NGT issues notices to CIDCO, forest dept, wetland authority over flamingo deaths

The NGT order highlighted a point from The Indian Express report on April 28 that the death of the flamingos can be attributed to “light pollution”, which partially impairs the vision of the birds due to their fragile eyes. It states that the newly installed LED lights disorient and misguide the birds while flying, which then happen to crash with random objects and get injured.

The notice stated, “The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance of the environmental norms, especially compliance of the provisions of the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017; Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.”

The NGT took note of the inlet blockage by the elevated roads constructed by CIDCO that resulted in water stagnation, disregarding the fact that flamingos typically inhabit areas of flowing waters. The tribunal also noted CIDCO’s intentions to use the lake area for future development and its inattention to HC’s notice to protect the natural habitat of the lake.

NatConnect Foundation’s director BN Kumar highlighted that CIDCO has breached its undertaking regarding the uninterrupted intertidal water flow during the construction of the passenger water terminal at Nerul. “NatConnect will file an intervention application to detail all of CIDCO’s violations,” said Kumar, adding that they are consulting their legal team on the matter.

Additional Principal Chief of Forests Mangroves Cell, S V Rama Rao said, “Our department has not yet received the notice but once we receive it, we will ensure to abide by what the tribunal says.”

A source from the forest department revealed that sand particles were found in the viscera of the carcasses, indicating that the birds died of starvation, according to the post-mortem report. CIDCO has not yet issued an official response.