The Maharashtra State Board of Wildlife (SBWL) today declared the DPS wetland in Navi Mumbai as a Flamingo Conservation Reserve. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and attended by Forest Minister Ganesh Naik as well as senior officials.

Bombay Natural History Society director Kishor Rithe, who attended the meeting, said the BNHS and several other organisations from Navi Mumbai had given representations to the state government on this issue. He added that DPS lake conservation reserve will help to avoid air accidents in future at Navi Mumbai International Airport.

The SBWL also cleared the extension of Bor Wildlife Sanctuary in Wardha to add Garamsur, Yenidodka, Methiraji, Umarvihori and Maraksur villages.

It also decided to protect the Devrais (groves considered sacred) in the Western Ghats.
The board decided to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of APCCF West and prepare the proposals for declaring them as conservation reserves.

During the meeting the CM asked officials to clear proposals related to animal-human conflict pending for a long time.