Salt Pans Sold for Dharavi Plan? Sparks Environmental Concerns

Unmesh Gujarathi

Sprouts News Exclusive

In a controversial move that has raised serious environmental and ethical questions, the Central Government informed the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that a portion of Mumbai’s salt pan land, officially owned by the Centre, has been transferred to the State Government for “welfare projects” — including the much-debated Dharavi Redevelopment Project.

This revelation came during a hearing on a public interest litigation challenging the decision to use ecologically sensitive salt pan land for the rehabilitation of Dharavi residents. Representing the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh submitted that the land in question was partially handed over for development purposes. The State Government, represented by Additional Government Pleader Milind More, claimed that necessary surveys have been conducted prior to the decision and that the land will be used for affordable housing and rehabilitation under the Dharavi redevelopment plan.

Activists and legal experts argue that the use of salt pan land for construction goes directly against a 2014 Bombay High Court order. In that verdict, delivered in response to a PIL filed by NGO ‘Vanashakti’, the court had instructed the State to protect and preserve wetlands — a category under which salt pans were then included.

However, in 2017, the Central Government amended its environmental conservation rules, removing salt pans from the definition of wetlands. This amendment paved the way for potential exploitation. A 2022 notification from the Ministry of Environment aimed at strengthening wetland protection appears to have been sidestepped by both Central and State authorities.

The petitioners, represented by senior advocate Raj Awasthi on behalf of lawyer-activist Sagar Devre, argue that the decision to allocate salt pan land will cause irreversible ecological damage. They highlighted past examples — including landfills in Backbay, BKC, Turbhe, Mankhurd, and Shivdi — where development led to massive environmental degradation. A similar fate, they warn, could await Mumbai if salt pans are opened up for construction under the guise of welfare.

The Dharavi redevelopment project — one of the largest slum rehabilitation plans in Asia — is already under heavy public scrutiny, especially after it was awarded to the Adani Group. The petition challenges two state resolutions dated August 7 and September 30, which formalized the land handover for rehabilitation use.

The State Cabinet has directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing Department to lease the salt pan lands for the Dharavi redevelopment and to construct low-income housing units. While the government promotes this as a humanitarian move, activists are not convinced. They argue that the true motive is commercial gain at the cost of the environment and marginal communities.

Sprouts News has consistently opposed the exploitative and environmentally harmful policies associated with the Adani Group. We firmly stand with Dharavikars and the city’s vulnerable communities who demand sustainable, inclusive, and transparent development. Sprouts will continue to amplify their voices and expose projects that prioritize profit over people and planet.