Nerul: The DPS wetland in Navi Mumbai is now a Flamingo Conservation Reserve.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the Maharashtra State Board of Wild Life (SBWL) which was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and attended by forest minister Ganesh Naik as well as senior officials.

The BNHS and several other organisations from Navi Mumbai had given representations to the state government on this issue.

The fight for the restoration of DPS lake comes after sustained battle by common residents and environmental groups.

NMMC had started mending of the trench for pipe laying pipeline to ensure the flow of intertidal water into DPS lake in Nerul for its rejuvenation.

The mangrove cell of the forest department had also swung into action and removed all trash from the chocked-up inlet pipes.

Flamingos are slowly returning to their haven which they had avoided for last two seasons due to drying up of the lake water.

The Lake DPS located next to DPS school, Seawoods, Nerul has been frequented by tens of thousands of flamingos during the migratory bird season March-November every year. Unfortunately, the Flamingo habitat at DPS lake, was drying up slowly for past the two years.