PANDU, Nov 28 � The Gangetic dolphin, which at one point of time existed in large numbers in the Brahmaputra river and its other tributaries, is facing the threat of extinction owing to alleged government apathy to protect and preserve this aquatic species. The Wildlife Preservation Act of the Government of India has listed the river dolphin as a Category One animal, but there is no major endeavour on the part of any quarters to save it from getting annihilated.
There was a time when the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Meghna and Karnaphuli rivers had an abundance of dolphins, but today their numbers have gone down.
In a meeting held under the aegis of the State Forest Department and the Pollution Control Board of Assam at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra on the World Environment Day on June 5, 2008, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had ceremonially declared the river dolphin as the State aquatic animal. He had asserted that the State Government would take all necessary steps for the preservation and proliferation of the species through artificial breeding. He had also said that the surrounding areas of those rivers in which the dolphins dwell would be declared as protected areas. But nothing has been done in this regard till date.
The dolphins abound in the area near the Pandunath Devalaya situated on the western side of the Kamakhya temple. In view of the unabated killing of dolphins in the area, Nemai Chandra Das, secretary, Pandunath Devalaya, had requested the DC, Kamrup (Metro) through a letter in 2008 to declare the area as a no-fishing zone. But no positive step was taken in this regard. On June 11, 2009, the secretary again wrote to the DC to prohibit fishing during the breeding season of dolphins (April 1 to July 15), but apart from issuing a circular, no other step was taken.
Apart from high demand of dolphin oil in the international market, rampant deforestation has been reducing the depth of rivers, thereby forcing the dolphins to dwell in vulnerable areas.
Considering all these factors, it is highly imperative on the part of the Government to adopt strict measures for the protection and preservation of river dolphins which are in the gradual process of extermination and look into the construction of embankments, etc. The secretary of the Pandunath Devalaya Committee hoped that the Government would take steps to stop fishing in the adjoining areas of the temple.
