The Maharashtra Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) is reportedly unaware of the state government’s plan to develop salt pan lands for resettling slum dwellers, according to information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
B N Kumar, director of the environmental watchdog NatConnect Foundation, sought information from the State Urban Development Department (UDD) regarding the government’s intentions to unlock salt pans and mangrove areas for slum rehabilitation housing in Mumbai. Kumar also inquired whether the government had invited suggestions or objections from stakeholders on the matter.
In response, the UDD transferred the query to the SRA - Greater Mumbai, which replied that no such information exists in its official records. The RTI response, signed by public information officer H S Zite, stated that the application has therefore been disposed of.
Kumar expressed frustration with what he described as a common practice among RTI officials, claiming that they often state that no information is available when records are lacking. "But this response answers many questions with one letter," Kumar remarked.
He further expressed shock that the government had not engaged the public before embarking on such an environmentally harmful project. The plan would destroy salt pans, which are part of Mumbai’s wetland ecosystem.
"By their nature, wetlands absorb tidal and floodwaters, acting as urban sponges," said Nandakumar Pawar, head of Sagar Shakti. Pawar criticized policymakers for risking the city’s future by converting these crucial wetlands into concrete structures under the guise of slum rehabilitation.
Kumar emphasised that climate change is a pressing issue, with rising sea levels posing a significant threat to coastal populations. He referenced a recent warning by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the dangers of rising sea levels, urging the government to prioritize disaster management over expansion into intertidal areas. "Urban planners are courting disaster with these decisions," Kumar said.
He also pointed out that the government has allocated 255 hectares for the rehabilitation of the Dharavi slum.
Former environment minister Aaditya Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), criticized the central government for permitting this development while rejecting the BMC's request for salt pan land in Bhandup to build a pumping station.