Now, fever kills 2 wild asses in Gujarat.

DNA:Ahmedabad:Prashant Thakor:Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

One after another, wild asses in the Little Rann of Kutch are meeting with unnatural deaths. After the tragic incident in which five wild asses drowned in the Narmada canal near Dhrangadhra recently, two more have died due to a mysterious fever called surra.

A few days back, deaths of two wild asses were reported in the sanctuary near Odu village of Dasada taluka of Surendranagar. According to forest officials, the two wild asses died due to malaria-like fever which could be surra, a fatal disease found in horses.

During their routine watch on the rare animal roaming freely in the sanctuary, forest officials found two seek looking wild asses near Odu village and took them to Bajana-based animal care centre. During their treatment, both the wild asses died within few days.

After their deaths, forest officials sought the help of Dr Mukesh Patel, a government veterinary doctor from Patdi, to diagnose the disease that killed the wild asses. "After examining the blood samples, the doctors concluded that these animals died due to a mysterious fever, which can be surra, a malaria-like disease which is normally spread by a wild fly," said NA Khavadia, range forest officer of Patdi. To know the exact cause of the deaths, doctors took the samples of vital organs and blood samples of the wild asses and sent them to Anand Agricultural University for further probe.

According to some websites on animal diseases, surra is a chronic wasting disease caused by Trypanosomes parasites related to the organisms that cause sleeping sickness. The disease, which is spread by biting flies, is most severe in horses, donkeys, mules and deer. Surra is usually fatal in horses, donkeys and mules. Clinical signs in horses, donkeys and mules include fever, haemorrhages of the eyelids, nostrils and anus; skin rashes; weight loss and jaundice.

"After learning about the deaths, we are worried about 4,037 surviving wild asses in our sanctuary. As a precaution, we are keeping a watch on the wild asses in our range, so that we can rescue them as soon as they develop the symptoms. We have learnt that surra is spread by a fly, found in desert areas," said NS Karamta, RFO of Dhrangadhra range.

Fences to protect wild asses.

The Times of India:Sunday, January 29, 2012.

AHMEDABAD: The shocking incident where five wild asses died on Friday after falling in the Narmada branch canal has raised serious issues over the safety of wild asses outside the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) sanctuary area. Alarmed, the forest department has decided to fence the canal in areas which have large population of wild asses. A study of the corridor movement of the wild asses will also be undertaken, officials said.

About 20 per cent of the 4,000-odd wild ass population are outside the sanctuary and have made these areas their permanent home. Forest department officials said that the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) has taken all precautions as suggested by the forest department. However, the department had failed to suggest measures that should be taken outside the protected boundaries of the sanctuaries.

A study of the corridor movement of animals and even the area where the population of wild ass is more is being carried out by the forest department. "Putting up fencing all along the canal was not possible as it involves huge funding. So we will study the pockets where fencing needs to be installed," said principal secretary of forest and environment S K Nanda. He said all safety precautions will be taken to protect wildlife in the area.

A senior official refusing to be quoted said several studies have shown that in the late 1990s, over 300 wild asses were found upto Bhal and Nalsarovar area in Ahmedabad, but once the construction of the Narmada canal began, the population got isolated.

The officials said since the department has taken care to have adequate passages for the animals to cross over along with proper fencing, the movement inside the LRK sanctuary would not be restricted.

Another senior officer said, "Adequate fencing and safe passages have to be given in the area where the wild asses are present in large number."

He said that at present one can find the wild asses right up to India-Pakistan border and some even cross over to Rajasthan. Officials said in Dhangadhara alone around 8-10 per cent of the wild asses have made the villages in the taluka their permanent home.

Wild ass conservationist Devji Dhamecha said, "The incident has to be taken up seriously. Had there been water, all the 17 wild asses would have drowned." He too said that there was an urgent need to fence the branch canal or else several such incidents will take place in future

Five wild asses drown in Narmada canal.

The Times of India: Himanshu Kaushik: Saturday, January 28, 2012.

