Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary notified

The Maharashtra state government has demarcated and notified 16.91 sq km for the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary.
The wetland sanctuary will be spread over 896 hectares extending from Mulund, Nahur, Bhandup, Kanjurmarg and Mandala. It will cover the western area along the creek edge, between the Vashi and Airoli brigde and another 795 hectares spread over the Thane creek, an area dotted by dense mangroves.
The sanctuary had been proposed by environmentalists five years ago to safeguard the city's wetland habitat. It gained momentum when the government realized it could serve as a compensation for the future loss of habitat on account of the 22 km Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL).At present, the Sewri mudflats serve as a home for flamingos between November to May , where they come from as far as Siberia via the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. The Bombay Natural History Society had suggested that the government shift the alignment of the proposed MTHL by about 500-700 metres on the south side, to avoid affecting the flamingos. However, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is executing the Rs.10,000-crore in frastructure project has rejected the suggestion. Instead, the sanctuary has been offered as compensation, but it remains to be seen if the Forest Clearance Authority now approves the MTHL project.
N Vasudevan, chief, state mangrove cell, said, “The flamingos come to the Sewri mud flats only during low-tide whereas they are there all the time in the Thane creek area,'' he said. “Normally the birds come in November and stay till May. But this time, they are still around in the Thane creek,'' he said. D Stalin, director of the NGO Vanashakti, who had campaigned for the sanctuary said, “It is a matter of pride for the city.“