Overview
- The silent march between the NRI and DPS wetlands in Nerul on Saturday followed an NGT order telling city planner Cidco to restore tidal flow at DPS Flamingo Lake.
- A tribunal team reported a blocked intertidal channel that let toxic algae build up and stripped flamingos of feeding grounds, with activists saying birds now fly over the lake without landing.
- Lab tests cited by campaigners found BOD at 14.8–23.6 mg/L and COD at 47.5–73.5 mg/L, far above safe levels that keep water oxygenated for aquatic life.
- Governance is split as the State Wildlife Board backed a larger reserve awaiting the chief minister’s sign-off, while Cidco moved to de‑reserve the original 12 hectares as a ₹3,600 crore plot and denied blocking natural flow.
- Residents and ecologists warn that losing these wetlands, which soak up stormwater like sponges, could push floodwater onto roads and homes during heavy rain.