AHMEDABAD: The worst fears of conservationists over the under-construction Narmada branch canal meant to carry water to Kutch district came true on Friday when five wild asses drowned in the Little Rann of Kutch after getting stuck in water under a bridge being constructed across the canal. The incident happened near the famous wild ass sanctuary in Surendranagar district, which is the only location in India where wild asses are still found. A herd of 17 wild asses fell into a slushy cavity while trying to cross under the bridge and only a dozen of them struggled back to firm ground.
Officials said that the remaining 12 were rescued in an operation that continued till late in the evening. Earth moving machines were used to dump mud into the death trap to help pave a way for the animals which got stuck. The incident took place in Haripar village in Dhrangadhara taluka, just five kilometers off the sanctuary.
Forest officials were alerted early in the morning by villagers who saw the herd stuck under the bridge. District forest officer AM Chaudhari said the dead animals were still floating in the water.
The National Wildlife Board (NWB) had in 2008 given conditional approval to the canal which passes through 11 km area of the sanctuary. Officials said there were several doubts raised over the safety of the shy and sensitive animal. The Supreme Court had in 2009 upheld the decision of the NWB.
The canal construction was inaugurated by chief minister Narendra Modi in April last year after assurances by the Gujarat government in the Supreme Court that it would not pose any danger to the endangered species. Only around 4,000 wild asses survive in this desert habitat spread over 5,000 sq. km. The Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur), is known locally as the ghudkhar.
The only other two subspecies of wild asses live in the high arid plateaus of Tibet, making Gujarat the most accessible place to see wild asses in their natural environs.

NID designs ergonomically viable equipment for salt pan workers.

DNA:Kinjal Desai Parth Shastri:Wednesday, December 14, 2011.

Imagine working in a salt pan under the scorching sun or suffering from terrible wrist and back pain after dragging piles of salt with ill-designed equipment. This is what the agarias or salt pan workers of Gujarat have been going through.

The National Institute of Design (NID) has come forward to lend a helping hand. Senior ergonomist and faculty of interdisciplinary design studies at NID, Prof Subir Das, has designed six pieces of equipment generally used by salt pan workers taking the ergonomic aspects into consideration.

The project is known as 'Redesign of Hand tools for Salt Production Centre'. The six pieces of equipment include pick-axe (used for breaking piles of salt), hoa (to collect salt), dhantola, scrapper, roller and a basket to carry salt.

Prof Das said interacting with the workers helped bring their health issues to the fore. "Because of the traditional design of the equipment, majority of the labourers had developed wrist and back ache. So, we have developed the equipment with curvy handles. The new design puts less stress on their wrist and back," he said.

He also added that handles of the equipment were rough, heavy and designed in such a way that they needed the workers to bend their hand while dragging the piles of salt. "We rectified all these problems so that it is easy for the workers to drag salt piles or prepare salt bed. In fact, in one of the pieces of equipment we have created a sitting space that will allow the worker to carry his child in the salt pan field," said Prof Das.

"Also, we have given better grip to the basket making it easy for workers to hold it," said Prof Das, adding that they have also suggested providing proper head and foot gear to them.

Little Rann no longer worth its salt ?

The Times of India:Parth ShastriParth Shastri:Wednesday, December 14, 2011.

SURENDRANAGAR: It is the area that produces more than 25% of India's total salt. Little Rann of Kutch is among the major areas where salt pans exist in the desert and not on sea shore, thanks to high salinity in water. The industry, however, is now experiencing a setback due to shortage of water that has led the salt pan owners to start digging deeper and farther in the Rann.

Vijay Patel, 43, a salt pan owner at Satapar village near the Rann, said that earlier the water was available around 10 kilometers in desert and they had to dig up 10 to 20 feet to get the water deposits that could be used for the salt production. "However today, we have to go as far as 40 kilometers in search of underground saline water and the dig as deep as 55 feet. Yet, there is no guarantee of finding water," he said.

Patel is not alone. Salt industry is the biggest employment generator for the area for the past 40 years. Around 13,000 workers get direct employment and other fringe industries such as transportation and packaging generate 15,000 more jobs. The areas around the Rann had more than 1,200 saltpans functioning five years ago. However, the number has gone down to 750 since.

Salt pan owners had formed an association last year for negotiation with the buyers and government. Dharamshi Thakor, president of the association, told TOI that one bore well used to be sufficient for a saltpan that produces 400 to 500 tons of salt. "Today, we require four bore wells to produce the same quantity. As we have to depend on generators to bring water to surface from such a depth, the cost works against the industry. Today we are selling a ton of salt at Rs 2,500. The price will soon shoot up if the problem persists," he said.

Ambubhai Patel, a community member from Kharaghoda village and expert on saltpan workers, said that the problem partially lies in the overuse of saline water. "I remember that saline water used to be found at four feet in 1972. A pair of bullocks was enough to get the water for business. Today, many have jumped in the fray and it has resulted in the decrease of water level," he said.

