1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1897-98.
2 occurred, and by the end of that month the monsoon was prac-
3 tically over in the desert country in which the Source is situate.
4 Only light showers fell during August and September 1897,
5 and much of the benefit of the fall of July was lost owing to
6 the evaporation which occurred in consequence of the heat of
7 those months. For these reasons, while salt formed in large
8 quantities in the pits,-it was small in grain owing to its being
9 precipitated too rapidly. ‘
10 There was no difficulty in obtaining all the salt which was
11 required for issue. For the reasons which Ihave given, it was
12 somewhat small in grain, but it was white, lustrous and clean,
13 and the trade was quite satisfied with its quality. Great atten-
14 tion continued to be paid to the production of good salt by in-
15 ducing manufacturers to clean and set their pits properly, and
16 Pachbadra salt is now of high quality. It would be in large
17 demand, and would occupy a much stronger position in the mar-
18 ket than it does at present, if the Source were not so distant
19 from areas of consumption.
20 The salt pits of the source were carefully examined during
21 the past year, and it was found that 153 had fallen into a state
22 of entire disrepair. They have been accordingly struck out
23 of our register of working pits, until the owners are prepared
24 to put them in order,
25 , There are now 265 salt pits on our register as being in work-
26 ing condition. During the past year salt was extracted from 50
27 of these and the outturn, as estimated by the cubical measure-
28 ment of heaps, amounted to about 34 lakhs of maunds. Adding
29 14 lakhs of maunds to this quantity, as the sum of the probable
30 excesses which will be found on clearance of the heaps of salt,
31 the total outturn may be taken at 5 lakhs of maunds, giving an
32 average yield of 10,000 maunds from each pit.
33 Our reserve supply of salt lay in 215 pits and these are
34 estimated to contain at least 15 lakhs of maunds. Adding
35 the stock, balance of 24 lakhs of maunds to this quantity, we
36 had, when the past year closed, a total stock of not less than
37 174 lakhs of maunds available at the Source ; a quantity large
38 enough to meet any demand likely to arise.
39 54. The Luni salt tract forms part of the Pachbadra Divi-
40 sion. There was no change in the strength of the establish-
41 ment posted on the Luni river, andthe important deposits of
42 salt which form in the Luniand the channels ofits delta were
43 efficiently guarded during the year. The crops of the country
44 atthe head of the Runn of Cutch were abundant, the people
45 were prosperous, and only two persons had to be arrested
46 during the year for attempting to remove spontaneous salt.
47 Free salt was issued as usual to the inhabitants of 39
48 villages of the Luni delta. Maunds 6,074-22 were issued
49 to 40,497 persons at the rate of six seerseach. The salt was
50 of good quality, and was obtained from the large spontaneous
51 deposits in the channels of the delta of the river.
52 55. In the beginning of the year under review, I submitted
53 roposals to Government for the final abandonment of tlie
54 Falodi Salt Source and the removal of the establishment posted
55 there. I proposed to make over the stock of salt in store at
56 Falodi to the Jodhpur Darbar on the following terms ;
57 (1) The stock of salt as shown in the bocks of this
58 Department to be taken over by the Durbar and
59 guarded by Raj officials.
60 ( 55 )
61 REVIEW BY SECTIONS.
62 PACHBADRA.
63 Condition: of pits. Cha-
64 racter of salt and fuse
65 ture prospects.
66 Establishment in the
67 Lani Salt Tract.
68 Free salt to inhabitants
69 of the Luni Salt Tract.
70 FALODI.
71 Ciceure of Falodi Salt
72 Source,