Assam reports 10 Gangetic dolphin deaths from 2020-25

Guwahati: A total of 10 cases of mortality of Gangetic river dolphins were found across various river systems in Assam between 2020 and 2025 due to various reasons, including accidental killing and internal injury. This was stated by the minister of state in the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, in the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to the questions raised by Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi.The current estimated population of Gangetic river dolphins in the Brahmaputra river basin is 584. The stretch of the Brahmaputra covered is between Sadiya and Hatsingimari. Project Dolphin, the first-ever comprehensive population survey of river dolphins, was conducted in 2021-23 in the entire range of the Ganges river dolphin in the Ganga and Brahmaputra, as well as the Indus River Dolphin in the Beas river systems.The minister added that the survey estimated a population of 6,324 Ganges river dolphins. As per studies conducted on river dolphins, the population of Gangetic river dolphins in the Brahmaputra has been reported as stable, but there are no recent reports of its presence in the Barak river in Assam.The minister further added that the ministry has not undertaken any specific study on the impact of the construction of dams and other infrastructure at locations having more populations of Ganges river dolphins in the northeast region. However, the minister said the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 mandates a comprehensive environmental clearance process, which also includes biodiversity assessments as part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process for dam construction projects.Further, for projects involving more than 50 hectares and falling within protected areas, a biodiversity impact assessment report is required for consideration of the project by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife. The enviornment ministry provides financial assistance to state govts and union territories under the centrally sponsored scheme "Development of Wildlife Habitats" for conservation and management of protected areas, conservation of wildlife outside protected areas, and recovery programmes of 22 identified critically endangered species and their habitats as per the Annual Plan of Operations (APO) received from the state govts and union territories and subject to availability of funds.A total of 10 states and Union Territories received funds for the conservation of dolphins under the component of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats'. Assam received Rs 24.39 crore in the 2022-23 financial year for the purpose of dolphin conservation.