Centre asks State to return 141 hectare of land used for dumping ground The much-hyped state government delegation led by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh which made a presentation to the empowered group of ministers (EGOM) led by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to allot the 2,177 hectares of the salt pan land owned by the Centre for rehabilitating project-affected persons by various infrastructure projects failed to reach any consensus, according to official sources in the Mantralaya. No decision was taken by the EGOM environmental groups and those in possession of the land have raised their ante against such a plan. The EGOM refused to be convinced by the state demand for allocating it more land for rehabilitation of the project-affected persons. On the other hand, the centre demanded that the state should return 141 hectares of land it had handed over to the state government for creation of dumping ground at Kanjurmarg. It should provide alternative land admeasuring 141 hectares, but the state government expressed its inability stating that there is no an inch of land left in Mumbai. Pawar ruled that the matter be sorted out within four weeks and decision on sharing the land be expedited. It may be noted the state government claims, though land is owned by the Centre, it was leased out to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in late 19th and early 20th century by Centre. The BMC subsequently sub-leased the land to various persons on 99 years lease for preparing salt. Though in most of the cases lease is over, leases have not given up their possession. There is dispute between BMC and, commerce and industry ministry, who should file suits against these leases in the court of law. The environmentalists claim that a major chunk of the land is covered by Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) Act and they can't be used for development.