As the city’s wetlands struggle for survival due to persistent construction activity and water pollution, a bunch of nature enthusiasts are hoping to transform some of these lesser known sanctuaries of tranquility into tourist spots.
Recently, environmentalists organised walks along several coastal and mangrove areas in Sewri, Bandra, Andheri, Bhandup and Dahisar to sensitise nature lovers and the government to start an initiative to protect and promote the wetlands as tourist spots, instead of letting them fall into the hands of encroachers.
“Wetlands are crucial for our existence as they prevent floods and soil erosion,” said Stalin Dayanand, project director at Vanashakti, an NGO that works towards nature conservation. “We are trying to create awareness about the existing wetlands across the city and the dangers that they face from mindless development activities and industrial effluents,” he added.
The event was organised to observe World Wetlands Day, which falls on February 2. Activists point out that some of the wetlands in the city are virtually undiscovered even by nature lovers and are excellent spots for viewing migratory birds such as flamingos, storks and egrets.
“The wetlands around Airoli, Thane creek, Bhandup, Vikhroli and Sewri are home to several species of mangroves, birds, marine life and other life forms found only in wetlands,” says Elsie Gabriel, founder of Young Environmentalists Programme Trust who accompanied a group of nature lovers to the Bhandup wetlands.
Environmentalists say wetlands make ideal spots for tourism due to their natural beauty and biodiversity. “The income can be significant and can support livelihoods. In fact, countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius and Thailand have thriving wetlands tourism,” Gabriel pointed out.
