Mumbai: Shanties growing on salt pan land in Bhandup East

The shanties that have now come up at Shyam Nagar

Encroachments on salt pan land at Shyam Nagar in Bhandup East continue to rise. The local green activist who first raised the issue has once again taken pictures along with the GPS location of new shanties that have come up on it.

Environmentalist Nandakumar Pawar said, "We complained last month and were expecting the authorities to take note of the same. We thought action would be taken but it seems that they are least bothered."

Pawar again visited the area to check the situation and was shocked to see that new hutments were coming up. "I recently visited Shyam Nagar and took pictures of the encroachment along with GPS locations. I will send them to the officials concerned so that action is initiated," Pawar said.

Pawar added, "I expect the authorities concerned (Salt Pan department, Revenue, BMC) to show the same courage they showed at Chheda Nagar, where they recently took action against encroachments."

On January 14 mid-day had reported on the Bhandup encroachments ‘At political hotspot, encroachment galore' where, while the Salt Department has proactively opposed the shifting of the Metro car shed to the Kanjurmarg salt pans, it is turning a blind eye to the innumerable shanties coming up just 500 metres from the superintendent's office.

In January before the report, mid-day had also visited the Salt Department's office where this reporter had also spoken to the Superintendent of Salt, ministry of commerce and industry, at Bhandup East. The superintendent had then said they were aware of the illegal encroachment. The official had said, "Our office has already approached the police for protection after which the illegal structures will be demolished. The encroachment increased during the lockdown."