Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the state forest department to act against the blocking of fresh water flow to the DPS flamingo lake in Navi Mumbai. The blocking has rendered the 30-acre lake with filthy and stagnant water, which is home to hundreds of flamingos. The direction comes following complaints raised by environmentalists and environmental conservationists and experts.

A high-level committee headed by Forest Secretary Venugopal Reddy had earlier decided to recommend the protection of the DPS lake as a conservation reserve and asked CIDCO to ensure uninterrupted water flow to the wetland. Yet, the lake, which has been attracting hundreds of flamingos, is now full of moss and muck as the water flow has been blocked for a few months, according to a complaint raised by the NatConnect Foundation to the chief minister and other top state officials.