that th amount of work required was under-estimated and that the staff provided is insufficient, he should not hesitate to propse that it should be reinforced. It is the worst possible economy to attmept to struggle on with an establishment too weak for the duties it is expected to perform.

 

336.     Settlement training of rovenune officials. - The rules under which Assistant Commissioners, Probationary Extra Assistant Commissioners, naib-tahsildars and accepted candidates for the post of naib-tahsildar and kanugo may be deputed for settlement training noticed in the Land Administration Manual. The object is to give these officers and candidates a thorough acquaintance with survey and record work and in the case of Assistant Commissioner a knowledge of the principle and practice of assessment. Full instructions for the training of Assistant Commissioners are contained in Standing Order No. 1. If officers and candidates are properly instructed at the outset they should be fit to be entrusted wit a share in the work of supervision  suited to their standing and capacity before the period of their deputation comes to an end.

 

237.     Supervision of survey and record work. - At the beginning of a settlement it is essential that Settlement Officer should give a gread deal of personal attention to the over sigh of survey and record work. Even if he is fortunate enough to have at the outset a fairly efficient staff it will only turn out good work under strict supervision and a discreet use of reward and punishments. A regular system of inspection in the field and in the village must be organized, and care must be taken that every branch of the work receives its due share of attnetion. Neat and accurate maps are very important, but after all, small errors in survey harm individuals less than incorrect entries in jamabandi. Great patience must be shown at first with unskilful workers, who are willing to learn, but patience must not oegenerate into the weakness, which sacrifices public interest because it is disagree able to punish, and finally, if they prove incorrigible, to get rid of inefficient instruments. When all grades of officials from the Extra Assistant Settlement Officers downwards have realized that a high standard will be insisted on, and that the Settlement Officer is able to punish, and finally, if they prove incorrigible, to get rid of inefficient instruments. When all grades of officials from the Extra Assistant Settlements Officers downwards have realized that a high standar will be insisted on, and that the Settlement Officer is able to put his finger on teh weak points of their work, self-interest will produce the result desired. The credit of the higher officials in the eyes of their subordinates mist be carefully maintained, and when rebuke is required, it should be administered privately. When the record work is thoroughly organized the Settlement Officer will be able safely to hand the supervision of it largely to the Extra Assistant Settlement Officer and concentrate his attention of assessemen.t

 

238.     Cancelled.

 

CHAPTER XII

Survey

 

239.     Settlement work based on accurate field survey. - In order to carry out either of the two branches of his work, the framing of a record of rights or the making of a fair assessement, the Settlement Officer must have na accurate map of each village showing the position and boundaries of every field. Such a map is known as the shajra kishtwar. He also requires a record of the area of each field, which is easily calculated when its shape and linear dimensions are known, and for assessement purpose it is expedient to note at the time of measurement the class of classes of land which each field contains.1[4] If no field map exists, the Settlement Officer must make one; if the existing map is defective, he must consider whether it can be corrected without an entirely new survey.

 

240.     Separate field map for each village.- There is a separate assessement and a separate record of rights for each estate of mahal. But the unit for purpose of survey is not the estate, but the village or mauza. These terms have already been explained. The distinction between them introduces no complication into settlement work, for as a matter of fact the things which they denote are in the Punjab almost invariable one and the same. Occasionally a block of land or some scattered fields belonging to oen village are enclosed within the boundaries of another village. Such fields should bed measured along with the village in which they are included, but given an independent series of numbers.

 

241.     Survey marks.- In order to indicate clearly the limits of each estate masonry platforms (sihaddas) are built at every point where the boundaries of more than two estates meet (Land REvenue Rule 33). At every angle on the boundary line bnetween two trijunction platforms, mud pillars (burjis) are erected (Land Revenue Ruel 32). Before the measurement of any estate is undertaken the village headmen should be required to put every platform in a proper state of repair and to replace any pillar that may have been destroyed. Chapter VIII of the Land Revenue Act gives the Settlement Officer powr to enforce the erection and maintenance of these and any other survey marks that may be required. The cost of special survey marks set up to facilitate measurements. e.g.l at regular intervals on a base line or to mark the corners or corners of square (paragraph 250) is a Government charge.

