A biodiversity study will be conducted at Kharghar Wetlands and Hills on February 1. This study is being organised in collaboration with environmentalists and local authorities. It will take place ahead of World Wetlands Day, which is observed globally on February 2.
The theme for this year is "Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future." The goal is to raise awareness about the role of wetlands in maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe into the destruction of DPS Flamingo Lake.
He has directed the state environment department to investigate and submit a report within 15 days. The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) have been asked to look into the matter. This action follows concerns raised by environmentalists about the lake’s deteriorating condition.
The CM’s directive comes after an activist highlighted the issue with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MOEFCC). The activist shared a news report from the Free Press Journal (FPJ), which detailed the lake’s destruction. The state environment department has also requested an action-taken report regarding the lake’s condition.
CIDCO is responsible for executing the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) project. In its half-yearly environmental compliance report, CIDCO assured the MOEFCC that it would follow the Bombay Natural History Society’s (BNHS) recommendations to protect biodiversity.
However, according to BN Kumar, director of the NatConnect Foundation, the intertidal water flow to the DPS wetland has been blocked for months. This has caused water stagnation, making the lake unsuitable for flamingos.
Environmentalists are demanding immediate action to prevent further damage to the wetland. BN Kumar stressed the urgency of the situation and called for swift measures to restore the water flow.
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