Salt labourers in Orissa's Ganjam district today demonstrated against stoppage of salt production by private entrepreneurs saying it jeopardised their livelihood.

Several salt labourers from various villages in Ganjam block staged protest in front of the office of the salt superintendent at Humma, about 45 km from here.

"The salt farmers have made agreement with the private lease-holders to work for the three years. After two years of smooth functioning, the lease-holders asked them all of a sudden not to go to the land this year," said president of salt workers union Dillip Chhotray.

As a result, hundreds of salt workers, who were depending directly or indirectly on the salt industry, became jobless, he said.

Sources said the private entrepreneurs decided to stop production when labourers did not participate in work in March demanding higher wage.

The labourers used to get Rs 15 per bag of about 40 kgs and they demanded Rs 50 per bag, the sources said.

Among other demands, they sought the lands meant for salt production be distributed among them. "It will not only make it easy to maintain our livelihood, but also enhance the salt production in the state," Chhotray said.?

Chhotray blamed labour officials for the present situation. "Salt workers demanded higher wage. But neither the labour department officials, nor the leaseholders of salt lands have come forward to negotiate with them to solve the problem," he alleged.

The private entrepreneurs produce salt by taking about 500 acres of government land on lease. Salt production in the district are carried out on about 30,000 acres in government, cooperative and private sectors, officials sources said.

The labour problem has hit the private salt sector only while functioning in the remaining 29,500 acres was normal, sources said.