Archive · 11 Sep 2026
NGT Fines CIDCO ₹10,000 Over Delayed Flamingo Study
The National Green Tribunal is a court-like body that handles environmental matters.
It fined CIDCO ₹10,000 because a report about flamingo flight paths was late.
The report concerns birds flying near Navi Mumbai International Airport.
CIDCO says the nearby lake could create a risk of birds hitting airplanes.
Environmental groups say the Bombay Natural History Society has stated that flamingos fly below 50 metres, lower than aircraft.
The tribunal gave CIDCO two more weeks to provide the required assessment.
The tribunal had asked for a study by a specialist institution such as SACON.
Environmentalists also say construction and development may be harming the lake.
The lake has been recommended as a conservation reserve, but final approval is still pending.
The National Green Tribunal fined CIDCO ₹10,000 for delaying a report on flamingo flight patterns near Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The tribunal granted CIDCO two additional weeks to submit its assessment after it filed a SACON letter instead of the required reply affidavit.
The study was ordered to examine migratory bird movements and possible bird-strike risks affecting airport operations.
NatConnect Foundation and other environmentalists said BNHS had indicated that flamingos fly below 50 metres, while aircraft operate at much higher altitudes.
The 12-hectare DPS Lake is recommended for conservation reserve status, while environmentalists allege development activity threatens the wetland.
- Who
- The National Green Tribunal, CIDCO, NatConnect Foundation, SACON, BNHS, and environmental activists are involved.
- What
- The NGT imposed a ₹10,000 cost on CIDCO and granted it two more weeks to file a delayed flamingo flight-pattern assessment.
- When
- The NGT took suo motu cognisance in April 2024; the study direction was issued in April 2026, and the relevant order was passed on September 10, 2026.
- Where
- The case concerns Nerul’s 12-hectare DPS Lake and Navi Mumbai International Airport in Maharashtra.
- Why
- The assessment is intended to examine migratory bird movements and their possible effect on aviation safety near the airport.
Environmental and Conservation Concerns
Airport Safety and Development Considerations
Need for the flight-pattern assessment
Environmental and Conservation Concerns
NatConnect Foundation and environmentalists point to BNHS’s reported view that flamingos fly below 50 metres and do not conflict with aviation flight paths.
Airport Safety and Development Considerations
CIDCO says the lake’s proximity to Navi Mumbai International Airport warrants an assessment of possible bird-strike hazards.
Cause of the delay
Environmental and Conservation Concerns
Environmental groups allege that the delayed report could weaken protection of DPS Lake and enable commercial real estate development.
Airport Safety and Development Considerations
CIDCO sought additional time to address migratory bird movements and airport-operation concerns; the reports do not say that CIDCO accepted the development allegation.
Threats to the wetland
Environmental and Conservation Concerns
Activists have alleged that development activity, including construction near Nerul Jetty, blocked tidal-water flow to part of DPS Lake and contributed to environmental damage.
Airport Safety and Development Considerations
The reports describe these as allegations and do not establish a final finding by the tribunal that the construction caused the reported flamingo deaths.
- Fine
- ₹10,000 imposed on CIDCO by the National Green Tribunal.
- Extension
- CIDCO received two additional weeks to submit the assessment.
- Study focus
- Flamingo flight patterns, migratory bird movements, and potential bird-strike risks.
- Location
- Nerul’s 12-hectare DPS Lake, near Navi Mumbai International Airport.
- Specialist institution
- The Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History was cited in connection with the study.
- Tribunal action
- The NGT took suo motu cognisance in April 2024 after reports concerning flamingo deaths.
- Conservation status
- A high-level committee and the State Wildlife Board recommended conservation reserve status, pending final approval from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
