Salt pans of individuals are only on 300 acres of 1,700-acre stretch chosen for shipbuilding unit: Survey

A field-level survey conducted by Revenue Department officials of the 1,700 acres of lands to be acquired for the greenfield shipbuilding unit on the outskirts of Thoothukudi has concluded that the 300 acres of salt pans to be acquired for this project are part of the 1,660-acre government poramboke land leased to salt manufacturers and only the remaining 40 acres are patta lands.

This has disproved the salt manufacturers’ allegation that the project would affect 50,000-odd salt pan workers’ livelihood as only a few hundred workers are relied upon these salt pans on 300 acres.