Development of Salt Pan Lands

Development of Salt Pan Lands

Government of Maharashtra (GoM) has appointed MMRDA as implementing agency for development of salt pan lands in Mumbai by GR dated 14/06/2004.
 

Project Features

This Salt Pan lands admeasuring 2177 Ha are located in MCGM area at Dahisar, Goregaon, Mulund, Bhandup, Kanjur, Nahur, Ghatkopar, Turbhe, Mandale, Chembur, Wadala and Anik. The Salt Pan lands are distributed in 31 Salt Works and 4 Salt factories; out of which 24 salt works (107 Ha) are under license and 7 salt works (1032 Ha) are under lease. These lands are located in 13 revenue villages. 5 revenue villages viz. Malvani, Pahadi, Ghatkopar, Chembur and Dahisar admeasuring 346 Ha has no development potential as the land is encroached (156 Ha), transferred to GoI (18 Ha) and balance under CRZ (172 Ha). The land in other 8 villages viz. Kanjur, Bhandup, Nahur, Mulund, Turbhe, Mandale, Matunga and Anik admeasuring 1831 Ha has development potential of 256 Ha and balance 1575 Ha is in CRZ-I, II, III, NDZ and Forest. The 256 Ha potential developable land is located in Bhandup Salt Factory in villages Kanjur (56 Ha), Bhandup (65 Ha), Nahur (31 Ha), Mulund (52 Ha), Matunga (Wadala Salt Factory) (52 Ha).
 

Details of Project

GoI on 31/07/2001 has communicated sharing principle to GoM as follows:
 
i. The land already allotted to GoM & GoI should be kept out of the sharing formula.
 
ii. 667 ha developable land would be shared between GoM and GoI on 50:50 basis with GoI having the right of first choice. GoM will make every effort to modify the development plan of the area of 321 Ha out of the above which falls within NDZ and CRZ –II and CRZ –III.
 
iii. 923 ha lying within CRZ -1 will be given to GoM for development by way of tree plantation and other environmental upgradation measures. In case subsequently, notification declaring the land under CRZ-I is amended by GoI and GoM resulting in relaxation of the present restrictions and development, the GoI will have the first right to choose and take back 50 % of such developable land in CRZ- I.
 
iv. The land under encroachment will be transferred to the GoM who will undertake the evaluation and recover the amount from the encroachers and deposit 50 % of the same to GoI.
 
v. 134 Ha of land under ownership dispute would be shared equally between MoUD and GoM as is the case of developable lands and GoM would undertake to vigorously pursue the case.
 
vi. The acquisition charges payable to the lessees or licensees for the unexpired lease and license would be borne by the GoM and GoI for the respective shares.
 
vii. The GoM will make necessary changes in the records to ensure that the land in question belongs to GoI.
 
Out of the 2177 Ha of Salt Pan land, after deducting land lost in Court cases (10 Ha), CRZ- I (923 Ha), Ownership disputes (134 Ha), Encroachment (156 Ha), Slums (18 Ha), Transfer to GoI (75 Ha), Transfer to GoM (194 Ha), CRZ-II (79 Ha), CRZ- III (204 Ha), NDZ (82 Ha) and Dumping Ground (46 Ha), the balance net developable land remaining is 256 Ha.
 
Total land under lease is 1033 Ha and under license is 814 Ha. These lands are under litigations.

Present Status

A Meeting of Group of Ministers under Chairmanship of Shri P. Chidambaram, Minister of Home Affairs was convened to discuss the issues relating to management of surplus salt pan lands in Mumbai and its suburbs and similar salt pan lands in other places on 30th July, 2010 at New Delhi.
 
Decisions taken in the above meeting are as follows:
 
(a) Ministry of Law to come up with Draft legislation for retrieval of all lands to the Government of India (GoI). Legal claim (if any), to be compensated. The proposed law not to be interfered with the existing law related to Forest, CRZ, Environment, etc.
 
(b) Right of Way for 700 mt missing link of Wadala granted by Group of Ministers.
 
Presently, GoM is awaiting the above legislation and MMRDA on behalf of GoM could undertake development of this land if transferred to MMRDA on ‘as is where is' basis along with the litigations etc.

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