Environmental groups and citizen activists will organize a silent march in Navi Mumbai on Saturday, May 9, to mark World Migratory Bird Day. The event aims to demand urgent protection of the city's flamingo wetlands and fragile biodiversity. The march, themed #SaveFlamingoLakes, will commence at NRI Lake near Vanashree Building in Seawoods, NRI Phase-2, and conclude at DPS Flamingo Lake between 8 am and 9 am.
World Migratory Bird Day
World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is a United Nations-driven global campaign observed on May 10 and October 11. It seeks to raise awareness about the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats. This year's theme, Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities, underscores the importance of urban ecosystems in safeguarding avian biodiversity.
Ecological Stress on Wetlands
The Navi Mumbai march highlights the alarming ecological stress affecting wetlands that serve as critical habitats for migratory flamingos and several other bird species, according to B N Kumar, Director of the NatConnect Foundation. Recent water sample tests at the three wetlands revealed deteriorating ecological conditions caused by stagnant water and thick algal cover across the High Court-protected wetland zones. Kumar stated that the toxic condition of these wetlands not only impacts bird life but also weakens their crucial role as natural flood buffers for the city.
Sandeep Sareen of the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society (NMEPS) noted that although flamingos have started arriving at NRI Lake belatedly this season, they have yet to return to the TS Chanakya and DPS wetlands. The stagnant water, unchecked algal growth, and declining water quality have created unfavorable conditions for the birds, Sareen explained. Climate change has delayed the arrival of flamingos in recent years. If their feeding and resting habitats continue to deteriorate, the long-term survival of these migratory populations in Navi Mumbai could be at serious risk, warned Rekha Sankhala of the Save Flamingos and Mangroves Forum.
Concerns Over Wetland Status
Environmentalists have also raised concerns about the Thane District Wetlands Committee's decision to deny formal wetland status to the three lakes, based on submissions made by CIDCO. The Bombay High Court issued clear guidelines for protecting these wetlands, yet the official wetland tag has been denied, undermining conservation efforts, Sareen said. The issue has also come under the scrutiny of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Activists pointed out that a joint inspection committee appointed by the tribunal recently directed CIDCO to ensure conservation of the DPS Flamingo Lake. When CIDCO claimed the waterbody was merely a land parcel earmarked for future development, the committee firmly advised authorities to realign the Development Plan to safeguard the lake, environmentalists said.
