The Maharashtra Government has issued an order to conserve the 30-acre DPS Flamingo Lake at Nerul in Navi Mumbai, which recently witnessed the deaths of numerous flamingos. The Revenue and Forest Department issued the order dated July 5 to save the wetlands and mangroves in the lake Monday night, ahead of the next migratory bird season. The DPS wetland is an important tidal-water satellite wetland where flamingos land during high tide at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS), one of India's Ramsar sites. In the latest incident 39 flamingos were found dead at various locations in Ghatkopar East Nearly two months ago, after the flock was hit by an Emirates airplane descending to land at the Mumbai airport in Santacruz. A high-level committee, led by the Principal Secretary of the Forest Department, has been appointed to study the conservation methods for the lake, designated as a natural habitat for flamingos. Members of the committee include principal secretaries from the Environment and Urban Development departments, City and Industrial Development Corporation managing director, Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner, CEO of the Maharashtra Maritime Board, Thane district collector, and Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) chairman Praveen Pardesi. The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest - Mangrove Cell will serve as the member secretary. The NatConnect Foundation, in collaboration with the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society, Save Flamingos and Mangroves Forum, and Kharghar Hill and Wetlands group has long campaigned to highlight the need to save the lake. B N Kumar of NatConnect Foundation said, “The lake is currently full due to the active monsoon, but it was completely dry recently when over 10 flamingos died in April. CIDCO’s interference with the tidal water flow is a gross violation.” The environmentalists stated that this decision was long overdue, citing continuous efforts to “kill” the lake. They praised the government’s decision, seeing it as a victory for their efforts. Rekha Sankhala of Save Flamingos & Mangroves Forum said, “The people’s involvement in protecting and conserving the lake, alongside our efforts, proved to be crucial.” Airoli MLA Ganesh Naik had also supported the environmentalists' campaign and directed the civic body to clear all choke points and restore the DPS Flamingo Lake. However, CIDCO filed a complaint against Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner for digging up the choke points without permission, a move that green groups termed outrageous. The National Green Tribunal had also taken a suo moto action to probe the flamingo deaths at this wetland following The Indian Express report dated April 28. Flamingos and other migratory birds have been prone to accidental deaths and injuries over years. In April, 12 flamingos were found dead in the Navi Mumbai area, with activists blaming the CIDCO for the deaths. They said the birds died of “light pollution”, which affects their vision due to their fragile eyes.