Patel said that simple measures can solve the issue. "We've been urging the state government for years to provide us with a canal from Malia Hati village, the starting point of Little Rann near gulf of Kutch that brings water in the desert. The canal will solve problem of the saline water in the area. However, the proposal has been gathering dust in the government files," he said.

According to industry sources, earlier Surendranagar ranked first in production of salt, thanks to Kharaghoda area. However, over the years, areas in Kutch and Saurashtra have raced ahead of the district.

Ignoring livelihood issues may go against wild ass conservation, local development along the Little Rann of Kutch.

Counterview:Thursday,September 29, 2011. 

An authoritative study, conducted close on the heels of the Gujarat government’s move to displace thousands of salt pan workers, or agariyas, in the name of “preserving the Wild Ass Sanctuary” in the Little Rann of Kutch, has said that ignoring livelihood values of the Rann will be “counterproductive to both local development and well as wild ass conservation.”

Arguing in favour of a community based approach towards the governance of the Rann, instead of the current command-based one, to achieve “a balance between biodiversity conservation and livelihoods”, the study says that the Little Rann of Kutch as dry land and as wetland provides livelihood to traditional salt workers as well as farming communities. However, the communities equally play key role in wild-life conservation. Thus, ignoring livelihoods will prove counter-productive to both local development as well as wild ass conservation.

The study has been conducted by the Hyderabad-based Research Unit for Livelihoods and Natural Resources at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) in collaboration with Agariya Heetrakshak Manch (AHRM) and Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad. The study is based on primary survey of both salt pan workers and farmers living in 108 villages Surendrangar, Patan, Kutch, Rakot districts of Gujarat in the periphery of the Rann.

No doubt, the farmers, as of today, suffer huge losses when the wild ass and other wild animals invade their fields along the Little Rann of Kutch. In fact, one of the major conclusions of the study is, an estimated crop loss to farmers along the periphery of Rann 48-50%. Even then, 75% of the farmers said there was a need to conserve the wild life. In fact, the farmers are willing to forego up to 12% of their production for the wild ass, blue bull and the wild boar.

In fact, as of today, 43.51% people say, they have to keep their agricultural land in a fallow state due to the danger of attacks from the wild life. However, this can be overcome, if the farmers, pastoralists, fishers and charcoal makers do not face livelihood threat “in terms of accessibility due to the present command and control method of wildlife conservation”, the study says.

As for the agariyas, who remain in the Rann for nearly six months in a year to produce salt on their small self-cultivating farms, the study admits that there may be a ”focussed interventions for betterment of salt workers through state and central government”. Yet, the fact is, a lot more needs to be done for over 12,000 families migrating to LRK every year for more than eight months. “The current interventions of water supply, health, education should be more community based and community monitored”, it underlines, pointing towards their inadequacy.

The study shows around 75.76 % of the traditional agariyas fall into deprived category when they are evaluated through 15 indicators such as food intake, health expenses, debt, land holding, fuel used, education status etc. “ Amongst 12,000 families 80.48% are landless and 79.46% of families have salt making is the only source of livelihood”, the study says.

Around 84.35% of the salt workers say that they have learnt salt making from their forefathers, which also supports the argument that it is traditional occupation of certain communities.

Only 3% of agariyas have passed higher secondary while 31% have reached primary, and 12% up to secondary.

During last season, an average price of salt given to agariya was 13.86 paisa per kg. Thus, any efforts for conservation of wild life with command and control approach, and ignoring the livelihood needs of the salt pan workers would be detrimental to them, the study underlines, adding, “Interdependency of wild life and community in Rann is unique. Uniqueness is the conservation cost born by community and their tolerance to forego up to 12% of their produce, which really needs appreciation. The statistics of the Gujarat Forest Department shows that the number of wild asses has been continuously increasing in last 30 years. It is co-existence model which needs formal recognition from the government.”

The study stresses that, “Ignoring livelihood value of the Little Rann of Kutch will be counter-productive to both development and wild ass conservation as it will harm relationship between the two.” Its authors quote Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), and head of Forest department, Gujarat government, Pradeep Khanna, admitting that ”communities have contributed a lot in conservation of wild life in the Rann. We hope that the study will prove as first step towards the process of evolvement of balanced and comprehensive approach towards conservation of wild life and augmentation of livelihood.”

New technology to boost earnings of saltpan workers.

