India, Sept. 28 -- Fishermen and residents of several coastal villages in the city have opposed the proposed 400-MLD (million litres per day) Manori-Gorai desalination project, citing concerns about its possible impact on marine ecology, fishing grounds and traditional livelihoods. Representatives of fishing, farming and coastal communities from Gorai, Manori, Pali, Malvani, Uttan, Mumbai and Uran met at the Gorai Multipurpose Hall on September 26 to discuss the project and its potential environmental and livelihood impacts.

Participants expressed concern about the project's proposed large-scale seawater intake and discharge of concentrated hypersaline brine into the Arabian Sea, pointing out that the discharge could affect marine biodiv...