Traditional salt sellers facing crisis

Machilipatnam, Oct 20: With reimposition of the ban on sale of common salt (non-iodised salt) in Andhra Pradesh, 55,000 people have been thrown out of work, a survey has shown.

These people sell common salt using bullock carts and baskets in rural areas.

While it is acknowledged that iodised salt is essential for preventing Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) - experts say that IDD continued to pose a serious threat to the health, well-being and economic productivity and millions of people - the livelihood of the traditional salt sellers has to be protected somehow.

India was self-sufficient in production of iodised salt with a capacity of 124 million tonnes per annum. A recent survey in 321 districts in all the 35 states and Union Territories (UT) showed that 260 districts had endemic IDD and that no state or UT was free from IDD. About 71 million people were currently suffering from IDD.

In this scenario, salt sellers could be trained to set up small units to iodise salt or carry out awareness programmes on importance of using iodised salt, to bring them income, experts said.

UNI