The man-environment conflict has landed the Rs 50-crore salt manufacturing industry and as many as 3.5 lakh family members of salt-pan workers (agarias) into troubled waters. The agarias working in the districts of Surendranagar, Mehsana, Banaskantha, Rajkot and Kutch claim that they will be out of jobs next season due to a government notification declaring the 4,953 sq km of the Rann as protected area for Wild Ass (also known as Gudkhars).