Vast tracts of over 5,500 acres of saltpans within the city might disappear soon as a proposal to convert them into housing projects for displaced squatters is in the offing.
Though not quite as beautiful as Bolivia's highest Uyuni saltpans, or reportedly the world's largest Makgidakgadi saltpans, Mumbai's saltpans do stretch like white deserts visible often from rail tracks, glistening in the setting sun.
"Saltpans in Mumbai, unlike elsewhere, are essentially an urban entity and as of now are worked on by less than 500 labourers," according to Deputy Salt Commissioner S Mukherjee.
"If the lands are used for development, salt production which is about 1.2 lakh tonnes annually, from these areas will naturally also disappear," Mukherjee told PTI.
However, Mukherjee
stressed "there is absolutely no cause for concern...there is an abundance of salt production across the country and specially in neighbouring Gujarat whose resources could be drawn upon.
"The main issue here is of ownership. The lands had been leased out centuries ago to private parties purely for salt manufacture. Today most manufacturers are claiming the lands to be their personal properties," he said.
At present, the use of saltpans by government is held up following disputes of ownership of the lands and the matter is being pursued in court.
Over the years, Mumbai has lost several acres of saltpans to developers and in the 1950's two plots of about 120 acres (of the Bharpur Salt Works near Vikhroli) and 150 acres (from the Mahudwala saltpans) were used up for residential purposes.
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