Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary gets Ramsar tag

The Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) has been given the status of a Ramsar site by the International Wetlands Convention. Jonathan Barzdo, secretary general of Convention on Wetlands, has issued a certificate to this effect

Navi Mumbai: The Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) has been given the status of a Ramsar site by the International Wetlands Convention.

Thane, India - January 30, 2019: On the occasion of wetlands day on February 2, Paryavaran Dakshata Manch on Wednesday organised a creek safari to create awareness about the wetlands in Thane. Around 15 environment enthusiasts were a part of the safari that went until Airloli. They also visited the Flamingo sanctuary and the Mangrove center situated there. Enroute they spotted a variety of birds, this included flamingo and rare mangroves as well. As the Airoli end of the creek is shallow, more than 200 varieties of winter birds that migrate from European countreies can be spotted here ,India, Wednesday, January 30, 2019. (Photo by Praful Gangurde/ HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Jonathan Barzdo, secretary general of Convention on Wetlands, has issued a certificate to this effect. The sanctuary spread between Vashi and Bhandup has been designated as Ramsar site number 2490.

Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forest, State Mangrove Cell, tweeted the certificate with a message from the Centre which ratified the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s request for the Ramsar site status.

This status makes TCFS a part of an “international network, wherein the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources would contribute to sustainable development,” Leena Nandan, secretary, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said.

“This is certainly a welcome development,” B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, said with a cautious note drawing attention to the gross neglect of six wetlands which form part of the TCFS satellite wetlands.

The Mangrove Cell under the forest department itself has prepared the satellite wetland plan and appears helpless in the face of nodal agency’s blunt refusal to recognise five wetlands in Navi Mumbai, environmentalists claimed.

The BNHS studies as well as the TSFC Management plan clearly state that the conservation of the satellite wetlands as the destination for thousands of migratory and local birds is necessary to maintain the biodiversity, Kumar pointed out.

On the contrary, wetlands are buried or lost completely due to landfill, some intermittently go dry as intertidal water flow is blocked, Nandakumar Pawar, head of Sagar Shakti, marine division of NGO Vanashakti, said. Wetlands are also polluted due to massive constructions on the edge, Pawar said.

The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study submitted by the Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL) has also mentioned the need to preserve the wetlands to prevent birds landing at the airport site – a fear expressed by the BNHS and environmentalists.

However, the bird destinations are being destroyed, Kumar and Pawar pointed out and complained to the Comptroller and Audit General of India.

With the state authorities turning a blind eye to the series of complaints, NatConnect and Save Navi Mumbai Environment, have drawn the attention of the MOEFCC to the “serious environmental violations.”