100 acres of Wadala salt pan land encroached upon: NGT committee
The land includes existing salt pans run by a private operator and around 55-acre of erstwhile salt pans, where the Customs Department has proposed to develop a sprawling residential and commercial establishment—Customs Enclave
Mumbai: A committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has found that about 100-acre ecologically sensitive salt pan land in Wadala, portions of which have now given way to mangroves, has been encroached by way of erecting huts, cabins and debris dumping.
The land includes existing salt pans run by a private operator and around 55-acre of erstwhile salt pans, where the Customs Department has proposed to develop a sprawling residential and commercial establishment—Customs Enclave, which Hindustan Times had reported on June 6.
It was found that despite court orders to restore the land, earlier this year, a sizeable portion of it is currently under construction. The area straddles CTS Nos. 144-147 in the city’s Development Plan.
Environmentalists, however, have emphasised that any work on this land parcel, other than salt-making, is in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Rules.
Responding to a petition by lawyer-activist Madhura Tawde, the NGT in December 2021 instated a six-member committee to look into the complaints of encroachment and mangrove destruction on the plots. Notably, the NGT ruled that one of the plots in question, CTS No. 145, is in fact a “CRZ-IB area”, while some portions (including a massive bundh made from demolition waste) are in CRZ-IA areas, where development is curbed.
It is unclear whether the ongoing work is being carried out by the Customs Department, who are awaiting requisite clearances, or a third-party.
Customs officials directed enquiries to Pramod Agrawal, chief commissioner of customs, Mumbai Zone-I, who could not be contacted despite efforts. However, an application to the state environment department by the Central Public Works Department, which is executing the Customs Enclave project, said, “The existing land use pattern is residential. There will be no change in the pattern due to the proposed project.”
“Finding serious violations of CRZ Notification, 2019, by illegal encroachments, dumping of C and D waste and damage to the mangroves, the tribunal directed the State Coastal Zone Management Authority to prepare a time-bound action plan for remedial action to remove unauthorised dumping of waste, encroachments and restoration of mangroves,” the NGT noted in a final order dated March 2023. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and salt commissioner too, were instructed to provide logistical and budgetary support toward cleaning up the area.
Meanwhile, Tawde said that despite being given three months to restore the land and remove encroachments, “absolutely nothing has happened”. While makeshift structures line one end of the land parcel, in other parts the pace of construction has picked up in recent weeks without attracting attention from regulatory bodies. A portion of the area (CTS No 146) is classified as CRZ-II land as per the CPWD, though this plot does not find mention in the NGT’s order.
“The entire stretch is a salt pan. How can two adjacent plots, both used to make salt, have different classifications under the CRZ Rules? This is something which needs to be investigated before any commercial development is sanctioned. These tidal wetlands are crucial to prevent flooding. The destroyed mangroves should be revived as per the NGT’s directions,” Tawde said.