MUMBAI: The city’s salt pan lands seem to be under threat again. For the past two weeks, dozens of dumpers have been
seen plying through the night, dumping debris on
salt pans in
Bhandup in the eastern suburbs.
NGO Vanashakti has filed a complaint with the suburban collector about the daily dumping of debris by up to 50 trucks despite both entrances to the salt pan plot being manned 24x7 by the Kanjurmarg police. In his complaint to Mumbai suburban collector D Khushwaha, D Stalin of Vanashakti said, “There are many ongoing construction projects in Mumbai. Almost all of them are engaged in disposing of their construction waste at locations not designated for the purpose.”
Khushwaha said he had asked the official concerned to inspect the dumping site and submit an action taken report by Tuesday.
Stalin said the leases for the salt pans expired in 2016 and the suburban collector had already transferred the plots in revenue records to the government. However, the government is yet to take physical possession of these wetlands.
It is estimated that Mumbai has 5,379 acres of salt pan lands, most of it in the eastern suburbs.
Representative Image
