Patna/Kolkata, Nov 16: A buying spree of salt, triggered by rumours of a shortage, engulfed eastern and north-eastern states with price of the essential food ingredient touching Rs 100 in some places.
State governments had to resort to a crackdown on hoarders, arrest rumour mongers and go on a publicity blitz to calm down panicking public, who converged on shops and bought salt packets in large quantities.
In Bihar, shopkeepers had a field day as rumours sent the prices through the roof. Salt was three to six times the original cost in many districts.
Rumours first started only in Darbhanga and Samastipur, but it soon spread to many other places, prompting people to queue up before kirana stores and buy several packets of salt. One kg salt packet costs Rs 16 but it touched Rs 120 in some remote areas.
The Nitish government swung into action, cracking down on black marketeers, stockists and those spreading rumours that the state had virtually no salt for people.
Until Friday noon, 18 people were arrested and several trucks laden with salt were seized from various locations.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Shyam Razak clarified that the state had adequate stock of salt and urged people not to heed rumours that the Gujarat government would stop sending salt consignment to Bihar due to Nitish’s rivalry with Narendra Modi.
Bihar gets salt primarily from Gandhidham and Mokhi in Gujarat, besides Nawa City and Govind Marwar in Rajasthan.
Bihar’s food secretary Sishir Sinha scotched all rumours, asserting that the situation is back to normal following the arrest of 18 people and raids at several places.
Speaking to reporters, Sinha said the profiling of the arrested people was being done to find out their role in creation of artificial crisis about salt that triggered panic buying by consumers.
Meanwhile, rumours of salt shortage spilled over to northern Bengal, shooting prices between Rs 50 and Rs 100.
The situation came to light when some local people in Darjeeling lodged a complaint with the consumer department of the autonomous hill council claiming that salt was being Rs 100 a kg at Kalimpong, Kurseong and Sonada in Darjeeling since Thursday evening.
Rumours of salt shortages hit Meghalaya, Mizoram and other northeastern states with panic stricken people buying salt at exorbitant prices which forced the state government to launch an immediate crackdown and announce there is enough stock of salt in the state.
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