India's salt-pan workers face punishing conditions to fulfil domestic and international demand

Human Rights Research Center
13 minutes ago
3 min read

September 3, 2025

HRRC urges the Indian government to protect the long-term health and wellbeing of its salt-pan workers. In this labour-intensive industry, workers suffer from severe physical exertion that the daily panning of salt exacts on the body, and they must be provided with greater access to healthcare.

A couple of Agariya salt workers, barefoot and barehanded, do some heavy lifting under a scorching sun. [Image credit: Rohit Jain/Nikkei]

Over the past decade, India has grown to become the third biggest exporter of salt in the world, distributing salt to over 50 countries and generating approximately $260 million in the process. The toll those panning the salt has been and continues to be severe, and despite some progress from the Indian government, conditions remain treacherous for the 150,000 salt-pan workers employed in the industry.

The state of Gujarat in the west of the country is responsible for producing vast amounts of salt, with 1kg of every 10kg consumed globally originating there. The tasks for salt-pan workers in Gujarat are arduous, exhausting and further compounded by the soaring temperatures that can reach 50 C/122 F. Stages such as the trampling of the ponds to harden the earth, the pumping of brine from the wells, and the collection of heavy crystals can have a lasting impact on the health of the workers.

In addition, working in the salt pans increases the risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease, and kidney dysfunction. The increased contact with sodium means the heart must pump at an increased rate to allow blood to travel through the body. This subsequently means the kidneys must work harder to filter waste and leading to more serious complications.

For such strenuous work, workers receive incredibly low wages, with most earning between $600 and $1,700 a year, some workers reporting that they earn as little as $0.70 a day. They are also unable to apply for other employment to supplement their income because the physical nature of the work in the salt-pans means they are more vulnerable to other injuries, such as skin lesions and severe irritation of the eyes.

There have been limited improvements made by the Gujarat government’s Salt Empowered Committee, who in July of this year launched a scheme to improve the welfare of salt-pan workers. It included the introduction of 20 health vans that would provide 1,700 maternity tests and 70,000 lab tests over a period of two years. While this is an important initial step, there are still further measures that must be taken for a lasting impact to be felt within the state. The establishment of an official welfare board like the one that exists in the state of Tamil Nadu is critical for the wellbeing of all salt-pan workers.

Glossary

Arduous – Involving or requiring a lot of effort; very difficult.
Brine – Water that has a high concentration of salt.
Chronic – Long-lasting or recurring, usually describing diseases or conditions.
Compounded – Made worse by combining multiple factors or elements.
Dysfunction – Abnormal or impaired functioning of a body part or system.
Exerts – Applies or puts forth (e.g., pressure, influence, or force).
Exporters – People, companies, or countries that sell goods to other countries.
Filter – A device or process that removes unwanted material from a liquid or substance.
Labour-intensive – Requiring a large amount of human work rather than machinery.
Lesions – Areas of damage or abnormal change in the tissue of the body.
Salt Empowered Committee – A government body (Gujarat) focused on improving the welfare of salt-pan workers.
Salt-pan – Shallow ponds used to evaporate seawater or saline water to produce salt.
Sodium – A chemical element (Na) commonly found in salt; essential for the body but harmful in excess.
Strenuous – Requiring great effort, energy, or endurance.
Supplement – Something added to enhance or complete something else, e.g., nutritional supplements.
Toll – The cost or negative impact of something, often over time (e.g., on health).
Treacherous – Dangerous or hazardous, often unexpectedly so.
Trampling – Stepping heavily or crushing, often causing damage.
Vast – Extremely large in area, amount, or extent.
Vulnerable – Susceptible to harm, injury, or adverse effects. Wellbeing – The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.

Sources

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India's salt-pan workers face punishing conditions to fulfil domestic and international demand

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