The Times of India:Tuesday,September 27,2011.

RAJKOT: In a bid to augment the livelihood of saltpan workers in Gujarat, Bhavnagar-based Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) has embarked on a project to provide them its patented technology to produce export quality salt and extract valuable chemicals from waste generated in the process.

The saltpan workers or 'agariyas', as they are called in Gujarat, is one of the most backward community, with over 70 per cent living below poverty line under harsh conditions in the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK).

The CSMCRI project titled 'saltpan cluster development programme' has been funded by the state industries department to train the saltpan workers to produce better quality salt that an fetch them good income and is being implemented with support from Agariya Heet Rakshak Manch (AHRM), a non-governmental organization (NGO), working for the saltpan workers.

This initiative of the institute is also aimed at arming the saltpan workers with technology to extract valuable chemicals from bittern (the liquid pumped off after the salt is harvested from the brine), which could be sold to industry adding to their income.

"Under this project we train saltpan workers to use our patented technology using which they can produce better quality salt and also utilize the waste or reject from the manufacturing process to extract valuable non-common salts for industrial use," said a senior scientist at CSMCRI Dr V P Mohandas, adding that they have already trained over 500 saltpan workers.

This would augment their livelihood as they would be able to get more income from the salt and the rejects also, he added.

"Most of the saltpan workers are exploited by middlemen who buy salt at low price saying it is poor in quality and then sell it at higher price to big companies," he said.

"The workers presently produce only salt. They throw away the waste bittern that is generated. We have given them technology to extract from bittern chemicals like low sodium salt for hypertension patients, potash which is used in fertilizers and magnisium chloride for industrial use," Mohandas said. pti

"For every one tonne of salt similar amount of bittern is generated. And if instead of throwing away the bittern if valuable chemical are extracted and sold to industries it would add to the income of saltpan workers," he added.

Mohandas said they have already demonstrated such extraction at small scale, now they would be doing it at a larger scale. The saltpans in Maliya (Rajkot) are rich in sulphate content from bittern. There sulphate of potash could be obtained which is a better fertilizer than murate of potash obtained from bittern of saltpans in LRK region.

Under the project, saltpan workers are linked directly to the industries through NGOs SEWA and Anandi in LRK and Rajkot districts respectively by forming small collectives or associations, he said.

Some of the companies now directly purchasing salt and chemicals from saltpan workers include Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd, Punjab Alkalies, Indian Rayon and Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd.

According to AHRM, over 12,000 families of saltpan workers, including children, migrate from more than 100 village bordering LRK to produce salt.

The LRK is also home of the wild ass or the Godhkhar in local language and is declared as a protected area. The inland salt produced from LRK accounts for 40 per cent of salt produced in Gujarat, which in turn is also largest producer of salt in the country.

LRK characterizes a unique eco-system having saline desert and wetland with high biodiversity. It is also flood plain of eight rivers. The ecosystem supports various livelihoods of people living in and around LRK that consists of saltpan workers, marginal farmers, fishermen and charcoal makers.

Research sweetens deal for saltpan workers.

Indian Express; KapilDave : Tuesday, July 26, 2011,

Gandhinagar : Quality checks jack up prices of salt produce by more than 400%

Research by Bhavnagar-based Central Salt & Marine Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI) for salt quality improvement in Rajula taluka of Amreli district could change the economics for salt workers now.

Scientists and farmers who participated in an experiment shared the findings at the annual general meeting of the Gujarat Agariya Hit Rakshak Sangh on Sunday, detailing how quality checks could help them retain what they threw away as waste and also enable them to fetch a much higher price for their produce.

A group of 15 Agariyas and scientists of CSMCRI worked on creating model salt farms (Agar) with regular scientific quality checks and other inputs and they realised they could get five to six times of the prices they presently get for their salt produce.

Vasrambhai of Bherai village in Rajula taluka, while sharing his experience, said: “Generations of my family have been in this business, but we never knew that salt could fetch so much of money. We would sell common salt to traders for Rs 150-180 per tonne,” he said.

During the last season that ended in May this year, Vasrambhai sold his salt produce for Rs 650-875 per tonne.

In fact, Agariyas who have opted for CSMCRI’s model are being offered a Rs 1,250 per tonne of their produce from the next season.

Velabhai, another Agariya from Rajula, said the CSMCRI established a salt testing laboratory at a cost of Rs 2.83 lakh in his saltpan to remove impurities. And Velabhai has no regrets. “I have decided to do it now regularly,” he says.

