Almost 6 lakh tonnes of salt 100 crore worth has actually been gotten rid of in the seaside district of Thoothukudi due to the unprecedent rains seen on December 17 and 18. The salt were all set to be despatched to numerous customers in India and abroad.
The natural disaster had dreadful damage to lives and homes right from Kanyakumari to Vaalinokkam in southern Tamil Nadu. Such a destruction had actually not taken place in the last century, stated salt makers.
Almost 4 lakh individuals reliant – straight and indirectly – on Thoothukudi’s salt market in the southern district of Tamil Nadu remain in alarming straits, and require to wait up until next season – from March to September – to begin making, stated makers.
Market characteristics.
The salt market at Thoothukudi covers around 20,000 acres with almost 1,200 makers 1,200 each year producing almost 20 lakh tonnes. While direct work in the salt production is around 35,000, indirectly, the market utilizes around 3,00,000. Over 1.75 lakh member of the family depend on the market, stated sources.
The North East Monsoon seasonal rains of December 2023 became an extraordinary rainstorm on 17 and 18 with Thoothukudi taping a rains in excess of 90 cm in 24 hr, 2nd greatest in the Country. Almost 4 months stock of salt was gotten rid of, stated Michael Motha, Handling Director, Sahayamatha Salterns Pvt Ltd and Past Chairman, CII, Thoothukudi. “I have actually not seen such havoc to salt operates in my life time,” he included.
Contributing to the torment, the downpour integrated with the excess water circulation from Thamiraparani river breached the bunds of lakes and waterbodies of the district resulting in flash floods throughout the district. This natural disaster has actually triggered devastating damage to our lives and salt pans at Thoothukudi.
As salt pans throughout the district stay flooded, salt saved in loads, motor sets, field partitions, drying location, internal roadways, employees’ homes, electrical poles and circulation lines and all our fundamental features were entirely gotten rid of in this dreadful flood.
Help.
The Tuticorin Small Scale Salt Manufacturers Association has actually advised the Union Financing Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to supply therapeutic procedures by offering a grant of 1,50,000 per acre to all salt pan owners to re-coup the losses and a moratorium of principal and interest payment on all credit centers availed by salt makers till March 2024. The minister went to Thoothukudi on Tuesday to analyze the circumstance on the damages triggered by the rain and the subsequent flooding.
The association’s president D Chandra Menon in a letter to the minister asked for quick action by the Central and State Federal government firms to bring back the facilities harmed by the floods. He likewise advised extension of the due date for submitting GST and other statutory returns for a duration of 3 months. No late charge, charge or interest ought to be charged by the Federal government authorities, he stated.
It is approximated that desilting of salt pans, preparation of salt tanks and condensers will cost a minimum of 3 times the real male hour effort and expense thereof. The production season is anticipated to start after a hold-up of 3 months in April 2024. This would even more reduce the production time readily available in 2024 resulting in reducing yield from the salt pans, he stated.
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