Mumbai, June 23: The Maharashtra state government has decided the 17 sq km long Thane Creek area as Flamingo Sanctuary and approaches UNESCO to get the stretch of Thane Creek as Ramsar Site.

The Maharashtra government has decided the 17 sq km long Thane Creek area as Flamingo Sanctuary at the state Wildlife board meeting which is held in Mantralaya on Monday. The decision has been taken in the presence of Chief Minister of state Devendra Fadnavis and Forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar along with other forest officials.

Mungantiwar said that “Thane Creek will be known as ‘Flamingo Sanctuary’ as over 25,000 flamingo turned up at the stretch of 17 sq km of Creek. So it has a lot importance of flamingo”.

Currently the area was not in the control of forest department, if the central government and Forest ministry accepts this, the Thane Creek area will be protected as forest status. Fishermen are commonly visiting the mud flats in this area to crabs fishes and that cause disturbance to birds. As per details 205 various types of birds arrives on creek, so a non-government organization Vanashakti has submitted a proposal to state government to save mudflats and birds in Thane Creek area.

The state government is also decided to approach UNESCO to get a status to Thane Creek as one of the biggest site Ramsar site.