Kandivali residents’ seven-year-long efforts save a pond | Mumbai news

MUMBAI: A few years ago, an environmental activist living at Charkop, Kandivali West, observed some beautiful rare birds around a pond on the foothills of Turzon Point. The pond, abutting 135 hectares of mangroves, was routinely debased and littered and in a filthy state. A group of three residents then embarked on cleaning it; the enterprise eventually became a drive that continued for seven years and ended only last week after the forest department started work to enclose and protect the pond.

The water body, which has a vast biodiversity, attracts varied migratory birds. “Our hearts sank seeing the birds sit around the stinking and littered pond,” said Milli Shetty, the activist who kickstarted the operation. “Every weekend from 6 am to 9 am, a few residents would gather to clean it,” said Shetty. As the weeks passed, more people from the vicinity joined in. Narcise Fernandes, another resident who was instrumental in organising the clean-up drives, said that the residents did not have fancy equipment but a small team from the BMC helped initially.

On average, there were at least 50 people participating in the drive, and there were days when even 100 would turn up. After the first year, the water was clean enough to spot fish swimming in its depths. However, this did not last. “Residents again began dumping garlands into the pond during festivals,” said Fernandes. “Sometimes, they’d chuck non-biodegradable waste, even furniture.” Added Shetty: “In the second year, realising this repetitive pattern, even the BMC stopped sending its team. Yet, we continued.”

The residents also organised activities like a two-kilometre walkathon from a busy market street to the pond as well as door-to-door campaigns to sensitise people. “Almost 1,000 people, including children, college students, and volunteers of the National Service Scheme joined us,” said Shetty. As a permanent solution, after several requests and follow-ups, the forest department took on the job of protecting the pond.

“The fencing work was in the pipeline for over two years and could not be completed due to some technical hindrances, but now work to build a two-feet wall surrounding the pond and a 10-feet cross-net on top of the wall has begun. This will restrict littering,” said a range forest officer. The activist residents have also requested that garbage bins to dispose of the waste be placed in the area.

“We have spotted birds like the Great Bittern and Painted Storks along with other birds like kingfishers and Asian Paradise Flycatchers,” said Shetty. Fernandes, who is also an avid bird watcher, said that during the migratory season, varied and rare species like the Siberian Crane were also spotted. As per a survey done by local bird watchers in 2022, about 58 species of birds were observed. The rare sightings were such that bird photographers and ornithologists from all over the city came to photograph and study them. In 2019, Shetty also wrote a letter to the prime minister, asking that the pond be declared a bird habitat in order to preserve it.

“If the pond is revived by the forest department and the surrounding area is beautified with benches and adequate lighting, it will be a good place for bird watchers,” said the residents.