Group E6 The document summarizes the plight of saltpan workers in Little Rann of Kutch, India. It notes their low life expectancy, high rates of child blindness and exposure to extreme heat. Daily wages are as low as 30 rupees. Literacy is only 1.3%. The area accounts for 25% of India's salt production. About 100,000 people, mostly landless laborers, have worked in the industry for generations under difficult social, economic and health conditions. The document then discusses the work of NGO Ganatar in improving education rates, securing government funding, and providing vocational training to help address these issues.

1. Group E6

2. The cost of Salt
• A life expectancy of 50 years for about 50,000
people
• Night blindness among 60% of the children of
saltpan workers
• Temperatures of 55OC for children below the
age of 6
• A daily wage as low as Rs. 30
• A literacy rate of 1.3% in an entire community
• Unnatural deaths due to Tuberculosis and
Gangrene

3. Saltpans
Little Rann of Kutch
is a 5,200 sq-km
area
Accounts for 25%
of India’s total salt
production

4. Saltpan Workers
About 1,00,000 people
employed in this
industry
80% of them are
landless labors
They have been working
here for generations
They fall under the Denotified Tribe list and
are called Agariyas

5. Problems
Social
Government
Prohibitions
Plight of
Children
Economic
Hazards

6. Ganatar- Introduction

7. Ganatar – Work Profile
Health
Children
Education
Eradication
of Child
Labor

8. Ganatar - Achievements
• Percentage of children going to school increased
from 20% to 80% in 10 years
• Pushed for and secured an amount of Rs. 11 crore in
the State Budget for setting up schools
• Comprehensive setup for education and vocational
training
• Has a network in 90 villages through panchayats and
schools

9. Organization of the society
Merchants
Agarias
Labourers (migrated
from other states)

10. Agarias: Status in the society
Feel exploited
No elected
representative to
take their cause
Fragmented
community
Little leverage to
negotiate
Sustenance driven

11. Role of government
Responsibility
of ensuring
education
(RTE)
Little help
accorded till
now
No legislation
to prevent
exploitation

12. The Solution
Government
NGOs
Community

13. Recommendations (for Ganatar)
Gather
Funding
Form Selfhelp groups
Ask for
Regulations
Ask for
Technology
Engage
Government

14. Thank You