SHOWING THEIR INITIATIVE: Students demonstrate to Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss various methods to test samples of salt for their iodine content, in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PHOTO: PTI

NEW DELHI: The Central Government on Wednesday re-imposed the ban on the sale of non-iodised common salt in the country after a gap of four years. The ban will come into effect from August 15. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government had lifted the earlier ban in 2000.

Announcing the latest ban at a function organised by his Ministry and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) here, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister A. Ramadoss said the Government would also shortly bring in legislation for compulsory double fortification of common salt with iodine and iron. "The move is being pushed by the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare and the Human Resource Development so that children covered under the mid-day meal scheme are protected from iodine and iron deficiencies," he said.

The Ministry is awaiting a formal report by the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Health following which the commercial production of double-fortified salt would begin, he said.

Mr. Ramadoss said iodisation of salt would increase the price of common salt by 10 paise a kg and the Government would ensure that small manufacturers did not suffer. "We are giving salt manufacturers two months to shift to iodised salt," the Minister said.

He said the Government had been working on the ban for the past eight months after it was realised that the lifting of the ban had detrimental effect on all States, including those where the ban continued.

The adverse effect was worst felt in Uttar Pradesh, where the consumption of iodised salt is less than 10 per cent.

A recent survey by the Health and Family Welfare Ministry has revealed that 254 of the 312 districts were iodine deficient. Iodine, a natural element is an essential nutrient for the normal growth, development and functioning of both the brain and body.

Alarming gap

There is an alarming gap between the national requirement of iodised salt and the actual production.

With 890 iodisation plants in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam and Andhra Pradesh, the country's total installed capacity for manufacturing iodised salt stands at 12 million tonnes a year that is far more than the annually required 5 million tonnes.

The current production figures indicate that the larger refineries produce only 1.3 million tonnes, whereas about 3.8 million tonnes is manufactured by the small and medium salt producers.

Among the States producing salt, Gujarat accounts for about 71 per cent, Tamil Nadu 16 per cent, Rajasthan 9 per cent and others share the balance 4 per cent.

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