Community engagement key to restoring rivers, aquatic biodiversity: C.R. Patil

New Delhi, April 17 (IANS) Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil has stressed the need for increasing community participation in projects related to restoration of aquatic biodiversity and improving river health, an official said on Thursday.

Reviewing key Projects of Wildlife Institute of India under the aegis of National Mission for Clean Ganga, the Minister also launched a digital platform to boost freshwater biodiversity conservation.

Information dashboard www.rivres.in, developed under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and WII as part of the Ganga Aqualife Conservation Monitoring Centre/National Centre for River Research, serves as a comprehensive digital hub.

It offers ecological insights, conservation case studies, and information on physiography, biodiversity, and community engagement activities across major Indian rivers, including the Ganga, Barak, Mahanadi, Narmada, Godavari, Cauvery, and Pamba, he said.

He acknowledged the impact of extensive outreach and capacity-building programmes conducted across the basin and highlighted the role of WII in mass awareness initiatives, particularly those involving Ganga Praharis.

Patil suggested organising a Ganga Prahari Conclave to strengthen continued engagement with volunteers and advised exploring new conservation initiatives focused on the Mugger crocodile in the rivers.

He also released a series of knowledge products developed under these initiatives. These included Hydrophytes: Green Lungs of Ganga Volumes I & II and Protocols for Collection, Storage and Transportation of Biological Samples of Freshwater Macrofauna.

These publications represent the strong scientific foundation and practical relevance of the Ministry’s biodiversity conservation efforts, said the Minister.

The core aim of the project was to establish a science-based aquatic species conservation strategy for the Ganga River through a six-pronged approach: creating a dedicated conservation monitoring center, planning aquatic species restoration, building institutional capacity, establishing rescue and rehabilitation centres, initiating community-based conservation programs, and spreading education on biodiversity conservation.

The Minister highlighted the importance of community engagement and called it a cornerstone of the conservation plan initiated by WII under the aegis of NMCG.

Thousands of stakeholders — including forest officers, veterinarians, schoolteachers, NSS volunteers, and local communities — have been trained through over 130 capacity-building programmes, he said.

More than 5,000 Ganga Praharis, many of them women, have been mobilised to act as frontline conservation volunteers. Their involvement has enhanced biodiversity monitoring, supported rescue operations, and strengthened local stewardship, he said.

He highlighted that a massive river survey, covering over 12,000 kilometres across 22 rivers, was conducted using advanced technologies like GPS-enabled data collection, SONAR-based depth profiling, and ecological monitoring apps.

Project Dolphin was launched, aiming to conserve dolphins and their habitat while supporting local livelihoods through eco-tourism and other initiatives, Patil said.

--IANS

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