Ukhrul denizens queue up for salt
Source: The Sangai Express

Ukhrul, November 15 2013 : As denizens of Ukhrul woke up Friday morning with the rumour that shortage of salt would hit the North East, panic stricken public formed queues at grocery shops since early morning in their frantic efforts to purchase common salt but only to be greeted with wild amazement of shop owners.

The shopkeepers were amazed with the frantic search for salt at the town.

Some customers purchased salt in bulk/bags not in Kgs today.

Interestingly, salt ran out of stock in the district headquarters before noon.

At some places, there was heated exchange of words between the customers and the shop owners.

Even salt unloaded from the trucks did not reach the stores.

At an average, only around ten bags of common salt are sold daily in here.

But, the sale increased to an all time high at 100 bags today between 6.30am to 8.30am.Proprietor of Anil & Company Banwari told The Sangai Express that the rumours could have been milled from Bihar where there is shortage of salt and the price of salt reaching Rs 100 and above per kilogram.

He said that there is no reason to panic about shortage of salt as salt brines were in Gujarat and Rajasthan not Bihar.

When he contacted his agencies/stockist he was assured that sufficient stock that could last for more than 2-3 months were stored at Dimapur.

Meanwhile the Tangkhul Trade Council has launched a publicity drive in Ukhrul dismissing the false alarm.

They also said that they will monitor the case of price hike and hoarding of salt will be seriously dealt at their level.

Salt were sold at the rate of Rs 450 to 470 per bag today.

When TSE asked panic buyers to where they received the rumour, most of them said that a salt factory in Bihar and godown at Dimapur were burned down while other say that cyclone hit the factories.

Meanwhile, the police have instructed the shop keepers not to hike the price.

Sochipem Kashung, a customer, told The Sangai Express that he was standing in queue for at least an hour to get a Kg of salt.

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