 

242.     Field and Kilabandi;- A field is a parcel of land to which a separate number is assigned in the map. The fixing of the limits of fields for survey purpose is a question to be decided on grounds of convenience, the chief matter for consideration being the use to be made to the maps in the half-yuearly crop inspections. Usually any parcel of landlying in one spot in the occupation of one person or of several persons jointly, and held under one title, should be treated as a single field. Occasionally where land is rich and let in small plots the survey numbers under this rules will be very numerous. This cannot be helped for no clear record of tenancies and rents can be kept up if parcels of land tilled by diffferent tenants are not treated as separate fields. But where the rule works in an opposite direction and, if strictly followed, would result in the areas included is single survey numbers being very large, it is subject to important exceptions. Several plots of land owned by a signle proprietor, whcih are always recognized as separate fields having limits indicated by more or less permanent ridges or hedge and being known perhaps by distinct names may at the time of measurement be included in a signle tenancy. There is no object in treating these as one field. Or again the area occupied under one title may be so large that the record of crops, harvest by harvest, will be rendered easier if it is broken up into several survey numbers. This is especially true in the case of fields irrigated by a perennial canal. If they are large and irregular in share, the assessement of water-rates by officers of irrigation department becomes much more difficult. Accordingly on new canals in the west of the Punjab each survey square in Crown lands has been divided into 25 small squares, known as kilas, each occupying a fraction over an acre. Each Kila forms a field or survey numbers.[5] 1 Kilabandi has been introduced to a large extent even in privately owned estate on the Lower Chenab and Lower Jehlum Canals. On the newest canals the squares have been replaced by rectangles containing exactly 25 acres, so that the kila is the equivalent of an acre. On old canals it is difficult to indue landowner to accept Kilabandi, which involves the breaking up of old field boundarie. But the main advantages of kilabandi can be secured if in mapping canal-irrigated estates care is taken to make the fields of moderate size, and, as far as possible, of regular shape. As a rule a canal-irrigated filed much larger than an acre is inconvenient. In the case of extensive blocks of common wasteland each survey sqaure is usually treated as a separate field. It is not essential that a survey number should be wholly cultivated or wholly uncultivated, or that it should consist entriely of one soil or class of land. But if the unclutivated land is of any extent it is convenient to treat it as a separate number and if the line of division between two soils or two classes of cultivated land is clearly marked and of a fairly permanent character, it is better to put land on either isde of the line in different fields, even though it is in the cultivating occupancy of a single person. On the other hand, care should be takne not to multiply survey numbers merely on account of the presence on the ground of ridges thrown up for convenience of cultivation or irrigation. Where this is dne record work is needlessly increase. Section 101 of teh Land Revenue Act empowers any revenue officer engaged in the framing of a record of rights to define the limits of any field as to which a dispute has arisen.

 

2143.   Measure of length and areas. - The simplest way or measuring land is by pacing. When a man is walking steps out first with his left foot, the pace or kadam is the distance between the heel of the right foot in its original position and the heel of the same foot after it has been advanced in from of the left foot to make the second step. A kadani is the usual unit of measures of length and a square kadam the unit of meansures of area. In the esast of the Punjab, where the bigha is the local measure, the square kadam is known as the biswanis; in the west, where the ghwnao is employed, it is known as the sarsahi. Twenty biswaniss make a biswa, and twenty biswas a bigha. Nine sarsahis make a Marla, Twenty merlas a kanal, and eight kanals a ghumao. The bigha of the Western Punjab is one half of a ghumao. As the average height of a man, in different localities varies greatly, it is not surprising that the local measures in use were found to be far from uniform. The variations have been reduced, but not abolished, in our settlement surveys. The bigha employed in some settlements in the east of the Punnab is 5/24th of an acre.2[6] It is usually known as the kachcha bigha, to distinguish it from the old Mughal measurs known as the Shahjahani or pakka bigah which is exactly three times as large. Where the shahjahani bigha is the unit of area the linear measure is not the kadam; but the gatha of 99 inches. The kadams in use vary from 54 to 66 inches, the latter being the most usual lenght. It is also the most convenient for, where it is employed, the ghumao is exactly equal to an acre. Full details of the land measures officially recognized in different districts will be found in Financial Commissioner's Standing Order No. 16.

