India, Sept. 15 -- The Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) has decided to reclaim 4.14 hectares of sea at Jawahar Dweep (also known as Butcher Island located opposite the Elephanta islands) to build storage facilities for crude oil, which is imported to Mumbai by ships. In Phase 2, nine more hectares will be reclaimed.

The MbPA decided on this move after receiving requests from oil PSUs for land at Jawahar Dweep. The proposal to reclaim the sea will come up for clearance before the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority on Monday. However, green activists have sounded a warning bell, saying the move could lead to pressure on the Mumbai shoreline and subsequent flooding.

A senior MbPA officer justified the reclamation, saying it would in...