Chennai, Aug 10 — Salt manufacturers operating on state government-owned land in Thirukazhukundram taluk near Kalpakkam and at Kadambadi have sought Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s intervention to expedite the renewal of their leases, saying prolonged delays could affect hundreds of families dependent on the traditional industry.
Around 3,500 acres of government land had originally been leased for salt production in the region.
However, production is now confined to about 900 acres, with nearly 150 families depending directly or indirectly on the salt pans for their livelihood.
Industry representatives said the Commissioner of Land Administration had already directed the respective district Collectors to renew the leases. However, the process has been delayed in some areas, creating uncertainty among producers and workers over the continuation of operations.
Salt production is seasonal and depends heavily on favourable weather conditions. Workers said better weather this year had allowed production to continue for a few additional days, providing them with an opportunity to earn more before the season ends.
However, several smaller salt pans operated by individuals in areas such as Kovalam and Kelambakkam have reportedly shut down following the non-extension of leases.
Industry representatives fear more units could face a similar situation unless the pending renewals are cleared.
Salt pan operators pointed out that many of these lands have been used for salt manufacturing for several decades and have limited scope for alternative activities. The groundwater beneath the lands has a high concentration of salinity, while large portions are also flooded by inland water during the monsoon.
The problem over lease renewal is not restricted to the Kalpakkam region.
Similar state government-owned salt pan lands are located in Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam and Thoothukudi districts, where small producers and workers are also seeking greater security over their operations.
Trade union representatives in Thoothukudi are planning to approach the state government with a demand that such lands be handed over to individual operators who are currently working on them. They have also expressed concern over reports that some of the salt pan lands could be leased to multinational companies. Unions have maintained that any decision on the future of these properties should safeguard the interests of small leaseholders and workers dependent on the industry.
Tamil Nadu also has salt pan lands owned by the Union government. The issue of renewal of leases relating to those properties is currently under arbitration.