 

244.     Calculation of field areas.- The calculation of field areas depends on the simple fact that the numbers of kadams on two sides of a rectangular figure, one of which is perpandicular to the other, multipied together will give the number of square kadams are of any traingle can be found by multiplying the number of kadams in its base by the number contained in a perpendicular dropped on to the base from the opposite angle and having the result. However irregular the shape of the field may be, so long as its sides an straight or only slightly curved, there is no diffculty in finding its areas, for any figure on this sort can be divided into traingles.

 

245.     Topographical and cadastral surveys. - There are two surveys with which a Settlement Officer has to concern himself, the topographical survey made by the Imperial Survey Depatment and the cadastral or field survey made by the patwaris. The second is idispensable for his work, the first is chiefly useful to him as a means to testing the accuracy of the second. The methods used in both cases are scientific. the processes followed in the second are, of course, much simpler thatn those employed in the former but experience has proved, that properly applied, they are sufficient to secure a degrees of accuracy sufficient for all the purpose for which revenue officials employ village maps. The Imperial Survey deals with village as a whole, mapping their boundaries and showing the main topographical features, such as the homestead or abadi, roads, canals and large sheets of water. The limits of teh cultivated culturable, and barren land have ablso some tiems been indicated. The cadastral survey marks on the village map the boundaries of every field, and by means of it the areas shown in the jamabandi are calculated.

 

246.     Field survey in Punjab not supervised by officers of Survey Department.- Some parts of Inida the topographical and the field survey are both under the charge of the Imperial Survey Department. It has more than once been proposed to extend this system to the Punjab, but the opinion of experienced revenue officers has always been to any chage to this sort.1[7] and the existing system is so simple are, with the exercise of ordinary care, gives such satisfactory results, that there is small likehood of its being given up. In fact in some cases the lates topographical maps of the Punjab districts have been made up by the Imperial Survey Department by piecing together reduced copes of the field maps after their accuracy had been tested by making a traverse connecting certain fixed points marked in some permanent way on the groud.2[8] It is very desirable but not essential that such a traverse should be made by the Survey Department before the Settlement OPfficer begins his field measurements. If he is furnished with tables showing the distances between a large number of fixed points, the accuracy of which has been gauged by rigid scientific process, he possesses a very valuable means of judging of the correctness of his own owrk. The methods of testing the cadastral survey by the help of the topographical sruvey are noticed in Appendix VII. An absoulte agreement below the results of the two surveys is not to be expected. Where a discrepancy between them large enough to deserve notice, is discovered, it is not safe to conclude that the field measurements are at fault. But it is a reason for testing them rigorously and coming to a definite couclusing on the subject. A description of the methods employed by the Survey Department and the maps prepared will be found in Section No. 30 (New Series) from the records of the officer of the Financial Commissioners, Punjab.

 

247.     Employment of a mins. - Men acquainted with the simple methods used in measurements and known as amins have sometimes been eimployed in settlement on the ground that patwari is lacked the skill which would enable them to do the work impidly and accurately. The plan is a thoroughly bad one, for it depreives the patwaris or the opportunity of learning and essential part of their work, and at the same time increase danger that the survey may be made a means of extortion. The patwari has local know edge which aves him from many mistakes, and he has a far greater interest in making his work accurate than nay temporary hand can have, who is only troubled by errors which happen to be found out. The plan of employing amins was early condemned in the PFurjab.3 2 It was revived on a large scale in some later settlements. It is now considered essential that every patwari should measure with his own hands the greater part of his circle. When additional surveyors are employed they should, as far as possible be accepted candidates for the post of patwari.

 

248.     Early field surveys.- In the first regular settlement the survey of a village consisted of two distinct stages, the preparation of a boundary map (nahsa takbast) after all disputes as to the limits of the village land had been settled, and the making of a field map or shaira kishwar and a khasra. The latter was a register, showing in respect of each fiedl, its number in the map, the names of its owner and of the person who culitvated it, its linear dimensions are area, the soil or class of land which it contained and the crops growing in it at the time of measurement. The shajra is described in Mr. Thomason Directions as "rough plan of the village," and in paragraph 17 of Mr. Barne's Report dated 13th Decmber, 1852, on a new system of field measurement in the Punjab"2[9] as nothing but a rough eye sketch laid down without rule, scale or compass. It might or might not present an approximation to the actual contour and dimensions of the village area, but the only security for such results were the practised habits and correct eye of the amin."

