Navi Mumbai: While the number of flamingos arriving across Navi Mumbai creek is encouraging, however, environmentalists have raised concerns over increased human interference with the avian. They say that people go near the bird to take photos and selfies. This is nothing but a disturbance to their peace.
Despite the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) already installing a watch tower to get a clear view of flamingos at DPS Creek in Nerul, enthusiastic crowds venture into the creek to see them from near. They not only put their lives at risk by getting into the wetland, they also disturb the migratory birds.
Bird watchers expected to use watch tower
“We are happy that the NMMC has built a watch tower on the service road to facilitate birdwatchers enjoying the view of flamingos. Yet, enthusiastic crowds however keep walking close to the migratory birds into the wetland risking their lives,” said B N Kumar, director of NetConnect Foundation.
While installing the watchtower, it was expected that the bird watchers would use it and not enter the lake area. “We appeal to NMMC to build a proper protective fence around the DPS Lake and at TS Chanakya Wetland where people congregate in large numbers and pose threat to the birds,” said Vishnu Joshi of Parsik Greens forum.
Environmentalists demand more watch towers
Meanwhile, Jyoti Nadkarni, a Kharghar-based environmentalist, demanded more watch towers to meet the requirement of large crowds. Most professional photographers anyway carry powerful zoom and wide-angle lenses with tripods. They might as well use the tower for their pictures instead of getting close to the birds and risking themselves in the slushy area. NMMC has already put caution signs at the lake but these are of no use since the lake boundary is left open and the bird watchers make full use of it.
BNHS deputy director Dr. Rahul Khot said that flamingos are very sensitive and that repeated human interference will have a negative impact. “They will not tolerate human interference and if the disturbance is beyond a limit, it may lead to a drop in the number of arrival of flamingos. This is a very crucial time for flamingos and any disturbance is not good,” said Khot.
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