Mumbai: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to file a reply affidavit regarding the Wadala Salt Pan land, clarifying actions taken by the joint committee constituted earlier for the same.
The affidavit is expected to detail the current compliance status in connection with the previous tribunal orders. A four-week deadline has been granted to the MPCB to provide the required information.
The tribunal will decide, based on the affidavit, whether there is a need to constitute another committee, as sought by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Salt (DCS). The matter has been adjourned to January 23 for further deliberation.
The NGT’s order copy, meanwhile referred to the status report filed by MCGM dated March 13, 2023, informing the tribunal about the enormous volume of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste on the DCS land.
The report stated that the site houses approximately 5,52,000 brass (or 15,62,160 metric tonnes) of waste. The estimated processing cost for this waste is a staggering Rs. 249.95 crore, calculated at Rs. 1,600 per metric tonne.
In a letter dated April 24, 2023, the MCGM updated the DCS about an additional 1,00,000 metric tonnes of C&D waste lying on a bund in the salt pan area.
The civic body requested permission to allow an assessment team to enter the salt pan land for further surveying and trenching to finalize the exact quantity of waste.
The case revolves around two primary concerns:
1. Dumping of C&D Waste: Large quantities of demolition debris have been illegally dumped in the salt pan land, raising environmental concerns.
2. Encroachments on Mangrove Areas: The illegal bunds made from debris and the destruction of mangroves have been central to complaints.
In December 2021, the NGT, responding to a petition by lawyer-activist Madhura Tawde, constituted a six-member joint committee to investigate these issues. The MPCB and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) were designated as nodal agencies for coordination and compliance.
One of the key findings by the NGT was that portions of the affected land fall under CRZ-IB and CRZ-IA zones, where development is heavily restricted. The tribunal identified a massive bund made from demolition waste in these protected areas, exacerbating environmental damage.
