The first-ever census of Gangetic Dolphin, who are on the verge of extinction, will be carried out post-monsoon in the states on the main stem of Ganga and its major tributaries, Dolphin experts and ecologists decided today.
Over 40 Ganga Dolphin experts and ecologists attended the two-day workshop organised under the aegis of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with WWF-India and discussed the actions to be taken to save Gangetic Dolphin from the verge of extinction.
"They deliberated on key actions needed to implement the Ganga Dolphin Action Plan (GDAP) and have come to conclude that a Ganga Dolphin Census Survey be done annually post-Monsoon and a Ganga Dolphin Census Report be published every year," a statement by the WWF-India said.
It said that the first ever integrated and coordinated survey with standard protocol would be taken up in the states on the main stem of Ganga and its major tributaries which are habitats of Ganga Dolphins and would be surveyed this year post-monsoon.
Addressing workshop on its objectives and Operationalisation of Ganga Dolphin Action, Joint Secretary in Environment Ministry Rajiv Ranjan Mishra emphasised the need for expediting the efforts for conservation of Ganga Dolphins.
One of the key objectives of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) is to ensure a clean and healthy Ganga. Ganga Dolphin has been the primary species for conservation and a crucial indicator of the health of River Ganga, he said.
"Firstly, many riverine communities are linked to the rivers, and it is important to engage them in conservation of the Ganga Dolphin, thereby making them active agents of change. Most of us are aware of the challenges posed to the Ganga Dolphin's habitat. We have to channelise our technical capabilities to conservation of this species," said Ravi Singh, CEO and Secretary General, WWF-India.
The meeting comes at a time when threats and challenges posed to the national aquatic animal.
