India's Salt Economy
Rock Salt and Sambhar Lake
How Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan, India's largest inland salt lake, produces salt, bird deaths there in 2019, and the market for rock salt used during fasts.
Not all salt is from the sea.
Sambhar Lake
Sambhar in Rajasthan is India’s largest inland salt lake.
Production
Sambhar Salts, a government company, and private makers produce salt there.
Bird deaths
In 2019, thousands of migratory birds died at Sambhar from avian botulism, raising environmental concerns.
Illegal pans
Illegal salt pans and borewells harm the lake.
Rock salt
Sendha namak (rock salt), mostly imported from Pakistan’s Khewra mines, is used during fasts.
Imports
After 2019 trade tensions, imports of Pakistani rock salt were hit by high duties.
During Navratri fasts, families use sendha namak instead of regular salt.
Inland lakes and mines also produce salt.
- Sambhar is India's largest inland salt lake.
- Birds died there in 2019.
- Rock salt is used in fasts.
- Much rock salt came from Pakistan.
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