Navi Mumbai’s DPS Flamingo Lake Declared Conservation Reserve After Decade-Long Fight

The Maharashtra State Wildlife Board officially declared the 30-acre DPS Flamingo Lake in Navi Mumbai as a Conservation Reserve on April 17 after several years of struggle by activists to get this right. The wetland, which is part of the chain of satellite sanctuaries that form the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, is a critical habitat for migratory flamingos when it is high tide. The move followed persistent appeals by environmental organizations like NatConnect Foundation and locals, who cited concerns like plugged tidal inlets and overabundance of algae.

 

Forest Minister Ganesh Naik and CM Devendra Fadnavis have welcomed the action, pointing out its potential to preserve urban biodiversity. Partial restoration of tidal flows has already seen flamingos returning after a three-year hiatus. However, the road ahead is not smooth, with CIDCO's delayed action on clearing plugged pipes still slowing down the full water flow

 

Source: Times Of India, Mid-Day