NMMC begins demolishing road that blocked water to flamingo habitat

NAVI MUMBAI: Following BJP MLA Ganesh Naik’s threat on Thursday that he would demolish a road that has affected the flow of creek water into a flamingo habitat, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has taken up the work to clear the blockage in one area even as the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) is yet to act. The Airoli MLA had issued the warning to both bodies.

Naik, on receiving several complaints from residents and environmentalists, inspected the 30-acre DPS lake located next to the NRI Colony in Nerul on Thursday. CIDCO and NMMC officials too were present.

Taking a grim view of flamingos disappearing from the water body due to lack of water, Naik, who had brought heavy machinery on Thursday, had threatened to himself demolish the bund road constructed for the unused jetty if corrective action was not taken. He gave a week’s time to CIDCO to act. Residents have alleged that CIDCO has plans to sell the prime plots in the area, as it has marked the water body for development purposes in its plan.

NMMC deployed heavy machinery on the site on Friday, following which it started the work by digging an inlet on Saturday. “We have initiated clearing work in one area of the lake,” said Arvind Shinde, additional city engineer, NMMC. “We will install a pipeline there to help water flow to the lake and hope to complete it in the next few days. We are also looking at other problem areas of the lake and will act where possible.”

Local resident and former corporator Netra Shirke, who is coordinating the work, said the digging of one smaller inlet area was complete. “Some water has started seeping in,” she said. “The pipelines will be laid soon to ensure a free flow. The digging of the main channel, from where the eight cement pipes allowed free flow of water till about five years ago, will be taken up in the next phase.”

Shirke added that CIDCO was still to wake up despite the death of several flamingos which were forced out of the lake, the uproar by residents and the warning by the MLA himself. “CIDCO has lost all relevance in the city and is here with the sole objective of selling every bit of land irrespective of environmental consequences and the interest of the residents,” she said.

CIDCO confirmed that it was yet to take action in the matter. When contacted, N C Bias, CIDCO chief engineer, said, “Following the MLA’s visit, we have submitted a report on the matter to our higher-ups. We are awaiting their instructions.”