Salt pan workers or agariyas fear that they may be denied access to Little Rann of Kutch during the next salt production in the wake of Survey Settlement Report.
Despite historical references that salt pan workers (popularly known as agariyas) have been producing salt in the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) since 10th century, about 48,000 agariyas now fear that they may be denied access to LRK during the next salt production season beginning September in the wake of Survey Settlement Report submitted to the state forest department by the additional collector (survey settlement) on December 1 last year.
In a meeting held on August 4 at Dhrangadhra, agariyas united under the banner of Agariya Hitrakshak Sangh and decided to reject the report. They also decided that if the government didn't recognise their customary rights, they would launch agitation and court arrest, if necessary.
Harinesh Pandya, general secretary of the Sangh, said, "In 1997, additional collector (survey settlement) was appointed to carry out a survey and settlement study. Surprisingly, the agariya community has not been recognised and their customary rights have not been considered in the report. This may create a situation that from next season, agariyas might not be allowed in LRK for salt production."
The Sangh is considering to challenge the report. "We will take legal steps to ensure that the traditional rights of agariyas are recognised. If they are stopped from entering the LRK for salt production in the next season in September, more than 48,000 agariyas of nearly 12,000 families will lose their livelihood. We will oppose the report, and, if needed, all agariyas will give court arrest with their families," said Pandya.
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