Over 3 lakhs people (about 80,000 households) from about 276 acres of land around Santa Cruz Airport, Mumbai, India are being relocated on salt pan land around Mumbai. The land thus freed up will be used for infrastructure development at the airport. The state government, in collusion with the big builders has been eying the salt pan lands for some time.
Thousands of acres of salt pan land around Mumbai have serving as natural sponges that absorb excessive rain water and help to prevent flooding during rainy season. The same land during summer months is used to catch the saline water from the sea during high tides and the water trapped in the salt pan lands is allowed to evaporate to get the salt. The government also finds it easy now to get the salt pan lands since the land belongs to the government. The government’s moves to develop this land for mass housing schemes may be suicidal from environmental considerations.
There are pockets of mangroves which also will be destroyed in the process. The situation is similar in Navi Mumbai, a satellite city, where thousands of acres of mangroves are likely to be destroyed for the infrastructure development program. Since there is a ban on cutting mangroves, the concerned agencies are seeking Bombay High Court’s clearance for the purpose. The concerned ministry promises to replant and restore the mangroves for compensating the loss!
Is it possible to restore the natural mangrove habitat? The mangroves are developed over the years naturally by tidal process and flood water hold up during rainy season. It is not like a kitchen garden. Any large scale intervention in the eco-system in the costal areas may result in irreversible and undesirable environmental consequences.
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