NAGAPATTINAM: Salt production in Vedaranyam is slowly getting back to its feet but running at half the capacity due to lockdown restrictions. The State government has also lifted the restrictions on labourers. "We are now forced to employ workers on alternate days so there are not too many of them in salterns on a particular day. We are unable to send as much salt as earlier due to lack of incoming of trucks, However, we will somehow make sure production continues uninterrupted," said P Dhanyakumar, a small-scale salt producer from Agathiyampalli.
There are about 3,000 acres of salterns owned by small-scale salt manufacturers and 6,000 acres owned by corporates in Vedaranyam block. About 1,500 to 2,000 metric tonnes of salt are usually produced in villages such as Agasthiyampalli, Kodiyakadu, Kailavanampettai, Kadinalvayal and Kodiyakarai in Vedaranyam taluk. Now, production is at 500 to 1,000 tonnes due to the reduced workforce.
Small-scale producers usually send out salt in 20 to 25 trucks. Now, they have to rely on 10 to 12 trucks. The number of trucks coming from other States has drastically reduced due to the lockdown. "Salt heaps are stagnating without movement of trucks. We are also worried salt prices would fall in the coming weeks. Labourers are cooperating and are considerate of restrictions despite their livelihoods depending on the wages," said P Ambikadoss, another small-scale salt producer from Agathiyampalli.
The Vedaranyam taluk office has issued 1,100 lockdown passes for salt workers. Despite having permits, salt workers are often stopped by their village panchayats from going to other villages for work. So, they have to find work within the confines of their village. "We have the flexibility to find work in other villages when we are not required to come on alternate days to one village. The weekly income is about half as we are working three days a week instead of six," said C Rajendran, a salt worker from Kodiyakarai.
Salt workers are now travelling on bicycles or walking for four to five kilometres to reach their respective workplaces in their villages due to lack of government buses.