Chhatrapur: The halt in salt production in Ganjam district for the last five years due to alleged wrong policy of the Centre has deprived thousands of farmers of their livelihood, a report said.
Things have come to such a pass that over 10,000 persons of Pailibandh, Huma and Ramgarh panchayats directly or indirectly dependent on salt farming have lost their livelihood for which many of them have migrated to other states in search of jobs.
The salt farmers and labourers including women under the aegis of Bateshwar Salt Labour Union (BSLU) met Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Kabindra Kumar Sahu in his office Thursday. They demanded the revival of salt production in the district while submitting a memorandum addressed to the Collector to the ADM.
They also urged the ADM that the land which they have been using for salt farming since the time of their forefathers should be given to them on lease basis. They also demanded inclusion of salt labourers in the scheme meant for construction labourers and provision of labour identity cards for them.
According to reports, there was a time when Ganjam was famous for salt production in the country. The salt production was carried out from Huma and Ganjam towns.
Thousands of people in the area were earning their livelihood from salt farming while the abundance in salt production gave rise to the establishment of an industrial unit Jayshree Chemical on the outskirts of Ganjam town. The salt produced here was of good quality for which it got a good market in the country.
However, things are different now as the leaseholders have stopped salt production over the last five years due to an alleged wrong policy of the Centre.
Hundreds of acres of land on the side of the national which were once abuzz with activities have been lying idle due to a halt in salt production which has also deprived the salt farmers and labourers of their livelihood.
As a result, the labourers who once used to earn handsomely from salt farming are now seen migrating to other states in search alternative.
BSLU president Surath Pradhan, its secretary Pramod Pradhan, Ranjit Palai samiti members Chhayakanta Pradhan, Shatrughna Mahakud submitted the memorandum to the ADM accompanied by the farmers and labourers.
PNN