‘People entering creek, risking flamingos’
Residents of NRI Complex in Navi Mumbai on Sunday said wildlife photographers and enthusiasts gathered in large numbers, in violation of lockdown norms, inside the creek at Talawe wetlands on Sunday to spot the discolouration of water and flamingos. Irked by their movement close to the birds, residents said the flamingo habitat was being disturbed with the migratory birds flying in different directions during low tide.
“On most days, there are two to three people, but on Sunday more than 10 people were spotted at the creek. With such disturbance, the birds may not return at all to this feeding ground. And it is also a violation of lockdown orders,” said Sunil Agarwal, a resident.
Tanveer Shaikh, senior inspector, NRI Coastal police station, said, “Eight media persons had coordinated with us and were issued permissions to take photographs of the birds on Sunday. If there were any unauthorised persons there, action will be taken against them.”
HT had, on Sunday, reported that following large congregation of flamingos at the site during lockdown, water at one section of the creek had turned pink, most likely due to algal bloom.
Another resident, Seema Tania, shared images and said there were 12 people, including two foreigners, in the creek on Sunday evening. “They had walked into the creek, very close to the birds, to take photographs during low tide using an arterial road,” she said.