28 October,2020 07:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
Officials said during the lockdown, many nature lovers and anti-social elements would enter the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary through Bhandup pumping station. Representation pic
The Mangroves Cell of the Forest Department has decided to charge entry fees for people visiting the Bhandup pumping station area. While the entry has been strictly barred for tourists and outsiders in SGNP due to the pandemic, many nature lovers had been illegally entering the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary through Bhandup pumping station to watch the migratory birds.
Moreover, it was also discovered that party animals drank alcohol in the protected area and littered the area with bottles near the flamingo watching point in the sanctuary, which was extensively covered by this newspaper on June 1. Soon, the Mangroves Cell beefed up patrolling to apprehend violators in the month of June.
However, recently, the Mangroves Cell tweeted, "Entry to the Bhandup area of Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary will be regulated soon. Check post is being erected and entry fees will be charged for person and vehicles."
According to officials from the Mangroves Cell, the Forest Department will erect a check post at the entry to the Bhandup pumping station area and Maharashtra State Security Force guards will man them as well as monitor the area. The entry fee amount is yet to be decided, but it is being said that a single person will be charged RS 50, while two-wheelers and four-wheelers will be charged Rs 50 and Rs 100 respectively. Sources also said that around Rs 100-200 would be charged as camera fee and the same will come into effect from mid-November.
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Rs 50
Approx amount one person will be charged
Mangrove Foundation of Maharashtra @MangroveForest:
'Entry to the Bhandup area of Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary will be regulated soon. Check post is being erected and entry fees will be charged for person and vehicles'
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