Dr Ajay Bhatt, a senior scientist from CSMCRI who led the experiment with Rajula salt-pan workers, said it was aimed at quality improvement in mixed salt projects. “To date, they did not know the value of end waste, which has a high concentration of magnesium potash and other key chemicals like sulphate etc., which can easily fetch up to Rs 30,000 per tonne,” Bhatt said.

“We taught them how to produce A-grade mixed salt and separate common salt to be used for industrial purposes. By taking simple care, 15 Agariyas got four to six times more money in the very first season. Now, companies are offering more. We have decided to now experiment with 80 Agariyas in the upcoming season in different parts of the state since the different areas have different potential and require different processes for production,” said the scientist.

Agariyas dig in heels in Little Rann of Kutch;

Agariyas want recognition as farmers and an assurance that they have a right on Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) land.

In their Sunday meeting, they resolved to press for their right to work in LRK, which has been deemed a sanctuary area by the central government, barring making of salt.

Shantabhai Bhamamiya, an Agariya from the famous Kharaghoda saltpan area and a trustee in Agariya Hit Rakshak Manch, said, “If the government can waive debts of farmers, why can’t they help us in same way. If the government can fix minimum support prices for other farm produces, why not give us the same benefits and save us from exploitation.”

Narubhai Koli, an Agariya from Santalpur in Patan district, said: “Often, we face natural and man-made calamities in which our salt produce is washed off. Last year, heavy rains and sudden release of water from Narmada canals almost washed off our produce. We requested the state and central governments for giving us some package, but no one responded.”

Thakarsibhai Mahaliya from Kharaghoda said, “We have been producing salt in Little Rann of Kutch for generations. Suddenly, the government says it’s a sanctuary for wild ass and we cannot live here. Wild ass and we have lived together for generations without harming each other. The government cannot throw us out of Little Rann of Kutch.”

Pamkati Jog from Ahmedabad-based Agariya Heet Rakshak Manch, which has taken up the rights of salt-pan workers of Gujarat, said: “Even though state and central governments are now recognizing the unorganised traditional salt-pan workers and have started some welfare schemes, a lot still needs to be done for this community.”

Require Support for Higher Education

This is an appeal for support higher education among children of traditional salt workers in Gujarat.  Education ratio among traditional salt worker is very low. This is mainly because community migrates along with their families to little Rann of Kutch (mud desert popularly known as LRK) for making salt. 

Children help their parents in salt making and gradually turn into a child labour. In order to prevent this situation, we support these children to study in residential schools.

This year we would support around 150 children. The average cost per child is Rs.4000. We appeal all to contribute to the cause. the contact details are as follows:

Organization name: Agariya Heetrakshak Manch

Account No:085710004894

Bank Details: Dena Bank, Nehrunagar Branch, Nr. Vasupujya Derasar, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 15; Gujarat

IFSC code : BKDN0110857

send cheque or demand draft in above name the name of Agariya Heetrakshak Manch.

For more details contact: Pankti Jog : 09909006791 (M)

Agarias file reply to govt order on salt pans.

Charul Shah; DNA; Friday , April 22 , 2011,

The Agarias of Malia, Rajkot on Thursday filed their reply to the notices given by the mamlatdar to close down their salt manufacturing units which come within an area of 1 km around the Wild Ass Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch. They have asked the government to drop the proceeding as it is illegal, otherwise they will move the Gujarat high court challenging such actions.

In the reply filed through Agaria Heet Rakshak Manch, they have stated that the government has not yet completed the procedure for survey settlement. Hence, the final boundary of the sanctuary is also not yet finalised. In such circumstances, the issuance of such notice is against the process of law. Hence, they have stated that if this proceeding is not dropped, they will move the high court.

In their reply, they have further stated that as per the notification of the Social Justice and Empowerment department of the state government, the Agarias are included in the de-notified and nomadic tribes. As they depend on salt manufacturing units for their livelihood, they have collective rights of livelihood in and around the areas of Little Rann of Kutch. Hence, the government cannot take away these rights and ask them to close down their activities under any other Act.

They further explained that they had been involved in salt manufacturing in this area for ages, and thousands of Agarias depend on this for their livelihood. These activities have not damaged or caused any danger to the wild life in the LRK nor have they caused any pollution. In fact, the Agarias have provided protection to the wild life around the Rann. The reply further states that as per the records, the population of the wild ass in the area has increased over the years. As per the records of January, 1993 their population was 720, which has increased to 5000 in 2010. Meanwhile, the government on Thursday provided a copy of the documents as demanded by the salt manufacturers who were served with the notice. The documents include the revenue map.

