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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.

Manoj Patil to hunger strike from May 30

Writer: Abhijit Mulye
Abhijit Mulye
May 17
3 min read

Mumbai: The simmering discontent surrounding the Maratha reservation issue is poised to boil over once again, casting a long shadow over the state’s political landscape. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil has officially blown the bugle for a renewed, aggressive agitation, announcing an indefinite hunger strike set to commence on May 30. Addressing a massive gathering of supporters at Antarwali Sarati today, a visibly moved Jarange Patil laid bare his frustrations with the state government, accusing the administration of severe apathy, broken promises, and deliberate political sabotage against the Maratha community.


Speaking to a sea of supporters who had gathered to chart the future course of the movement, Jarange Patil stated that his heart was full looking at the overwhelming turnout. “The poor Maratha community has entrusted me with this responsibility with great faith, and I am determined to ensure their welfare,” he declared.


The activist made it unequivocally clear that the issue of reservation will not be abandoned under any circumstances. “I am ready to work my fingers to the bone and offer my life at your feet for this cause. The Maratha community has fought relentlessly without ever retreating,” he proclaimed, recalling how the community brought Mumbai to life with its sheer ideological strength and unity during previous protests.


Stalled Certificates

At the core of Jarange Patil’s renewed offensive is the state government’s failure to deliver on its institutional assurances. He pointedly highlighted that even after eight months, the promise to implement the Satara Gazette remains completely unfulfilled. The activist questioned the government’s apparent reluctance to issue a Government Resolution (GR) recognizing the historical records of the Satara and Kolhapur princely states, demanding that a GR be passed strictly on the lines of the 1994 framework.


“The government is deliberately dodging the issuance of Kunbi certificates,” he alleged. Issuing a stern ultimatum, Jarange Patil demanded the immediate distribution of the stalled Kunbi certificates before the May 30 deadline. “If the certificates are not given by the date of the agitation, there will be no respite for the government. Give the Kunbi certificates and win the hearts of the Marathas,” he challenged, warning the establishment that he would not let the community suffer a loss even if fifty generations of the ruling class were to come into power.


Blaming CM

The political temperature soared as Jarange Patil took direct aim at the state leadership, specifically targeting Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. While he initially maintained a rhetorical balance by stating, “I do not blame Devendra Fadnavis,” he immediately followed up with a sharp accusation, asking, “Why were the subsequent certificates stopped? The poor Maratha is highly intelligent, do not forget that. The Kunbi certificates were stopped by Fadnavis himself.” He clarified that he is not a personal opponent of Fadnavis but insisted that he has a moral obligation to speak the bitter truth to his people.


Taking the confrontation a step further, Jarange Patil unleashed a bombshell allegation of political sabotage. He claimed that a state minister had hatched a plot to derail the agitation by offering a staggering two crore rupees to a rival organization to launch a smear campaign against him. “They decided to give crores to speak against me. But the very people who were offered the money came directly to me and exposed it,” he revealed. “I do not earn money by lying; the gang that makes money operates elsewhere. No matter how many tricks you play, I will not abandon this fight.”


No Alignment

Beyond specific administrative grievances, Jarange Patil is actively working to shift the socio-political dynamics of the Maratha community. In a significant strategic move, he explicitly warned his supporters against aligning with established political parties. “If you stay on the side of political parties, it will ruin the future of your children,” he cautioned. He expressed immense satisfaction that the Maratha community is no longer looking toward traditional politicians for salvation but is instead carving its own path out of the crisis. “I am happy that the Maratha society has changed. We don’t have rupees, which is why the moneyed politicians don’t come to us. But we are finding our own way out.”


As the May 30 deadline looms, the state government finds itself backed into a corner. Manoj Jarange Patil’s uncompromising stance at Antarwali Sarati today signals that the upcoming agitation will be intense and deeply disruptive if the state machinery fails to act swiftly. For the government, the clock is ticking, and the threat of a paralyzed administrative apparatus is now more real than ever.


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