ganga-showing-signs-of-ecological-revival-says-nmcg

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has highlighted signs of ecological revival in the Ganga under the Centre's Namami Gange programme, pointing to large-scale afforestation along the river and the resurgence of key aquatic species, including the endangered Gangetic dolphin.

 

Marking 12 years of the flagship river conservation initiative, the NMCG said afforestation and biodiversity recovery were helping restore the ecological health of the Ganga and its tributaries.

 

In a post on social media platform X, the mission said 33,024 hectares of forest have been developed along the river's banks, while India's first nationwide river dolphin survey recorded 6,324 Gangetic dolphins and three Indus dolphins.

 

The NMCG stressed that the two developments were closely linked.

 

"When the trees come back, the soil holds. When the soil holds, the water clears. When the water clears, the fish come. When the fish come, the dolphin follows," it said.

Also read: Bengal’s Ganga stretch shows pollution decline

 

 

Biodiversity returning to river stretches

 

The mission also pointed to the return of turtles, otters, gharials and hilsa fish in several stretches of the river where their populations had previously declined, describing them as indicators of improving ecological conditions.

 

According to government data, afforestation work has been undertaken through a forestry intervention project implemented by the NMCG in collaboration with state forest departments. The project has covered 33,024 hectares at a cost of around Rs 414 crore.

 

As part of biodiversity conservation efforts, authorities have released 203 lakh Indian Major Carp fingerlings into the river system to improve fish diversity and strengthen the prey base for river dolphins.

 

The NMCG said the impact of these measures was being felt by communities living along the river.

 

"A fisherman on the Vikramshila stretch knows this without reading a report. So does the village downstream that no longer loses its land to the monsoon," it said.

 

While acknowledging that the Ganga has not yet regained its historic ecological richness, the mission expressed optimism about the progress made under the programme launched in 2014.

 

"It is not yet the river of a thousand years ago. But for the first time in our lifetimes, life is moving back to her, not away," the NMCG said.