Enraged by the continued assault on flamingo habitats, environmental activists held a silent march between the NRI and DPS wetlands at Nerul in Navi Mumbai on Saturday to mark the UN-driven World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD).
Carrying banners reading #SaveFlamingoLakes and placards highlighting the need to protect wetlands for both migratory birds and the city’s flood-control system, the activists drew the attention of motorists, residents, and curious onlookers.
WMBD is a campaign observed on May 10 and October 11 to raise awareness about the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats. “We are committed to continue our fight to save the wetlands and to form awareness groups across the city,” said B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation.
Despite efforts by various government agencies to conserve the wetlands, city planner CIDCO remains determined to convert them into concrete zones, thereby endangering the environment, Kumar alleged.
“This is certainly not the way to build sustainable cities. Urban planners must think of nature before concrete,” he said.
Sandeep Sareen of the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society (NMEPS), which has led legal battles to protect the wetlands, said a contempt petition against CIDCO is being planned for “violating” High Court directives on wetland protection.
According to Sareen, CIDCO has obstructed the free flow of water to the DPS Flamingo Lake, damaging the migratory bird habitat. “Flamingos now only fly over the lake but do not land there, as the water has become unsuitable due to a thick algae layer and the accumulation of organic waste caused by sewage inflow from a nearby urban drain,” he said.
