Red tape delays conservation of DPS Flamingo Lake amid algae bloom and late flamingo arrival

Navi Mumbai: Protection of DPS Flamingo Lake, in Nerul, a key pink-bird destination in Navi Mumbai, remained caught in administrative red-tapism even as the annual arrival of the winter migratory flamingos was inordinately delayed this year. In a fresh representation to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, greens urged immediate issuance of the long-pending Govt Resolution (GR) granting Conservation Reserve status to the lake and transferring its maintenance to the forest department.Though the State Wildlife Board, chaired by the CM, cleared the proposal in April 2025, the formal GR confirming the status is yet to be issued. Meanwhile, the lake is in dire straits, with a thick carpet of green algae spreading across large sections of the waterbody, raising fears of oxygen depletion and habitat degradation. Environmentalists attributed the bloom to stagnant water caused by impaired intertidal flow. Outlet pipelines were positioned too high, preventing proper drainage during low tide.
Officials who inspected the site reportedly confirmed that the channels needed to be lowered. The main southern water flow channel also remained buried under an access road constructed by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco), which continued to control the lake despite the state's conservation decision. The Mangrove Cell initiated a clean-up drive but could not complete it due to jurisdictional constraints, as the wetland continued to remain under Cidco.Cidco officials reiterated that the area is a developable land parcel. Cidco also installed a warning sign at the site stating that the ‘plot' belonged to CIDCO and that trespassers would be prosecuted. "It is crucial for the govt to issue the GR confirming the Conservation Reserve status and hand the lake over to the Forest Department for its maintenance," said NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar, who sought the CM's intervention to save the lake.DPS Flamingo Lake, along with wetlands such as TS Chanakya and NRI Lake, served as a crucial secondary habitat during high tide for birds from the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary. Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society (NMEPS) President V K Gandhi said the continued delay in issuing the GR weakened conservation enforcement. He added that the lake cannot remain under fragmented control. It must be formally handed over to the Forest Department before further ecological damage occurs.NatConnect suggested to the Mangrove Cell deploying a boat to remove the algae, lowering the outlet pipes to restore proper low-tide flushing, and reopening the southern water channel that was blocked by the CIDCO jetty road. Senior scientist Mrugank Prabhu of Srushti Conservation Foundation, who tracked migratory patterns along the Central Asian Flyway, said large numbers of flamingos were currently concentrated in Gujarat's wetlands, including the Rann of Kutch."There is still substantial water availability there. The birds are likely to start moving towards the Mumbai region by the second week of March," he said, indicating that climate and hydrological conditions influenced flight timing. Echoing concerns about local preparedness, Sandeep Sareen of NMEPS said, "The health of the wetland is critical. Last year, once intertidal flow was restored, thousands of flamingos swarmed the lake. If the habitat is compromised, the birds will simply look elsewhere."