'Flamingo City' under threat, Navi Mumbai civic body 'SOS' to Forest Dept
Take over NRI, TSC wetlands and conserve, Greens tell civic body
image for illustrative purpose
Mumbai: Openly supporting the environmental groups' plea to conserve NRI and TSC twin wetlands at Nerul in Navi Mumbai as flamingo abodes, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has officially taken up the issue with the Forest Department.
NMMC has earlier supported the idea of branding its area as Flamingo City following NatConnect Foundation and others campaign as the civic body started painting the walls with the pink bird and putting up models at key junctions. NatConnect has also requested NMMC to take over the two wetlands and conserve them with the help of the Mangrove Foundation. With some miscreants blocking the inter-tidal water into the two wetlands, the migratory birds have started skipping the area and
activists said the Flamingo City concept is thus threatened. Flamingos thrive in intertidal water flow which bring fish and the maximum depth they require is 15 cm. The blocking of free flow of water has resulted in stagnant water that is not suitable for the migratory birds. Taking cognisance of the complaints and media reports, NMMC Commissioner Abhijit Bangar has written to the Thane District Forest Department requesting them to take steps to save the flamingo destination.
Bangar appointed Deputy Commissioner Dadasaheb Chabukswar as the nodal officer to coordinate and follow-up with the Forest officials.
The Commissioner acknowledged the fact that the migratory birds land at the two wetlands from India and abroad and the area turns pink which environment and bird lovers enjoy. With the presence of the birds for a prolonged period, the City has gained the identity as Flamingo City which the civic body wants to reinforce.
NatConnect Foundation Director BN Kumar has expressed the happiness that the Commissioner has moved positively. "We hope the Forest Department officials will quickly act to restore water flow to the wetlands," he said and recalled that this is déjà vu of the sabotage of Panje wetland in Uran with similar tactics. Tidal water flow to Panje wetland has since been restored with the National Green tribunal stepping in.
On NRI and TSC twin wetlands, NatConnect Foundation has earlier written to the Chief Minister and the NMMC Commissioner about the blocking of the water flow to the wetlands and the need to save biodiversity. "The CM responded within an hour of sending our e-mail and he marked it specifically to Environment Principal Secretary Manisha Mhaiskar and Urban Development Secretary Mahesh Pathak," Kumar said.
Sunil Agrawal of Save Navi Mumbai Environment forum pointed out that the two wetlands are listed under the National Wetland Inventory Assessment prepared by the Space Application centre – a fact recorded in the Bombay High Court judgement of November 1, 2018 that set aside the CIDCO's plans to create a golf course on these water bodies. Even the State Forest department filed an affidavit to this effect. While CIDCO's special leave petition against the High Court verdict is pending hearing in the Supreme Court, vested interests seem to be hell bent on burying the wetlands, Agrawal, who had filed the original petition at Bombay High Court, said.
"We have not seen any semblance of flamingos in the recent times at these wetlands which were full of the migratory birds," said Dharmesh Barai who has been driving a 'clean mangroves' project removing garbage from the sea plants. Barai pointed out that mangroves are being chopped and thrown into the wetland.
Kumar recalled that the State Wildlife Board had cleared the flamingo sanctuary project at NRI-TSC wetlands along with Panje-Funde and Mahul—Sewree as part of the mitigation measure for the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) in December 2018. Then Chief Minister Devendra Fandnavis had posted this on the CMO's official Facebook page and it was widely reported by the media. Fadnavis' Facebook post is still visible on the social media site and NatConnect has again reminded the BJP bigwig about his announcement.
Agrawal pointed out that State Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray has also asked CIDCO to explore the possibility of maintaining a flamingo sanctuary at Talawe wetlands instead of developing a golf course and report to the Government.
