NGT Seeks Detailed Response from MPCB on Wadala Salt Pan Land Issue

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has called upon the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to submit a comprehensive response regarding the Wadala Salt Pan land, with a clear outline of the actions taken by the joint committee constituted in response to ongoing environmental concerns. The NGT’s directive necessitates a detailed affidavit from the MPCB, clarifying the compliance status concerning the previous tribunal orders.

The NGT has set a four-week deadline for the MPCB to present the required information, following which the tribunal will assess whether there is a need for a fresh committee, as proposed by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Salt (DCS). The matter will be revisited on January 23, 2024, for further review. In the interim, the tribunal has referenced a report from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) dated March 13, 2023, which highlighted the alarming volume of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste accumulating on the DCS land. The MCGM’s report noted that the site contains an estimated 5,52,000 brass (or 15,62,160 metric tonnes) of debris, with the processing cost for this waste pegged at an eye-watering Rs. 249.95 crore, calculated at Rs. 1,600 per metric tonne.

Further updates from the MCGM in April 2023 indicated an additional 1,00,000 metric tonnes of C&D waste on a bund in the salt pan area. The civic body has requested permission to survey the land further, finalising the exact quantity of waste present. The illegal dumping of demolition debris in the salt pan area, alongside encroachments on nearby mangrove ecosystems, has raised serious environmental alarms. These issues have been the subject of several petitions and investigations. The NGT had previously constituted a six-member joint committee in December 2021 to probe these violations, with the MPCB and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) named as key agencies for compliance.

The tribunal’s investigation has revealed that portions of the land fall under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) categories, which impose stringent restrictions on development activities. Notably, a large bund constructed from demolition waste was discovered within these protected zones, contributing to widespread environmental degradation. The findings underline the urgent need for effective action to mitigate the damage caused and to uphold the integrity of the region’s coastal ecosystem. As the NGT continues to monitor the situation, the MPCB faces mounting pressure to ensure compliance and restore environmental balance to the Wadala Salt Pan land.