Navi Mumbai: The State Environment Department has directed CIDCO to investigate the destruction of the 30-acre DPS Flamingo Lake and report on the actions taken. This follows complaints from a green group about the lake’s deteriorating condition, despite the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) project’s commitment to its conservation, along with other wetlands.
CIDCO is overseeing the implementation of the airport project, with Adani serving as the operator. In its half-yearly environmental compliance report filed with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), NMIA has committed that both the airport management and city planners will adhere to the BNHS recommendations for conserving biodiversity in the airport area.
However, according to NatConnect Foundation’s director B. N. Kumar, the intertidal water flow to the DPS flamingo wetland has been blocked for several months, causing the water to stagnate. This makes it unsuitable for flamingos, Kumar noted in his communication to the MOEFCC, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and the State Environment Department, ahead of World Wetlands Day on February 2.
Environment Director Abhay Madhukar Pimparkar has since emailed CIDCO and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), urging them to investigate and submit a report on the actions taken within 15 days.
Kumar welcomed the email and expressed hope that CIDCO would take action to restore the DPS Flamingo Lake.
The wetland, as per a high-level committee appointed by the state government, should have been designated as a conservation reserve. NatConnect calls on the State Wildlife Board, chaired by the Chief Minister, to take immediate action.
The committee also recommended that CIDCO maintain at least two open water channels at the DPS Lake. This was reiterated by the Mangrove Cell in a recent letter to CIDCO, but environmentalists claim CIDCO has ignored these concerns.
In response to a previous email from NatConnect on December 30, Fadnavis had instructed the state forest department to address the violations at DPS Flamingo Lake. Yet, the wetland remains neglected.
The NMIA’s compliance report mentions concerns over the proximity of bird habitats to the airport project. However, BNHS studies indicate that the birds fly at much lower altitudes than aircraft, a finding included in the NMIA’s compliance report.
Unfortunately, the DPS wetland is in poor condition. The blockage of intertidal water flow from Thane Creek to both the wetlands has caused stagnation. As a result, the habitats are now filled with moss, muck, and filth, which are unsuitable for flamingos, Kumar pointed out.
Sandeep Sareen, an activist with the Navi Mumbai Environment Protection Society (NMEPS), emphasized that the theme for this year’s World Wetlands Day is "Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future." Wetlands play a critical role in preserving biodiversity, and must be safeguarded, he said.
In addition to providing habitats for migratory and native birds, wetlands are vital carbon sinks, urban sponges that absorb excess water, and support the fishing community. They also help maintain groundwater levels, activists noted.