In a first, Centre launches survey to ascertain Gangetic dolphin numbers

NEW DELHI: The Centre has launched the first ever across-the-river survey in Ganga to determine the population of aquatic life, including that of the endangered Gangetic doplhin.

The survey will create a baseline scientific data for the government to take suitable measures to improve quality of the river water, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has said.

The first leg of the census was launched on March 1 from Narora in Uttar Pradesh to Bijnor (covering distance of nearly 165 km to establish the number of the national aquatic animal.


Counting in the Allahabad to Varanasi stretch (close to 250 km in length) is expected to be launched this week.

A study to figure out fish species composition in the 2525 km-long river has been also been kick started from Harshil in Uttarakhand.

The authority is conducting the survey through Wildlife Institute of India (WII), an autonomous institution of Environment and Forest Ministry, under Namami Gange programme.

A specialist in the area, Sandeep Behera, NMCG consultant (Biodiversity Centre), noted with concern the disappearing of Gangetic dolphins, one of the four freshwater dolphins in the world, from the river stretch in Narora to Kanpur due to pollution.

"The study will, therefore, find out stretches where dolphin is habitating, what are the conditions there and the level of threat the long-snouted species is facing in a particular belt," he added.

Apart from number of dolphins, number of ghariyals and turtles in the river will also be ascertained after summer sets in fully as their nesting happens then and the counting will continue until October this year, NMCG has said.

Besides populace count, the study will help know distribution pattern of aquatic life in the river, extent of threat level they are facing and their habitat conditions.

"All the surveys carried out in Ganga previously were conducted in bits and pieces or were rapid. This is for the first time a comprehensive and scientific study is being conducted," Behera said.