Lok Sabha Question No. 187 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-11-30
Subject: Salt Pan Land in Mumbai
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: KIRIT SOMAIYA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

## DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY & PROMOTION

## LOK SABHA

UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 187.

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE 30 TH  NOVEMBER, 2015.

## SALT PAN LAND IN MUMBAI

## 187. DR. KIRIT SOMAIYA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:

## वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री

- (a) whether  5400  acres  of  salt  pan  land  in  Mumbai  is  in  possession  of  the Government and given on lease for salt cultivation and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether 1800 acres of land out of this is developable and comes under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has received complaints from people's representatives that some private builders have entered into illegal MoU/agreement and started process of building proposals pass;
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons for private builders entering into MoU for use of this Government land for commercial real estate purpose; and
- (e) the action being contemplated by the Government against these builders?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज् यएवंउद्योगााज् यमंत्रीस् वतंंत्र्रभााा(स्ीमतंीिरममलााीीतंाामि( THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRIMATI NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

- (a): An area of 5378 acres of land in Greater Mumbai is under orders of transfer to Ministry of Urban Development. It is covered under 31 Salt Works (6 leases, 24 licensed lands) in 13 Revenue Villages and one under  erstwhile  Bombay  Salt  and  Chemicals  Works.  The  details  of 5378 acres of Salt Pan Land in Mumbai is at Annexure.
- (b): As  per the report  of  Mumbai  Metropolitan  Region  Development Authority (MMRDA) prepared in 2010, an area of 1206 Hectares comes under CRZ. Out of this, 867 Hectares (2141 Acres) falls in the village of Kanjur, Bhandup, Mulund and Nahur of Greater Mumbai. 204 Hectare (503.88 acres) is developable land in the said villages.
- (c) & (d): The  Government  has  received  complaint  from  Dr.  Kirit  Somaiya, Hon'ble  Member  of  Parliament  (Lok  Sabha)  recently  about  some private  builders  allegedly  entered  into  MoU  /  Registered  agreement with  the  lessees.  The  above  MoU/Registered  Agreement  to  develop the salt pan lands have been filed before the Hon'ble City Civil Court in Notice of Motion No. 321 of 2010 in Suit No. 6256 of 2005 (Bombay High Court Suit No. 1173 of 2005) praying for restraining the Garodias i.e.  Plaintiffs  from  dealing  with  and  disposing  of  Suit  lands.  Shri Gordhandas S. Garodia and Shri Mahesh Kumar Gordhandas Garodia obtained  lease  hold  rights  by  virtue  of  a  consent  Decree  in  Suit  No. 1799 of 1980. Lease right holders of Arthur Salt Works entered in to Registered  Consent  Deed/Registered  Agreement  for  development  of land under the said salt works with M/s Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd. and  executed  Declaration  No.  3/7478/2009  and  Consent  Deed  for Government Project bearing No. 2/1526/2009.
- (e): On receipt of two documents viz. (1) Registered Declaration No.3/7478/2009, (2) Registered Consent Deed, Salt Department filed Additional Affidavit and Supplementary Affidavit in Notice of Motion No. 321  of  2010  in  Suit  No.  6256  of  2005  in  Bombay  City  Civil  Court (Bombay High Court Suit No. 1173 of 2005), bringing the deal between the  parties  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Hon'ble  Court  and  praying  for restraining the Plaintiffs from dealing with and disposing of Suit lands. The  Suit  No.  1173  of  2005  was  filed  by  the  Plaintiffs,  Gordhandas S.Garodia  in  Bombay  High  Court  against  termination  of  lease  by  an order  dated  02-11-2004  passed  by  the  Salt  Department  which  was subsequently transferred to City Civil Court and is given new number Suit No. 6256 of 2005. The said matter at present is subjudice. Further Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue), Government of Maharashtra has been requested to cancel the changes made in the Revenue records pursuant to Government of Maharashtra's order dated 13-08-2008 and also to instruct the Registrar not to register any deed in respect of the said land as they belong to the Govt. of India. It is also proposed that on expiry  of  leases  it  should  not  be  renewed  and  even  in  any  future developmental activities, these entities may be kept out.

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## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE  REFFERED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIOIN NO. 187 FOR ANSWER ON 30 TH  NOVEMBER, 2015.

## Detail of Salt Pan Land in Mumbai

An area of 5378 acres of land in Greater Mumbai is under orders of transfer to Ministry of Urban Development. Out of this:

- (i) 350  acres  out  of  700  acres  of  erstwhile  Bombay  Salt  &  Chemicals Works are in the possession of Salt Commissioner Organisation.
- (ii) An  area  of  1033  acres  has  been  acquired  /  transferred  to  various agencies  so  far  with  or  without  approval  of  Government  of  India.  It includes 99 acres transferred to Ministry of Urban Development.
- (iii) 265 acres of lands are under leases not renewed / erstwhile licenses in Wadala.
- (iv) 1560 acres of lands under erstwhile licenses are now under litigation for ownership dispute.
- (v) 350  acres  land  handed  over  to  Municipal  Corporation  of  Greater Mumbai (MCGM) for dumping  ground  at  Kanjur,  Out  of  700  acres  of erstwhile Bombay Salt & Chemical Works.
- (vi) About 776 acres of lands are under creeks and open land, etc. around the  Salt  Works,  but  no  survey  number  have  been  indicated  for  these lands.
- (vii) An  area  of  498.38  acres  is  under  encroachments  which  includes organized colonies and are under litigation.

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