The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently discovered that a 100-acre salt pan in Mumbai's Wadala has been encroached upon. This prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the environment department to carry out a demolition operation aimed at clearing the affected area.
The NGT's involvement came after lawyer-activist Madhura Tawde filed a petition. The petition highlighted the encroachment issue. Subsequently, a six-person committee was formed to investigate the matter.
On March 15 of this year, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) was given a three-month deadline to address the encroachment and clear the area. However, as of July 10, no concrete action had been taken.
The NGT's final order revealed "serious violations of CRZ Notification, 2019," encompassing illegal encroachments and improper dumping of C and D waste. It was also deemed damaging to the region's crucial mangroves.
Consequently, the tribunal directed the State Coastal Zone Management Authority to draft a time-bound action plan for remedial measures. The plan aims to eliminate unauthorised waste dumping and encroachments while restoring the mangroves to their former state.
The disputed area occupies CTS Nos. 144–147 in the city's Development Plan. It consists of salt pans currently operated by a private company. Additionally, approximately 55 acres of the land have been earmarked for the Customs Enclave project. This project is a proposed residential and commercial complex by the Customs Department.
Significantly, the NGT's investigation uncovered specific plot classifications. CTS No. 145 was deemed a "CRZ-IB area." Whereas, other portions fell under CRZ-IA areas. Surprisingly, the Customs Enclave plot (CTS No. 146) was classified as being within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-II category.
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