L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 673
can be easily converted into sulphuric acid ? Did Government examine the posibility or such a source of supply of sulphuric acid, and, if so, with what result ?
(c) Is it a fact that since the outbreak of the war, the Department of Supply imported a number of sulphuric acid manufacturing plants ? If so, what is the number of such plants, and how have they been disposed of ? Do Government propose to lay on the table a statement showing the firms to whom such plants, if any, have been made available, and the special reason for which the plants were supplied to them in each case ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) It is not in the public interest to state the quantity of sulphur mined. The total amount so far spent on Baluchistan Sulphur Operations is Rs. 11,85,000.
(b) No. It is not in the public interest to disclose the estimated tonnage of unworked deposits.
(c) No. Supplies of sulphur for the sugar industry during the last crushing season were met partly from American imports and partly by depiction of reserve stocks. Sugar mills are being supplied with Baluchistan sulphur ore which they will refine individually or alternatively have refined at a central plant set up with Government sanction and the resultant pure sulphur will be used in the sugar mills during the crushing season. Any deficit on estimated requirements will be met from American imports arranged by the Supply Department.
(d) Sulphur dioxide is produced as a by-product during the smelting of copper in India. It occurs in the flue gases in a highly diluted form with other gases and its efficient conversion into sulphuric acid is difficult. The possibility of using this source of supply for production of sulphuric acid and sulphur was examined very early in the war but was not proceeded with as the processes called for the import of complicated and expensive machinery with technical personnel and even then successful recovery was problematic.
(e) No. Full information regarding the proposed import of plants from America was given by the Honourable the Supply Member in answer to unstartred question No. 47 on 4th August