(a) whether a large number of salt workers from Kutch were washed away, killed and
remained missing during the 1998 cyclone;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the salt workers were left in panic this time, merely after cyclone danger
warnings without any steps taken by the Government to move them to safer places or
providing them shelter; and
(d) if so, the number of such workers and their families awaiting their death and
destruction without any Government aid for shelter?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI SHRIPAD Y. NAIK)
(a) & (b): The Government of Gujarat have informed that 767 salt pan workers,
including those who were reported missing earlier by the State Government, were dead
in the cyclone of June,1998.
(c) & (d): Keeping in view the fact that in a cyclone, this group alongwith fishermen
are in the most vulnerable category, by way of abundant caution, these groups were
evacuated to safer places when there was an apprehension of occurrence of a severe
cyclone in Jue,2001, which fortunately did not hit the coast. This was a reversible
arrangement and at present there are no evacuees.