Lok Sabha Question No. 2888 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: Decline in Population of Dolphins
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: MEENAKASHI LEKHI, POONAM  MAHAJAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRYING & FISHERIES LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2888

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15 TH   MARCH, 2016

## DECLINE IN POPULATION OF DOLPHINS

2888:  SHRIMATI MEENAKSHI LEKHI: SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि एबं कृ िक कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  population  of  Ganga  River  Dolphins  has declined considerably and that they are on the verge of extinction;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the total number of dolphins in the country at present, State/UT-wise and the reasons therefor;
- (c)      whether  the  developmental  activities  in  and  around  the  river  system  have  resulted  in shrinking of its habitat and decline of Ganga River Dolphins; and
- (d)      if  so,  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  regulate  these  developmental activities  as  well  as  the  other  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase  the population of the Ganga River Dolphins?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## (DR.SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

- (a)  &  (b).  As  reported  by  the  Ministry  of  Water  Resource,  River  Development  and  Ganga Rejuvenation,  the  Ganga  River  Dolphin, Platanista  gangetica is  distributed  in  the Gangetic-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli - Sangu River systems in India, Nepal and Bangladesh and the population has declined considerably and that they are on the verge of extinction. The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata has also stated that the population of the Ganga River Dolphin has declined considerably in many stretches of  the  River  Ganga  and  its  tributaries.  According  to  the  Wild  Life  Institute  of  India (WII), Dehradun, this species is facing a series of threats for survival in recent years. The  Ministry  of  Water  Resource,  River  Development  and  Ganga  Rejuvenation  has informed that the total population of Ganga River Dolphin is estimated to be between 2500-3000 in its entire distribution range, out of which more than 80 % is within the Indian Territory. Moreover, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has informed that  a  study  was  undertaken  by  the  Uttar  Pradesh  Forest Department under the National Mission for Clean Ganga, in which a census of Ganga River  Dolphin  was  carried  out  during  October  2015  in  the  Uttar  Pradesh  part  of  the Ganga River and its tributaries such as Yamuna, Son, Ken, Betwa, Ghangra and Gerua and  it  was  reported  that  around  1263  Dolphins  were  recorded  in  comparison  to  671 recorded previously. State / Union Territory-wise population estimates of Dolphins are not collated as reported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- (c) & (d). Organizations like WII, ZSI and MoEF&CC informed that developmental activities like  construction  of  dams  and  barrages,  embankments  etc  besides  unsustainable obstruction of river water, mining of sand and stones, low river flow, incidental catches in  gill  nets,  deforestation  in  catchment  area  are  mainly  responsible  for  shrinking  of habitat and decline of Ganga River Dolphins.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  informed  that  the following steps are being taken by the Government to regulate developmental activities and to increase the population of Ganga River Dolphin.

-  Ganga  River  Dolphins  are  listed  in  Schedule-I  of  the  Wild  Life  (Protection  Act 1972) thereby according them the highest degree of protection against hunting.
-  The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has designated Ganga River Dolphins as National Aquatic Animal.
-  A  Working  Group  for  developing  a  conservation  Action  Plan  for  Ganges  River Dolphin for 2010-2020 has been constituted by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change.
-  Wildlife Sanctuaries covering important Dolphin habitats have been created in the country  under  the  provision  of  the  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act  1972  to  conserve their habitats. These include National Chambal  Sanctuary, Saranath Turtle Sanctuary, Vikramshila Ganges Dolphin Sanctuary.
-  Ganga River Dolphin is one of the 16 Species identified for taking up Recovery programme  of  Critically  Endangered  Species  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat.
-  Government  has  taken  initiatives  for  increasing  the  river  flow  under  Namami Ganga Programme 'Aviral Dhara Nirmal Dhara'.
-  The National Compensatory Afforestation  Fund  Management  and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Advisory Council in its 6th Meeting held on 08th July 2015 has approved an amount of Rs.23.00 crore for 5 years for recovery programme of Ganga River Dolphin ( Platanista gangetica ).

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