Daijiworld Media Network - Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai, Jun 27: Polluted creek water flowing into DPS Flamingo Lake during high tide has emerged as a significant environmental threat to one of Navi Mumbai's most important wetlands, according to recent water quality studies that have also linked the deterioration to a sharp decline in flamingo sightings this season.
The wetland forms part of the Ramsar-listed Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary ecosystem and serves as a crucial habitat for migratory flamingos.
Laboratory tests conducted on water collected from the tidal inflow channel revealed alarmingly high contamination levels. The analysis found Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) at 19,600 mg/l, more than nine times the permissible limit of 2,100 mg/l prescribed under IS 2490:1974 standards for inland surface waters.
The study, commissioned jointly by the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society (NMEPS) and the NatConnect Foundation, concluded that the water entering the lake does not meet the required environmental quality standards.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence pointing to worsening ecological conditions at the wetland. Earlier tests commissioned by NatConnect had recorded a TDS level of 21,720 mg/l in lake water sampled in March, while water from a drain flowing into the lake registered 7,950 mg/l in April.
The April analysis also detected a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 36.4 mg/l, well above permissible limits, indicating severe organic pollution. All three samples failed to comply with inland water quality standards.
Environmentalists warned that the combination of polluted tidal inflows and the rapid spread of blue-green algal mats could be pushing the lake towards ecological collapse.
NatConnect Director B. N. Kumar said the deteriorating condition of the wetland required immediate intervention, while NMEPS representative Sandeep Sareen noted that although flamingos naturally tolerate saline environments, they are highly vulnerable to pollution.
"Flamingos can survive in naturally saline waters, but they cannot flourish in water contaminated by sewage, urban runoff and other pollutants. The declining water quality is disrupting the lake's ecological balance and reducing the availability of their food," Sareen said.
Experts explained that flamingos rely on a delicate balance of salinity and water chemistry that supports algae, diatoms and microscopic invertebrates, which form the primary components of their diet.
The concerns are consistent with global findings. The UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment, in its report Wetlands: The Unsung Heroes of the Planet, warned that wetland degradation has accelerated since 2000 due to pollution, habitat destruction and unsustainable human activities, leading to a decline in species dependent on these fragile ecosystems.
Environmental groups have renewed their demand for the Maharashtra government to expedite the final Government Resolution granting Conservation Reserve status to DPS Flamingo Lake, arguing that stronger legal protection is essential to safeguard the wetland.
The National Wildlife Federation has also highlighted increasing pressure on flamingo habitats worldwide from urban development and pollution.
Researchers further pointed to scientific studies, including findings published in Nature Geoscience, which indicate that human-induced changes to estuarine and tidal systems can trigger long-term ecological damage by altering water quality, sediment movement and biodiversity.
Environmentalists said the noticeable decline in flamingo numbers at DPS Flamingo Lake should be viewed as an early warning signal of mounting ecological stress rather than merely the loss of a seasonal attraction, urging authorities to take immediate conservation measures before irreversible damage occurs.