As the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) hasn’t received a response from companies for the desalination project at Manori, the civic body has started to focus on the Gargai dam — 84 km to the northwest of Mumbai in Palghar district. However, the BMC is falling short of nearly 171 hectare of land to compensate the forest department and so it is considering the purchase of land from a private owner.

As per the latest plan, the dam will affect a total of 814 hectare of land, including 557 hectare of forest land that will be submerged. “As per the forest department order, BMC needs to compensate with 659 hectare of forest land. The state government has agreed to give 488 hectare of land in Chandrapur for forest rehabilitation. The survey of this land was completed last week,” said an official.