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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 7:24:18 pm

Flamingo City may see early ‘pink influx’, wetlands worry

Pollution, algal growth and disrupted tidal flows threaten key bird habitats Flamingos could arrive in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai earlier than usual this winter, potentially in larger numbers, but environmentalists warn that deteriorating wetlands may leave the migratory birds with inadequate feeding grounds. Polluted water, excessive algal growth and disrupted tidal flows threaten three key habitats DPS Flamingo Lake, NRI Wetland and TS Chanakya Wetland raising concerns over the region’s...

Flamingo City may see early ‘pink influx’, wetlands worry

Pollution, algal growth and disrupted tidal flows threaten key bird habitats Flamingos could arrive in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai earlier than usual this winter, potentially in larger numbers, but environmentalists warn that deteriorating wetlands may leave the migratory birds with inadequate feeding grounds. Polluted water, excessive algal growth and disrupted tidal flows threaten three key habitats DPS Flamingo Lake, NRI Wetland and TS Chanakya Wetland raising concerns over the region’s preparedness for the annual arrival of the pink visitors, NatConnect Foundation said. Senior scientist Mrugank Prabhu of Srushti Conservation Foundation expects the birds to arrive early, possibly in greater numbers. A deficient monsoon in Kutch could affect water levels and food availability, prompting flamingos to seek alternative feeding grounds sooner than usual, said Prabhu, who has been studying bird movements along the Central Asian Flyway. NatConnect director B N Kumar said the three wetlands were not adequately prepared to receive the birds, which attract birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts to Navi Mumbai and the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS), a Ramsar site. The concerns follow private laboratory tests commissioned by NatConnect earlier this year, which found elevated pollution indicators in water samples collected from all three sites. Kumar said flamingos had moved north to Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan during the previous migratory season, while arrivals in the Mumbai region began in smaller batches. He cautioned that deteriorating wetlands could fail to provide suitable feeding grounds if the birds arrived early in search of alternative habitats. NRI Wetland in Nerul has been affected by extensive algal growth, while neighbouring TS Chanakya Lake faces waterlogging and drainage problems. Environmentalists attribute these issues to encroachment and interference with natural water flows. Kumar called for urgent restoration, expressing concern over delays in securing formal legal protection for the wetlands.

Bhagwat urges vigilance, harmony

Writer: Abhijit Mulye
Abhijit Mulye
12 minutes ago
2 min read

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat addressed thousands of volunteers and citizens at the organisation’s annual Vijayadashami rally in Reshimbagh, Nagpur, on Tuesday, warning of hostile Western disruptions while charting an ambitious path for national resurgence through grassroots social discipline and constitutional decorum.


The address, delivered on the occasion of Vijayadashami, presented an exhaustive blueprint of the Sangh’s strategic priorities as it enters its centenary phase. Dr. Bhagwat warned that a storm originating from the West, driven by a demonic intent to undermine established cultural and human values, is now actively attempting to disrupt global equilibrium.


According to the RSS chief, as Bharat expands its geopolitical standing, economic strength, and global influence, it has emerged as the primary competitor and decisive target for external entities seeking to destabilise independent nations and install compliant proxies.


Domestically, Dr. Bhagwat cautioned that these external forces actively seek internal allies among local elements and ambitious politicians willing to exploit societal fault lines for electoral mileage.


While acknowledging that legitimate systemic flaws exist within the nation and will inevitably give rise to public protests, he underscored that such agitations must strictly focus on problem-solving rather than creating deep-seated social discord.


He urged political leaders, administrators, and agitating groups to conduct themselves strictly within constitutional boundaries, maintaining dignified discourse and resisting the temptation of short-term electoral gains.


Defining the core ideological anchor of national unity, Dr. Bhagwat asserted that the Hindu worldview represents an all-encompassing civilisational consciousness rather than a rigid system of rituals, dietary codes, or sectarian identities.


He characterised this spirit as grounded in universal brotherhood, self-realisation, and shared civilisational legacy, defining Bharat as an intellectual sanctuary dedicated to the light of knowledge.


This shared consciousness, he argued, mirrors the constitutional mandate of “We, the People of India,” serving as the historical antidote to the historical disunity that previously invited centuries of foreign subjugation.


Dr. Bhagwat also offered a critique of modern techno-materialism, citing recent environmental disasters in the Himalayan belt particularly Nepal as clear evidence of the hazards of unbalanced development.


Pointing out that technology is only an instrument, he cautioned that without moral discernment, nuclear sciences lean toward lethal armaments and artificial intelligence becomes an engine for mass deception.


In response, he called for an ethical development framework that balances technological adoption with environmental sustainability and family values, alongside an urgent, organised nationwide campaign against narcotics addiction.


To convert this philosophical outlook into civic practice, the RSS chief highlighted the five-fold transformation agenda known as Panch Parivartan, covering social harmony, family awakening, environmental stewardship, swadeshi self-reliance, and civic discipline.


He shared centenary outreach figures indicating that the organisation’s door-to-door campaign reached over 101.9 million households across 461,527 villages and 41,076 urban bastis, backed by district conclaves involving more than 426,000 prominent citizens and 3.9 million participating youth.

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