CAG: In Gujarat There Was No Housing Scheme For Salt Workers

 

AHMEDABAD: Stated by the CAG despite Rs 35 Crore being unsused ,the government has failed to launch a housing scheme for the salt workers and there was lacking and negligence for taking up the welfare schemes.

The report further stated that even after long 5 years there is no housing scheme been launched and the salt workers have to build temporary huts or shelters as they stay in remote locations. Adding the adversity they have to face harsh weather conditions as well. 

In October 2010, the industries and mines department has laid standard terms of salt leases and it doesn’t state any condition where the lease holders should be providing with proper houses and medical facilities to salt workers.

In Surendranagar, due to lack of planning and co-ordination among the departments no water supply scheme was planned. 

Various schemes like The Vira-Sanghad Water Supply Scheme in Kutch district and Vallabhipur Zone Water Supply Scheme (VZWSS) and Bhavnagar-Ghogha water supply scheme (BGWSS) in Bhavnagar district have drastically failed to supply the intended water to salt workers.

In Amreli district, there was no water supply scheme for salt workers. In Bhavnagar, the health services to salt workers were affected due to bad roads.

Similarly, the salt workers in Patan, Morbi, and Kutch districts are also affected as roads in salt producing areas were not maintained properly.

In various villages of salt workers in Morbi and Patan, there was absence of medical health and vacant posts of medical staff health care were provided once or twice in a month. Also, In Bharuch and Amreli districts no medical camps were held during 2014-19.

 

 

The salt clusters located in desert areas in Patan, Amreli, Surendranagar and Kutch Districts were uncovered under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDs) and through special vans the children of salt workers in the desert areas were provided with take home ration weekly. However, no such facility was provided in Amreli, Surendranagar and Kutch.

Another major issue that arises is the hygiene for the salt workers as toilet facilities are normally not available at salt pans. As per the study reports, lack of proposals, the issue of sanitation was almost left uncovered for salt workers. Further, under the Swachh Bharat Mission launched by government of India there was no coverage of salt workers.