 

249.     "Plane-table" system of survey. -  No field survey can be worth much which is not based on a skeleton traverse of fixed points of the surface of the ground whose direction one from the other have been accurately determined. This requiredment was met with some measure of success in the plan devised by Mr. Blyth about 1852, and first put into practice in the settlement of the central districts of the Punjab3Punjab2. Mr. Blyth applied his practical experience of the methods of the the Survey Department to the working out of a scheme resting on a scientific basis, and yet simple enough for patwaris to follow. By the use of plane-table compass, and sighting rod, maps drawn to scale in which the fields were plotted with a considerable amount of accuracy were produced. The new plan, know as "the Punjab" or the plane-table" system was speedily adopted in the United Provinces and gradually improved in both provinces till it becmae a very effective instruments for the making of the field maps. It is only possible here to refer very briefly to the main features to the plan table system of survey. For details Chapter. V of Mr. Vincent Emith's Settlement Officers Manual for the United Provinces and Chapter X and Appendix 1 of the Punjab Manual of Land Measurement - Edition of 1917 - may be consulted.3 The area of a village was cut up into triangles, and the frame work on which the field survey was build up consisted of the striaght line forming their sides. The triangulation was effectd by taking up convenient points all round the boudary, but not necessarily on it and connecting these with one another and with other fixed points in the interior of village. The distance between the various points was carefully chained, and their relative bearings were fiex by the sighting rod, and true north and southaving first been determined by means of the compass. Starting from some station on or near the boundary the surveyor worked all round the latter, laying down his traingles as he proceeded. It was possible to apply efficacious tests to the work as it proceeded, but the final test of it was the way in which the circuit closed, in other words, its correctness was proved if the last traingle of the series fitted properly into its place, its dimensions as acaled on the map corresponding with the actual dimensions on the ground as determined by chain measument. The boundry line was laid down by means of offsets from the bases of the nearest triangles, and on the map the point where the boundary of any field intersected the side of any traingle. A common fault of maps prepared on this system is that the boundaries of adjoining estates do not interlock.

 

250.     Sqaure system of measurement. - The plan has been superseded in plains districts by the square system of measurement introduced by Colonel Wace in 1883, an excellent account of which will be found in Mr. Francis "Manual of Land Measurement for Patwaris." The area of village is now divided into squares of equal size, the skeleton traverse being built up on a square usually of 200 kadams laid down with great care somewhere near the centre of the village. In making this square the first thing to do is to measure with the utmost accuracy in open ground a base line of 200 kadams, represented by a 5-inch line on the map, the scale commonly adopted being one inch to 40 Kadam. The ends of this line are marked by small masonry pillars, which should be well built and carefully preserved or by stone or concrete blocks. This system is better suited to patwaris  than the triangulation plan, for it offers less temptation to fudging. If the first square is accurately laid down, it is not difficult to ensure the correctness of the whole travers and as a mattr of fact, patwaris with proper oversight perform this part of their work admirably. The boundary is laid down by means of offsets from the nearest square, and the sides and diagonals of squares are utilized in connections with the plotting of fields in the same way as the side of triangles in the plane table system.

 

 

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[1] See Appendix IV.

[2] Section 75(1) of Act XVI of 1887.

2. Punjab Government notification No. 337, dated 11th March, 1905.

3. Punjab Government notification No. 1108, dated 13th September, 1904.

 

 

[3] As regards duties imposed on Settlement Officers, see also Chapter XXXIV.

[4] See Chapter XIII.

 

[5] See Appendix XIV.

[6] Selections from the Records of the Financial Commissioner's Office, New Series No. 24.

[7] See Punjab revenue Proceedings No. 4 of September, 1873 and No. 1 of September, 1883.

[8] See joint memorandum by the Surveyor-General and Colonel Wace, Commissioner of Settlements in Selections from the Records of the Financial Commissioner's Office, New Series No. 26, also paragraph 51 of the report of the Indian Survey Committee, 1904-05, Volume I.

2. Selections from the Records of the Punjab Administration Old Series No. IX, and Financial Commissioner's Circular No. 86 of 1855, See also Financial Commissioner's Standing Order No. 16, paragraphs 18 and 19.

 

 

[9] Selections from the Records of the Punjab Administration. Old Series No. XI and Financial Commissioner's Circular No. 86 of 1855.

2. Selections from the Records of the Punjab Administration, Old Series No. and XI.

3. For older instructions on the subject see the second chapter of the Vernacular Dastur-ul-aml Patwarian published in 1876.