The loss of eight flamingos cast a shadow over the festivities of International Flamingo Day on April 26. However, a coalition of avian enthusiasts, environmental champions, and vigilant citizens convened at DPS Lake, driven by a shared mission: to safeguard the flamingo habitat and understand the reasons behind the recent tragedies in Nerul.

Under the rallying cry of "Collective Commitment and Call to Action from Government Bodies to restore and protect DPS Flamingo Lake," representatives from diverse citizen groups, NGOs, and governmental bodies, including RFO Sudhir Manjare of the Forest Department's Mangrove Cell, city engineers from the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Vanashakti Head D. Stalin, Nandakumar Pawar from Ekvira Aai Pratishthan, Sandeep Sarin, Committee member of NMEPS, NAT Connect head B.N.Kumar, Rahul Khot, Deputy Director from BNHS, Sunil and Shruti Agarwal from Save Navi Mumbai Environment group, animal activist Jyoti Nadkarni, environmental advocates Rekha Shankhala and Manoj M from Pen Mangrove Marshal, and rescue teams from WWA and RAWW groups, joined forces to probe the diminishing waters of DPS Lake and the tragic plight of the flamingos.

The group conducted a thorough inspection of the DPS Lake area, finding solace in the presence of the majestic flamingos amidst the dwindling water levels. Nandakumar Pawar highlighted the issue of inadequate pipes connecting intertidal water flow and pledged to petition the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation for the installation of proper conduits to restore the natural flow.

Rahul Khot, Deputy Director of the Bombay Natural History Society, while interacting with the Newsband shared his insights regarding the flamingo fatalities. He attributed the grim occurrences to the LED streetlights near the Nerul non-functional Jetty. According to Khot, “The glaring, straight lights disorient the delicate birds, leading them onto perilous paths where collisions with obstacles become fatal.”

Khot proposed replacing the LED lights with conventional yellow phosphorus ones angled at 45 degrees to mitigate the adverse impact on the flamingo population.