Maharashtra CM asks Forest Secretary to act as DPS Flamingo Lake turns filthy

It is essential to preserve migratory bird destinations such as the DPS Lake, NRI, TS Chanakya, and Panje wetlands to avoid bird strike threats to aircrafts at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), NatConnect Director B N Kumar said.

Navi Mumbai: Responding to environmental groups' complaint against the blocking of water flow to the 30-acre DPS Flamingo Lake in the satellite township of Navi Mumbai rendering it filthy with stagnant water, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the Maharashtra Forest Department to take action.

A high-level committee headed by Forest Secretary Venugopal Reddy earlier decided to recommend the protection of the DPS Lake as a conservation reserve and asked CIDCO to ensure uninterrupted water flow in and out of the wetland.

Yet, the lake, which has been attracting hundreds of flamingos, is now full of moss and muck as the water flow has been blocked for a few months, NatConnect Foundation complained to the CM and top officials.

“We are happy that Devendra Fadnavis acted promptly and asked Reddy to take appropriate action,” said NatConnect Director B N Kumar expressing hope that the wetland would again be fit for flamingos.

It is essential to preserve migratory bird destinations such as the DPS Lake, NRI, TS Chanakya, and Panje wetlands to avoid bird strike threats to aircrafts at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), Kumar said quoting BNHS study reports.

Birds could land on the mudflats around the airport if they are unable to at the wetlands that they are used to during high tides at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) – a fact noted in the environmental impact assessment report submitted by the Adani airports to the Centre, Kumar said.

But the ground reality is even after more than three months of the DPS Lake Committee’s decision, the 30-acre wetland continues to be in terrible shape, Sandeep Sareen of Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society said.

Flamingos have started arriving at TCFS, though in very small numbers, but the DPS Lake, one of the resting places for the pink birds during high tide, is not in fit condition, said Jyoti Nadkarni, convenor of Kharghar Wetlands and Hills forum.

The environmentalists have therefore called for the removal of the debris, and earth from the inlets on both the eastern and western sides; digging the channel one or two feet down and fix the cement pipes; maintaining security to check the water flow; sensitise the local community, too, to alert against any future violations and above all, launch an inquiry into the persistent, consistent sabotage of the flamingo abode.