As wetland protection delays mount in Maharashtra, the Centre has intervened following complaints about the burial of Lotus Lake, a three-hectare verified wetland in Navi Mumbai. The site, identified by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, is facing landfilling threats allegedly initiated by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), prompting green activists to call for urgent legal safeguards.
In a swift move, the Union Environment Ministry has referred the matter to the Maharashtra Environment Department after receiving complaints supported by satellite imagery and local reports. Lotus Lake, located in Nerul, is among the 564 wetlands documented under a central directive, awaiting official notification for protection. Until such notification is issued, the wetland remains in a vulnerable legal limbo.
Officials have alleged that CIDCO carried out earthmoving operations on the lakebed without securing the required clearances under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017—rules designed to preserve natural ecosystems that play a vital role in flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, and biodiversity.Local environmental experts and citizens’ groups have long flagged the ecological importance of Lotus Lake. It serves as a habitat for migratory birds and sustains the fragile groundwater balance in the fast-urbanising satellite city.
Moreover, the wetland acts as a natural buffer during the monsoon season, reducing the risk of flooding in low-lying areas. Despite this, residents have recently observed the presence of trucks and construction machinery at the site, prompting fears that it is being quietly filled under the guise of development. With no fencing or signage demarcating the wetland’s boundary, there is an increased risk of irreversible encroachment.
The larger concern centres around the state’s continued inaction on officially notifying wetlands. Despite clear directions from the National Green Tribunal and central environmental authorities, Maharashtra has failed to formalise protections for hundreds of sites identified through scientific studies. Experts warn that this delay encourages unauthorised development and undermines the broader goals of climate resilience and ecological balance.
Environmentalists now urge the state to take immediate action against CIDCO and accelerate the notification process, not just for Lotus Lake but for all wetlands under threat. As Navi Mumbai grows rapidly, this case will be closely watched as a measure of whether the city’s development model will prioritise ecological preservation or continue to neglect it in favour of short-term urban expansion.
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Centre Flags CIDCO Over Lotus Lake Fill
