In a big victory for environmentalists, the Maharashtra State Wildlife Board on Thursday endorsed an official recommendation to declare the 30-acre DPS Flamingo Lake in Navi Mumbai as a conservation reserve.
This is the first wetland, which is a part of the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary’s (TCFS) satellite wetland ecosystem, to be protected as a conservation property. The pink birds from TCFS fly into the satellite wetlands during high tide.
The state wildlife board, which met in Mumbai, has ratified the recommendation and public demand.
Forest Minister Ganesh Naik also pushed hard for the the proposal at the government level. Naik, who is also the vice-chairman of the board, explained to the members that the lake is an important spot for flamingos, thus making it crucial to protect it as a sensitive zone in the interest of the city`s biodiversity.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who chaired the meeting, announced that the proposal as per agenda 4.1 has been endorsed.
NatConnect Foundation director BN Kumar had earlier approached Naik with a high-level government committee recommendation to conserve the lake.
He has now expressed his happiness on the state`s decision.
NatConnect, Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society (NMEPS), Save Flamingos and Wetlands Forum and Kharghar Wetlands and Hills forum had also formed a human chain last year on two occasions to focus attention on the plight of the flamingo abode.
DPS Flamingo Lake is part of the Ramsar site Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary’s satellite wetland ecosystem. Many flamingos fly to the Panje, DPS lake, and NRI and TS Chanakya wetlands during high tide in the creek for resting and in search of food.
BNHS has recommended repeatedly that the satellite wetlands will have to be conserved as part of the TCFS management plan.
