The Government has decided to reinstate the ban on non-iodised salt all over the country. This was announced by the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss at a function on Iodine Deficiency Diseases organized in the context of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) jointly organized by Government of India and UNICEF under the RCH programme. A draft notification announcing the ban has been notified on 27th May, 2005 under Section 23 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA). The ban on non-iodised salt was lifted by the NDA Government in 2000. Although, the Central ban was lifted, some states continued to impose the ban under Section 7(IV) of the PFA Act.
The decision to reimpose the ban has been taken in the light of two developments. Firstly, a study carried out by the National Institute of Nutrition and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences has shown a drop in the consumption of iodine from 49 per cent in 1998-99 to 37 per cent in 2002-03. All states and union territories have population suffering from iodine deficiency diseases. In 2002, the RCH survey conducted shows a drop in the use of iodised salt at household level in North India from 91-53 per cent range to a 87-24 range. In the heart land and in states like Uttar Pradesh and Uttranchal, consumption of iodised salt at household level fell to a mere 5 per cent in 2002 as against 49 per cent in 1998-99. In India, iodised salt coverage is less than 80 per cent and about 13 million new born (50%) are unprotected every year due to non-iodisation of salt. Iodine deficiencies leads to brain damage and poor brain development. The spectrum of iodine deficiency diseases include goiter, cretrinism, defects in speech and hearing, psycho-motors defects loss of 13 I.Q points and is also a leading cause of mental handicap.
The second development for reimposition of the ban is a recent Supreme Court ruling which has held that the power of state food authorities under Section 7(IV) of the PFA Act is transitory in nature to deal with local emergencies and can last only for a short period of time. In the same judgement, the Supreme Court has held that Central Government has full powers to issue a ban in the interest of public health under Section 23 of the PFA Act which can be for the whole country. States like Arunachal Pradesh have already withdrawn the state ban on non-iodised salt fearing that it may be struck down. Therefore, a need arose to impose a Central ban on non-iodised salt.
Lack of iodine is a soil deficiency and iodisation of salt is the cheapest method of providing this essential micro-nutrient. 92 countries worldwide have banned the sale of non-iodised salt. 9 SEARO countries have universal salt iodisation.
The salt manufacturing units in the country have a capacity to produce the five million tonnes of iodised salt required for household consumption. The Government has also over a period of time helped in providing iodisation plants to cooperative societies. The cost of iodisation of salt is only 10 paise per person per year.
Making a case for reimposing the ban of non-iodised salt, Secretary, Women and Child Development, Mrs. Reva Nayyar made an impassioned plea for double fortification of salt with both iodine and iron because of large scale anemia among women and children. She lauded the Government for its move to restore the ban through a Gazette Notification since in the last four years inestimable brain damage to children and expectant mothers has happened due to non-iodisation. She said that in all mid day meal schemes for school children they would be undertaking double fortification of salt with iodine and iron.
EK/MK.
(Release ID :9712)