Salt producers, workers seek withdrawal of case
Salt producers and workers in Tamil Nadu have petitioned the District Collector to withdraw a police case filed against them following a dispute with a local official. The workers claim the government is attempting to acquire their leased land for a shipbuilding project, leading to ongoing protests.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between industrial development projects and the livelihoods of traditional land-lease holders in India.
Salt producers and workers on Monday submitted a petition at the District Collectorate, urging the authorities to withdraw the ‘false case’ registered against salt-pan workers.
The petition was submitted at the weekly grievance redressal meeting chaired by Collector Vishu Mahajan.
The salt producers and workers were led by V. Manthiramoorthy, president, Kovalam Pasuvantharai Thanpaadu Small Scale Salt Producers Association.
In the petition, they said they had been producing salt for more than 93 years after legally obtaining 4,501 acres of land in Mullakadu-1, Maullakadu-2 villages on lease from the government. They alleged that the government was now attempting to acquire the land for setting up a shipbuilding yard. As their livelihood would be affected by the proposed acquisition, they had been continuously protesting against the government’s move and had also approached the court.
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