A fresh environmental controversy has emerged in Navi Mumbai after City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) sought to postpone granting Conservation Reserve status to the ecologically sensitive DPS Flamingo Lake, citing an ongoing bird strike assessment linked to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The dispute surfaced after CIDCO responded to recommendations made by the Mangrove Cell, which had urged authorities to restore inter-tidal water channels connected to the 12-hectare wetland in order to maintain its ecological balance and natural hydrology. CIDCO stated that it had appointed Avisure, an international aviation wildlife hazard assessment consultant, to evaluate possible bird strike risks in wetlands surrounding the airport zone.
According to CIDCO, Avisure advised that any irreversible restrictions, including declaration of the lake as a Conservation Reserve, should be deferred until the study is completed. Based on this recommendation, the planning authority has requested a delay in the conservation process.
Environmental groups and activists have strongly opposed the move. NatConnect Foundation Director BN Kumar alleged that CIDCO was once again attempting to convert a biodiversity-rich wetland into a real estate zone by delaying ecological protection measures. Kumar further claimed that the wetland parcel had been assigned an estimated real estate value of nearly ₹3,600 crore, intensifying concerns that development interests were being prioritised over environmental preservation.
Conservationists also pointed to an earlier study conducted by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) after concerns regarding bird strikes were raised by airport authorities. According to the BNHS findings, migratory birds typically fly at altitudes of around 50 metres between wetlands, whereas aircraft operate at significantly higher altitudes, reducing the likelihood of dangerous interactions.
The BNHS report had additionally warned that destruction of wetlands could potentially worsen bird strike risks by displacing bird populations closer to airport zones.
Environmental activists, including Sandeep Sareen of the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society and Rekha Sankhala of the Save Flamingos and Mangroves Forum, have urged the Maharashtra government to reject CIDCO’s objections and immediately issue the pending Government Resolution granting Conservation Reserve status to DPS Flamingo Lake.
Source: The Free Press Journal
