Pollution in Navi Mumbai's Flamingo Lake Nine Times Above Permissible Limit: Study

A recent study commissioned by the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society and NatConnect Foundation has found alarming levels of pollution in DPS Flamingo Lake, a key wetland in Navi Mumbai. The study indicates that polluted creek water entering the lake is posing a serious threat to the ecosystem, which is part of the Ramsar-listed Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary.

Tests revealed Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) at 19,600 mg/l, more than nine times the permissible limit of 2,100 mg/l under IS 2490:1974 standards for inland surface water. This contamination, combined with extensive blue-green algal mats, is pushing the lake towards an ecological tipping point, according to B.N. Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation.

Earlier samples from March and April also showed elevated TDS levels, with one drain discharging into the wetland recording 7,950 mg/l. The April sample had a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 36.4 mg/l, exceeding permissible limits. All samples failed to meet inland water quality standards.

The deteriorating water quality is affecting flamingo populations, which rely on specific water chemistry and salinity for their food base of algae and invertebrates. Sandeep Sareen, a representative of the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society, noted that flamingos cannot thrive in waters contaminated with sewage and urban runoff. The decline in flamingo sightings this season serves as an early warning of the wetland's stress.

Scientific research, including studies in Nature Geoscience, has highlighted how human interventions in tidal systems can worsen ecological stress. The findings at DPS Flamingo Lake reflect a global trend of wetland loss due to pollution and habitat degradation, as warned by the UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment. Conservationists are urging the government to expedite granting Conservation Reserve status to the lake for stronger legal protection.