The Karave creek in Nerul, which is a popular sight for watching flamingos and other migratory birds, was cleaned on Wednesday. The move was initiated by students and locals who collected two trucks of garbage from the area.
Karave creek, which is home to around 80 species of migratory and resident birds including flamingos, shares its boundary with plush housing societies of Nerul.
“As flamingos are seen in large numbers at Karave creek, many bird enthusiasts and photographers visit the creek during this time. However, as a lot of garbage had piled up at the creek, we decided to clean up the area,” said Manohar Patil, 49, a resident of Karave village.
The cleaning drive saw participation from around 300 people.
“We collected trash in bags and asked the civic body to dispose them,” said Akash Verma, a first-year engineering student, who volunteered at the drive.
Villagers and volunteers are considering to regularise the cleaning drives to ensure the habitat of birds remains safe.