In the quieter western parts of the Sambhar Lake, the flamingoes have landed, like they do every winter. And to ensure their return, the Rajasthan state forest department has drafted a new policy, to preserve India's largest salt water lake. Standing on the periphery of the lake, anyone on the lookout for the birds will have to look hard. They have to look beyond thousands of salt manufacturing units, happily sinking bore wells and making salt while the sun shines. In the search for birds, it is hard to miss the people, many encroaching into the dry lake bed.