Jal Shakti Ministry makes a push for conservation of Ganges dolphin

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 29

The Union Jal Shakti Ministry has made a push for protection and conservation of Ganges dolphins in the context in order to rejuvenate the biodiversity of the river basin.

Ganges dolphin is India’s National Aquatic Animal. It is found in the country’s Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems, including their major tributaries.  

The Ministry’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), which has been mandated with the clean-Ganga campaign, has geared up to synergise its efforts to implement the proposed “Dolphin Project” of the Ministry of Forest and Environment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the project in his speech on Independence Day.

The project was conceptualised during a meeting of the National Ganga Council chaired by Modi on December 14 last in Kanpur. A case for conservation of Ganges dolphins was made by NMCG.

The Jak Shakti Ministry is of the firm view that protection of dolphins will also help in enriching the biodiversity, which leads to safeguard of environment and boost to economy, particularly the states involving Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems.  

The Centre has assigned the Environment Ministry to implement the project as a nodal authority.

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has been tasked to prepare the project’s plan, which is expected to be ready by next month.

Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General of NMCG, said, “The NMCG had been working for conservation and protection of dolphins. The project will help convergence of efforts of all concerned, and evolve a uniform standard of practice in the matter.”

“The Ganges Dolphin is an indicator species for the river ecosystem and is at the apex of the food chain,” Mishra said.

“It is an endemic and rare aquatic mammal found only in the Indian subcontinent and is part of our natural aquatic heritage. Ganga River Dolphins, often called the ‘Tiger of the Ganges’, is an indicator species, which has the same role in a river ecosystem as a tiger does in a forest.”

Studies put the present population of Ganges dolphins to about 3,000.

The NMCG has also decided to rope in the Central Inland Fisheries Research (CIFR) Institute to help build conducive climate in behaviour of fishermen in protection of the mammal.

CIFR can help rear fish which act as a diet for dolphins. Also, fishermen should be motivated to be careful with regard using nylon fishing nets which cause fatal injuries to dolphins.

Also, NMCG has initiated a move for joint celebration of International Freshwater Dolphin Day on October 24 by India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar which would help build awareness for conservation of the mammal in the region.

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