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.