Patna: After declaration of dolphin as
"national aquatic animal", Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
has directed the state authorities to stop its hunting in the
Ganga.
"A close watch is being kept on the ghats of river Ganga
by the magistrates, police officials and block development
officers to stop hunting and fishing of the mammals," senior
officials said today.
Gangetic dolphin, a highly endangered species, was
declared National Aquatic Animal at the meeting of National
Ganga River Basic Authority in New Delhi on Monday.
Patna District Magistrate J K Sinha told news agencies that
instructions from Chief Minister have been passed to senior
officials, including sub-divisional officers, magistrates,
police officers and block development officers to ensure close
surveillance and act swiftly to stop hunting of the aquatic
animal.
"Schools will take steps to aware the students about the
gangetic dolphin which would boost eco-tourism in the region,"
he said.
Dolphins were found lying dead in Patna and Bhagalpur in
the past.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had proposed naming
dolphins national aquatic animal at the meeting which was
approved by the authority, sources said.
Kumar said since tigers were a symbol of ecosystem in
forests, the presence of river dolphin in a river system too
signifies a healthy aquatic life in freshwaters of rivers.
Facing grave threats due to excessive pollution in
Ganga and poaching, there are less than 2,000 dolphins left in
the country, prompting International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN), a forum of conservationists, NGOs and
government agencies, to categorise it as an endangered
species.
Gangetic dolphin is an endemic species of the Ganga,
Brahmaputra and Meghna river systems, extending from the foot
of the Himalayas to the tidal zone in India, Bangladesh, Nepal
and Bihar.
Bureau Report
