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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.

Hidden Cost of Digital Lives

Writer: Dr. Sanjay Joshi
Dr. Sanjay Joshi
Aug 22
3 min read

The discarded device may no longer be useful to its owner, but many of the materials inside it still have value.

The scale of the e-waste problem is enormous. A United Nations study estimated that 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated worldwide during 2024-25. Yet only a fraction was disposed of or recycled through proper systems.


An electronic device may look like a single object, but it is actually a complex combination of many components and materials. Each of these components has a specific function, and together they allow the device to perform the tasks we have come to take for granted.


A computer, for example, contains a motherboard, processor, RAM, hard disc, power supply, integrated circuits, capacitors, diodes and numerous other components. A mobile phone contains batteries, speakers, microphones, antennas, connectors, circuit boards, SIM slots, cables and many tiny electronic components. Televisions contain capacitors, resistors, transformers, integrated circuits, tuners, diodes and other components. When these gadgets become waste, all these materials become part of the e-waste stream.


Broadly, e-waste contains iron and steel, non-ferrous metals such as copper and aluminium, glass, plastics, electronic components and materials such as rubber, ceramics and wood. This composition makes e-waste both a problem and an opportunity. The discarded device may no longer be useful to its owner, but many of the materials inside it still have value.


Valuable materials are present in discarded electronics and can potentially be recovered and reused. Recycling them reduces the need to extract fresh raw materials and saves energy and resources. But improper disposal creates serious environmental concerns. Electronic products can contain substances that may contaminate soil, water and air when they are dumped, burned or dismantled improperly. Informal handling can also expose workers and communities to hazardous substances.


Throwaway Culture

Technology itself is not the enemy. The problem lies in a system where gadgets are produced, consumed and discarded at an increasingly rapid pace. As newer models appear and older devices are replaced, the volume of discarded electronics continues to grow.


Perhaps the most important question we need to ask is not “What is the latest model?” but “Do I really need to replace the device I already have?”


We can reduce e-waste by using electronic devices for longer, repairing them whenever possible, donating functioning devices, returning old products through authorised collection systems and ensuring that discarded electronics reach responsible recyclers. These are simple choices, but collectively they can reduce the amount of electronics entering the waste stream.


Every mobile phone or computer that we dispose of is more than a piece of unwanted equipment. It contains valuable resources that should not be wasted—and materials that should not be allowed to pollute our environment.


Why It’s Dangerous

Unlike ordinary household waste, e-waste can contain a mixture of hazardous substances. Electronic gadgets contain numerous components made with or containing metals and chemicals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, beryllium, antimony, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), brominated flame retardants and phthalates.


These substances do not simply disappear when a computer or mobile phone is thrown away. They remain within the discarded equipment and can become a concern when that equipment is dumped, burned or dismantled improperly. Long-term exposure to some of them can affect the nervous system, kidneys, bones, reproductive system and endocrine system. Certain substances are also known to have carcinogenic or neurotoxic properties.


The danger becomes particularly serious when e-waste is handled through crude and unauthorised recycling practices. In such operations, wires may be burnt to recover copper, circuit boards may be heated or dismantled, and components may be broken apart without adequate protection. Such practices can release hazardous substances and expose workers and nearby communities.


More on this next week. Till then, have a great weekend!


(The writer is an environmentalist. Views personal.)

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