Salt output in state may go down sharply

Salt production in south Orissa's Ganjam district appears to be losing its charm among the farmers. The hectic activity, usually associated with this operation in the month of March along the Ganjam coast, is missing this time.

Most of the salt farmers in Ganjam block in the district did not participate in production of salt this year and have switched over to other businesses which fetched them more earnings. As a result, the officials fear that the salt production in the state is likely to go down drastically. Ganjam district is the major production centre of salt. Around 10,000 people of four gram panchayats; Palibandha, Ramagada, Humma and Kainchapur were engaged in salt production in the district.

 

“Several acres of salt lands are lying without any salt cultivation as the salt workers did not participate in the production work”, said the sarpanch of Palibandh gram panchayat and leader of the salt workers, Dillip Chhotray.

“The salt workers are demanding higher wages. Neither the labour department officials, nor the leaseholders of the land are coming forward to negotiate with them to solve their problem. Most of them have switched over to other business or are migrating to other states to eke out their livelihood”, he said.

Most of the leaseholders are non-Oriya entrepreneurs and they appoint the local persons to look after the production activities in the area. The salt workers in the area were getting only Rs 15 per bag (100 kg) of salt as wage.

The amount was too little compared to their work spanning a production period of 3 to 4months. So they have demanded higher wages, he added.

Around 30,000 tonnes of salt were produced in the district in the previous year, while the salt cultivation was done in about 3035 acres, official sources said.

The target, however, is unlikely to be achieved this year as several acres of salt lands remained without operation.

The exact area covered under the salt operation would be known by the end of this month, said the office of the state superintendent at Humma.