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Move to ban common salt draws flak

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, DEC. 17 . The veteran Gandhian leader, Siddharaj Dhadda, has expressed anguish over the reported move to reintroduce a ban on use of non-iodised salt. The nonagenarian, who is recovering from a mild stroke he suffered a week ago, said that the case of making salt an expensive commodity for the poor man had been agitating his mind for some time.

"The ban on use of common salt was lifted in September 2000 following protests all over the country over its imposition but now I am pained to note that there is a fresh move to re-introduce the ban making it compulsory for all to use the iodised salt," Mr.Dhadda said. The Gandhian leader in the past had met the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, more than once in this connection, which led to the lifting of the ban.

"The salt-making is a Rs.2,500-crore industry in the country and the monopolies have an eye on the sector. They have resorted to pressurising the authorities quoting the World Health Organisation's norms," Mr.Dhadda charged. He said he was provoked to speak up now after the recent ban on non-iodised salt by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Sarvodaya leader also expressed concern over the move by the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre to go ahead with the river linking programme, initiated by the previous National Democratic Alliance Government. "Despite the Common Minimum Programme and the assurances of reforms with a human face, the UPA Government too is seemingly doing the same thing as the NDA," Mr.Dhadda said warning against privatisation of rivers and commoditisation of water.

Despite the recent setback to his health, Mr.Dhadda warned of a "satyagrah" if the Governments went ahead with the move to ban common salt and to privatise the rivers.

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