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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 4:59:11 pm

Speculations of ‘Operation Tiger’

Mumbai: Recent disqualification of former Mumbai Mayor Vishakha Raut and senior corporator Deepak Sawant has sent shockwaves through the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), sparking speculation of a targeted municipal sequel to the Shiv Sena split. With a surge of election petitions now threatening dozens of elected representatives, whispers of a new form of calculated “Operation Tiger” are growing louder. Many suspect this is a strategic move to dismantle the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray...

Speculations of ‘Operation Tiger’

Mumbai: Recent disqualification of former Mumbai Mayor Vishakha Raut and senior corporator Deepak Sawant has sent shockwaves through the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), sparking speculation of a targeted municipal sequel to the Shiv Sena split. With a surge of election petitions now threatening dozens of elected representatives, whispers of a new form of calculated “Operation Tiger” are growing louder. Many suspect this is a strategic move to dismantle the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction’s remaining stronghold in the civic body. Recent action against Raut and Sawant, whose Other Backward Classes (OBC) caste certificates were invalidated, reveals a broader vulnerability. According to BMC data, a staggering 79 election petitions are currently active against corporators across various parties. The charges primarily challenge the authenticity of caste verification certificates, but also include discrepancies in election affidavits concerning declared properties and income. While the sheer volume of petitions against the UBT camp is alarming, civic authorities note that filing a petition does not automatically result in disqualification. The process requires exhausting several legal and administrative steps. Even after a ruling by a caste scrutiny committee or judicial authority, the urban development department must formally issue a gazette notification before a seat is declared vacant. The timing of these petitions has fueled intense speculation. Against the backdrop of the ongoing Supreme Court hearings regarding the original Shiv Sena’s party name and election symbol, analysts suggest rival factions are leveraging these petitions. This municipal “Operation Tiger” appears designed to either legally disqualify embattled UBT members or pressure them into defection to avoid a public unseating. If these petitions lead to widespread disqualifications, the UBT faction risks losing its position as the largest opposition bloc, fundamentally altering the balance of power in Asia’s richest civic body. Election petitions against BMC corporators Political Party: Active Petitions Shiv Sena (UBT): 24 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 18 Congress: 10 Shiv Sena (Shinde): 7 AIMIM: 7

DPS Lake turns into algae reservoir

Greens urge CM to make it flamingo-ready

Mumbai: Environmental groups have urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to expedite the process of granting conservation reserve status to the 12-hectare DPS Lake in Navi Mumbai, warning that the wetland is rapidly deteriorating and could become unsuitable for flamingos and other migratory birds.


The appeal comes ahead of the next World Migratory Bird Day, observed on the second Saturday of May and October to highlight the seasonal movement of migratory bird species. Environmentalists have called for urgent measures to restore the lake’s ecological health and make it suitable for flamingos by October.


In a fresh representation to the Chief Minister, NatConnect Foundation said DPS Lake had increasingly turned into an “algae reservoir” and was becoming filthy due to the continued obstruction of intertidal water flow by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).


The State Wildlife Board has already passed a resolution recommending that DPS Lake be declared a conservation reserve. However, the final government resolution has been awaiting clearance from the Chief Minister’s Office since October last year.


Information obtained by NatConnect under the Right to Information (RTI) Act showed that the Forest Department had submitted its detailed proposal to the Chief Minister’s Office in October 2025, but the approval was still pending.


NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar and Palm Beach Greens convenor Shrikant Patki, who inspected the wetland on Thursday, expressed concern over its deteriorating condition.


“The government’s own proposal cannot be held ransom to the commercial interests of CIDCO,” Kumar said, alleging that the planning agency had proposed real estate development in the wetland despite its ecological significance.


Kumar said DPS Lake served several important ecological functions beyond providing a habitat for birds. The wetland helps absorb excess water and acts as a natural buffer against flooding in the neighbouring NRI Seawoods area and around DPS School.


Environmentalists said implementing the Wildlife Board’s decision would provide a framework for systematic conservation and maintenance of the lake and facilitate restoration of the natural flow of intertidal water.


Patki said the government should ensure that the decision of the Wildlife Board was implemented without further delay. “Restoration of the free flow of intertidal water is essential for the ecological revival of the wetland and its use by flamingos,” he said.


DPS Lake, along with the NRI and T S Chanakya wetlands, forms part of the ecologically significant wetland complex associated with the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, a Ramsar-recognised site. Flamingos and other migratory birds use these wetlands as high-tide roosting sites.


The State Forest Department has also highlighted the importance of protecting these water bodies as part of the larger Thane Creek ecosystem, the green groups said.


Environmentalists also linked wetland conservation with aviation safety at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Kumar cited concerns raised by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), saying that destruction or degradation of traditional bird habitats could alter bird movement patterns.


“If wetlands traditionally used by birds are destroyed, birds could move unpredictably towards mudflats and other water bodies closer to the airport, potentially increasing the risk of bird strikes,” Kumar said.

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