Now Reading: Salt makers urge Tamil Nadu CM to renew licences on state lands
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Salt makers urge Tamil Nadu CM to renew licences on state lands
Salt manufacturers working on state government lands in Thirukazhukundram taluk near Kalpakkam and Kadambadi have appealed to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to renew their licences. Of the roughly 3,500 acres originally…
The Story in Brief
Salt manufacturers working on state government lands in Thirukazhukundram taluk near Kalpakkam and Kadambadi have appealed to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to renew their licences. Of the roughly 3,500 acres originally leased, production now runs on only 900 acres, supporting about 150 families. The Commissioner of Land Administration has told district collectors to renew licences, but the process is stalled, a source told The Hindu.
The problem extends to Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam and Thoothukudi. A CITU leader in Thoothukudi warned of plans to lease lands to MNCs and vowed opposition. Central government-owned salt pan lands face a separate licence renewal issue under arbitration.
The Indian Opinion
This story carries the familiar spectre of MNCs taking over small leaseholders' lands, but the numbers tell a more tangled tale. Only 900 of 3,500 acres are active, and 150 families depend on it. The Commissioner of Land Administration has already ordered renewals, yet district officials delay. The concrete test is this: will the CM's office force the collectors to act within the next monsoon season, or will these pans, like those in Kovalam, simply close down?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
