National wildlife board gives nod to more power lines through flamingo sanctuary

Mumbai: Sparking concerns over the safety of Mumbai’s flamingos, the National Board for Wildlife has sanctioned additional transmission towers and power lines passing through the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary. Adarsh Reddy, divisional forest officer, TCFS, said, “The conditions are fairly standard and we will ensure that the power company complies with them.” Similar conditions were also imposed on private discom Tata Power for revamping two 110Kv transmission lines from Khopoli to Mankhurd, and Khopoli to Chembur, in March 2022. Care must be taken to protect not just Thane Creek, but also satellite wetlands in Sewri, Bhandup and Uran.” After a major power outage in the city in October 2020, hampering health services in the Covid-19 pandemic, then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had also instructed Adani Transmission to gather steam on physical works. According to a presentation made to the Union environment ministry by the project proponent as early as 2020, “The proposed transmission lines project would enable additional power supply of 1,000 MW to be brought into Mumbai and suburbs, thereby helping to meet the ever-increasing energy demands of the city.”