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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.

Gen Z are real revolutionaries: Uddhav

Quaid Najmi
7 minutes ago
3 min read

Mumbai: In a blistering attack on on the BJP-led government at the Centre and in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray today hailed the protesting Gen Z youth as the country’s “real revolutionaries”, who are fighting for their rights.


Accusing the government of crushing the youth movement with brutal police force, he said the Opposition is ‘waiting for a regime change’ and is ready to taken on the Bharatiya Janata Party, addressing the party’s diamond jubilee (60th) Dassehra Rally at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park this evening.


Thackeray slammed the government for branding the young protesters as ‘Urban Naxals’ and described the police action against demonstrators in New Delhi as brutal, with the law enforcers swooping on the youth like wolves. “Don’t you have any shame in calling Mumbai’s people ‘Urban Naxals’ and the youth as cockroaches?” he asked, invoking Maharashtra’s legacy of artistes, intellectuals and prominent personalities.


“At Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, hundreds of young demonstrators were mercilessly beaten by police even as they fought for their rights. And now, these people are teaching us ‘civility’. Is it a crime in the country to take out a ‘Tiranga Rally’ now,” the ex-CM demanded, indirectly aiming at the RSS accusing it of not hoisting the National Flag at its Nagpur headquarters for decades after Independence.


Thackeray pointed out how the youth agitation started with the leaks in public exams question papers, and then spilled over to the reported deletion of 13-crore names from the country’s electoral rolls. “Were all those 13-crores Bangladeshi intruders? Or did they refuse to chant ‘Vande Mataram’? Dharmendra Pradhan (ex-Union Education Minister) had to go then why CEC Gyanesh Kumar is not resigning?” he asked.


Return to Ballot Papers

Scaling up the attack, he alleged the BJP has come to power through ‘vote-theft’ and demanded a return to ballot-paper voting. “Bring back the ballot-papers and you will be shown your place,” he dared the government. Without directly taking names he also warned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would be held accountable for what he described as the brutalisation of the country in the past over 12 years of the government.


“We must ensure victory not only in the Maharashtra Assembly elections but also hoist our flag on Delhi’s Red Fort,” he exhorted the people, expressing the party’s desire to play a bigger role in national politics.


Tiger Shroff Firing

Thackeray also questioned the Mumbai Police’s handling of the firing incident targeting actor Tiger Shroff, acknowledging the quick arrest of the alleged shooters but asking why the attack on the actor was not prevented in the first place.


Referring to media reports today that the jailed mafia don Lawrence Bishnoi had claimed to have 70,000 shooters at his disposal, Thackeray challenged the state government to take action against him as he remains lodged in an Ahmedabad prison.


“The Gen Z youth fighting for their rights were the real revolutionaries, like many during the Independence movement, but those who fired at (Tiger Shroff) are the terrorists,” he said, questioning the government’s priorities.


Earlier, top SS (UBT) leaders including Sanjay Raut and Sushma Andhare delivered fiery speeches at the 60th Dassehra Rally – the inaugural one was addressed by the undivided party’s founder Balasaheb Thackeray on Oct. 30, 1966 at the same venue. 

 

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