Tauktae Impact: Rs 10 cr worth salt washed away in flooding in Gujarat

Salt stocks worth close to Rs 10 crore were washed away at Gujarat's Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) in flooding that occurred due to cyclone Tauktae, people involved in salt production said on Thursday.

As per a rough estimate, around 3 lakh metric tonnes of salt, which was harvested and kept in the open near saltpans for transportation, was destroyed by gusty winds, rain and flooding in the LRK region, part of which falls in Surendranagar.

As the price of one metric tonne of salt in the market is between Rs



300 to Rs 350, the loss is estimated around Rs 10 crore, said Bharat Sumera, district coordinator of Agariya Hitrakshak Samiti, an NGO that works for saltpan workers.

April to June is a crucial period for salt farmers, as they start harvesting salt and keep the stock ready for transportation to godowns, he said.

"While around 12 lakh metric tonnes of salt had already been transported to warehouses in Kharaghoda and Zinzuwada, around 3 lakh tonnes were still lying in the saltpans of Surendranagar," Sumera said.