Salt workers of the little Rann

The picture on the left shows one woman working in one of the worst living atmosphere. This is a salt pan area in rann of kutchh, the wet desert of Gujarat.

I had a recent visit to the rann of kutchh regarding some project. The situation I observed is simply pathetic. People over there living with no minimum requirement for life. Drinking water: worst quality, lighting: beyond dream, Food: any how survive with rice, chapati. In summer the temperature goes more than 50 degree celsisus which is simple unbearable.

THere are around 25,000 families doing salt farming for atleast 7 months a year inside the wet desert. September end or october, they move to the desrt with their water pump and other temporary staying arrangements. They dig well and prapare pans for water....lift water using diesel pumps and chanelise it to the pans made earlier. The pans are made so that the water passes from one pan to another so that they get maximum salt out of it.

october to February are the pick production period and once the summer progresses, the ground water level goes down and production also goes down. A simple survey shows that each farmer spends around Rs.50000 only on diesel for water lifting per pump. Its almost half of their income. Most of the times the other half goes in transporting the salt to market and nearby areas. They survive on a monthly loan from the trader who purchases salt from them and ultimately they pay off via salt to the trader which some times makes them pay more money even after giving all the salt.

The area they work affects their health worstly. Lack of proper nutrition, medication and tools for work makes their job tougher..... Lot of organisations have came their and have promised to do something for them but whatever has been done till date is nothing compared to their need....

Hope somebody in future will think and work for these poor who adds salt to every Indian`s curry.........