NEW DELHI: In a bid to arrive at an authentic database of aquatic life, the Centre has initiated the first ever across-the-river survey in Ganga. The Centre also aims to know the exact population of the endangered Gangetic doplhin.
“The survey is aimed to create a baseline scientific data of aquatic life to help the agencies to take suitable measures to improve quality of the river water,” the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has said.
The NMCG has stated that the first part of the survey had been launched on March 1 from Narora to Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. The length of the river between the two places is 165 km. The survey will further extend on the Allahabad-Varanasi stretch, which is 250 km long. This part of the survey is expected to be launched this week.
The survey also aims to figure out fish species composition in the 2525 km-long Ganga river, for which the exercise has been launched from Harshil in Uttarakhand.
The NMCG has roped in Wildlife Institute of India (WII), an autonomous institution of Environment and Forest Ministry, under Namami Gange programme for conducting the survey.
The survey will also find out stretches where dolphin is habitating, besides conditions of their habitations. The survey will also seek to pinpoint the number of ghariyals and turtles in the river.