Lok Sabha Question No. 2026 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Gangetic Dolphin
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2026

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2019

## Gangetic Dolphin

## 2026. SHRI RAJIV PRATAPRUDY:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE ̄be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has carried out an assessment of the population and habitation areas of the Gangetic Dolphin in the country and if so, details thereof;
- (b) whether it is a fact that the Gangetic Dolphins are an endangered species in India;
- (c) if so, details thereof along with the steps taken to preserve and increase the population of Gangetic Dolphins in the country;
- (d) whether the Government has carried out any assessment of the impact of infrastructure projects  like  National  Waterways  on  the  habitation  and  population  of  the  Gangetic Dolphins; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?
- (f)

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) The assessment of population and habitation areas of Wildlife species in the Country is the domain of the State Forest Departments of the respective State Governments. Such type of data/ information are not collated in the Ministry. However,  as  per  the  information  received  from  the  State  Governments  of Assam and Uttar Pradesh, the details of population of Gangetic Dolphins in the respective States is as follows:

Assam: The  population  assessment  in  the  State  was  conducted  during January, 2018 to March, 2018. The details are as Following are the details:

| Sl. No.   | River             |   Population of Gangetic Dolphin (in No.) |   Assessment of Habitat Areas (In Kms) |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| i.        | Subansiri River   |                                        48 |                                     93 |
| ii.       | Brahmaputra River |                                       877 |                                    884 |
| iii.      | Kulsi River       |                                        37 |                                     69 |
|           | Total             |                                       962 |                                   1046 |

Uttar  Pradesh: In  the  State  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  the  Gangetic  River  Dolphin census had been conducted jointly by Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, WWFIndia and other organizations in the year 2012 and year 2015. Following are the details:

| Sl. No.   |   Year |   Population of Gangetic Dolphin (in No.) |
|-----------|--------|-------------------------------------------|
| i.        |   2012 |                                       671 |
| ii.       |   2015 |                                      1272 |

- (b) and (c) The  International  Union  for  Conservation  of  Nature  (IUCN)  has  listed  the Gangetic Dolphin as 'Endangered' species in India. The steps taken to preserve and  increase  the  population  of  Gangetic  Dolphins  in  the  Country  are  as follows:
- i. Gangetic Dolphins is listed in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection)  Act,  1972,  thereby  according  it  the  highest  degree  of protection against hunting.
- ii. Gangetic Dolphin is one of the 21 species identified for taking up 'Recovery programme of Critically Endangered Species, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 'Development of Wildlife Habitat'.
- iii. The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has designated Gangetic Dolphins as 'National Aquatic Animal.
- iv. Wildlife Sanctuaries covering important Dolphin habitats have been created  in  the  country  under  the  provisions  of  the  Wild  Life (Protection)  Act,  1972  to  conserve  their  habitats.  These  include National Chambal Sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh),  Saranath  Turtle  Sanctuary  (Uttar  Pradesh),  Vikramshila Ganges Dolphin Sanctuary (Bihar).
- v. A project on Recovery of River Dolphins has been initiated by the Ministry with Financial support from National Authority CAMPA and Technical support of Wildlife Institute of India and State Forest Departments  of  Uttarakhand,  Bihar,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Jharkhand, Assam, West Bengal. The other collaborators in this project include Non  Governmental  Organizations  like  ARANYAK,  WWF,  Patna University, Bhagalpur University etc.
- vi. Awareness generations programs/ campaigns are being carried out time  to  time  by  the  State  Forest  Departments  to  sensitize  local fishermen, people including school children.
- vii. An  Interpretation  Centre  has  been  established  by  Uttar  Pradesh

Forest Department in collaboration with WII, Dehradun in Sarnath Varanasi.

- viii. Uttar Pradesh Forest Department had conducted the Canal Mapping near Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in the year 2018 to understand the straying and behavior of stranded Dolphins.
- ix. State  Government  of  Assam  has  notified  the  River  Dolphin  as 'State  Aquatic  Animal'  and  has  regulated  the  fishing  activities seasonally to supplement the food for Dolphins. The silt/sand lifting from rivers have been also stopped in the Dolphin's habitat areas to conserve and maintain the habitat suitability.
3. (d) and (e) The  Conservation  Action  Plan  for  the  Gangetic  Dolphin  (2010-2020)  has identified  threats  to  Gangetic  Dolphins  and  impact  of  river  traffic,  irrigation canals and depletion of prey-base on Dolphins populations.

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