Salt pans: Closure notice shocks community.

Charul Shah; DNA; Ahmedabad; April 21, 2011,

The notices issued to salt manufacturing units and Agarias has sent shock waves through the community. The people of the industry and social activists have condemned the step taken by the government stating that salt manufacturing is an eco-friendly industry. It does not affect wildlife of the sanctuary.

Objecting to the government's decision to close Agaria units, Harinesh Pandya from Agaria Hit Rakshak Manch (AHRM), an NGO working for the development of the Agaria community in Kutch, told DNA that the government has misinterpreted the order of Gujarat high court.

In a petition filed by Amit Jethwa, the state HC had directed the government to stop illegal mining near wildlife sanctuaries. The court had disposed off the petition when the government had given an undertaking that it would take steps to stop illegal mining.

Pandya added that the government's move of sending notices to the units for closure was illegal and it had failed to follow due process as noted under the Wildlife Protection Act.

"Salt-making processes are done on the surface and they can't be considered mining. Traditional Agaria workers have been in this profession much before independence. The state government has taken special steps to create infrastructure for the growth of the salt industry and now it is asking them to close their units. This is unjustified. The Agarias depend upon the salt farming and related activities for their livelihood. And if they are asked to close down salt manufacturing units, they will become unemployed. Their families would suffer too," Pandya stated.

Bachu Ahir, president of Indian Salt Manufacturer's Association (Isma) told DNA that there are over 25,000 Agarias working on the fields used for salt farming. These fields are around the boundary of the proposed sanctuary. If the units are closed the Agarias will lose their source of livelihood. Further, the salt industry will suffer huge losses.

The Marine Salt Manufacturer's Association has made a representation to the collector of Rajkot. In the letter, DU Jadeja, president of the organisation, has said that the government should cancel the notification issued in 1973 declaring its intention to declare the area around the Little Rann of Kutch as a wildlife sanctuary.

Jadeja has further stated in the letter that the activities of salt manufacturing do not harm the environment and as they are non-polluting. He added that the wild asses do not come near the salt farms because of the geographical location.

Heeralal Parekh, former president of Isma told DNA that currently Gujarat contributes as much as 75% to the nation's salt manufacturing industry. If the government starts closing down units around the proposed boundary of the wild ass sanctuary, it would give a serious jolt to the salt manufacturing industry.

Salt-making units in LRK face closure.

Charul Shah: DNA: AHMEDABAD: 20,April 2011,

Agarias and salt industries near the Wild Ass Sanctuary issued show-cause notices by state govt.

Soon, all salt manufacturing units in the Little Rann of Kutch that come within 1 km of the wild ass sanctuary, may face closure by the forest department. The department has already begun proceedings by issuing notices through the revenue department to all salt manufacturing industries and to the local agarias (salt farmers) of Malia region, district Rajkot.

As per the show cause notice, dated April 8, the state government has asked nearby salt manufacturing companies why their units should not be closed or ordered to shift to another locality. Moreover, under the said notice, the government has asked the salt manufacturing units to put forth replies and reasoning against the notice on Tuesday, failing which the state would take appropriate steps in accordance with the law.

The notice further mandates stoppage of all mining and industrial activities around 1 km of the famous sanctuary. Notices by the state government have already been issued to this effect. Sanctuary status was assigned to the area in the Rann by wildlife protection notification, 1972.

In order to officially declare any area protected, which would be required for a sanctuary, a survey of the land as stipulated by the Wildlife Protection Act has to be conducted. Sources from the mamlatdar's office told DNA that the forest department and the state government have begun this survey. The officials have started it in Malia district and as they proceed, they will go on issuing notices to all units that they find to be in the proximity of the proposed wildlife sanctuary.

DU Jadeja, president, Marine Salt Manufacturers Association (MSMA) and vice-president of the Indian Salt Manufacturers Association (ISMA), told DNA that apart from the local agarias, as many as 25 small and big salt manufacturers have been issued notice and asked to file their reply on Tuesday.

"The manufacturers have, apart from registering their objections to the notices, sought the copies of the maps of the sanctuary and government notification copies based on which the government has issued the notices. The mamlatdar has, after receiving the copy of the application, adjourned the hearing to April 21," Jadeja added.