Navi Mumbai: Greens and local conservationists have written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking urgent protection and heritage status for Panvel’s centuries-old Vadale Lake, which is being rapidly overtaken by the invasive aquatic fern Giant Salvinia, threatening its ecology and birdlife.

Centuries-Old Waterbody Under Threat

The historic lake, believed to date back to the Peshwa era, is now blanketed by thick mats of the weed that block sunlight and oxygen flow, suffocating aquatic organisms and disrupting the lake’s natural balance.

Birdlife in Sharp Decline

“Areas that once echoed with bird calls have turned silent,” said B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, who led the appeal to the Chief Minister. “This is not merely a visual problem; the lake’s ecological balance

See Full Page