MUMBAI, Nov. 4 -- Mumbai's proposed desalination plant is facing growing opposition from environmental groups and coastal fishing communities, with objections being raised against the proposed felling of 971 trees as well as the project's potential impact on marine ecology and traditional fishing livelihoods. Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, Nicholas Almeida and Advocate Vivian D'Souza from the Watchdog Foundation recently submitted a strong objection to the BMC's Tree Authority, urging it to reject or defer permission to fell the trees until all statutory planning and environmental requirements were fulfilled. In its representation, the Foundation said that while augmenting Mumbai's water supply was important, it should not come at the cost of large-scale destruction of the city's green cover. It questioned whether the project had been duly incorporated into and examined under Mumbai's Development Plan 2034, and whether the necessary land-use and planning permissions had been secured before allowing the trees to be felled. It also demanded to know whether alternative sites and designs had been examined to minimise tree loss, pointing out that the loss of 971 trees would have a significant ecological impact and further reduce the city's already shrinking green cover. Seeking greater transparency, the Foundation stated, "The authorities need to make public the complete inventory of trees proposed to be felled, including their species, age, location and condition, along with the tree-felling plan, environmental assessments and compensatory plantation details." It has also called for an independent assessment of the trees, an opportunity for affected residents and concerned citizens to present their objections, and prioritising the preservation of existing trees. The foundation maintained that planting saplings cannot adequately compensate for the destruction of mature trees. The objections come amid sustained opposition from fishing communities along the city's western coastline, particularly in Manori, Gorai, Uttan, Madh and neighbouring villages. Fisherfolk have raised concerns about the large quantities of seawater that the plant will draw in and the discharge of brine (highly concentrated saltwater) back into the Arabian Sea. They fear that this change in salinity will affect fish populations, breeding grounds and the marine food chain, and have also expressed apprehension that fish eggs and smaller marine organisms could be sucked into the plant's seawater intake system. The opposition intensified in March 2026, when fishermen from Gorai and Manori protested against preliminary drilling and survey work, alleging that vibrations from the activity were disturbing fishing grounds and driving away fish. On October 19, more than 800 fishermen and villagers staged a protest outside the Mumbai suburban district collector's office in Bandra, demanding cancellation of the project and an immediate halt to construction. A delegation led by Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap met Collector Saurabh Katiyar and sought a review of the approvals granted, a formal hearing on their objections and a stay on construction. Protesters also questioned the absence of a No Objection Certificate from the fisheries department. The fishing communities have argued that the civic body should first address water losses through leakages and improve its existing distribution network rather than pursue an expensive project that could adversely affect the coastal ecosystem. The opposition to the desalination project comes against the backdrop of concerns about large-scale tree-chopping for other infrastructure projects in Mumbai. The BMC has issued a public notice under the Tree Act, informing citizens of a proposal to cut/ transplant 1,039 trees for works related to the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, covering Bhandup, Mulund and other areas....