Dams, barrages, mining and farming on and along river Ganga has shrunk its distribution and is threatening the survival of apex aquatic wildlife such as Gangetic Dolphins, gharials, muggers. This is due to a change in river morphology, a government study of the river's biodiversity has revealed. As a result, only 38.7 per cent of the river has a suitable depth of 4m or more to sustain dolphins and gharials during summer months. This has restricted their population to relatively undisturbed areas, which includes protected areas.

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The study, 'Macro fauna of the Ganga River' was commissioned by National Mission for Clean Ganga under Ministry of Water Resources and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) executed it. The study was commissioned as part of the government's flagship Namami Gange project to clean Ganga and its recommendations will be incorporated to conserve the river and aquatic animals. In its report, the WII has also documented the rich faunal biodiversity of Ganga river, comprising aquatic mammals, reptiles, fishes and birds.

The study has pointed out that the river's natural flow has reduced putting the spotlight back on the need to maintain a minimum ecological flow in Ganga. The government's clean Ganga mission has two broad aims, Nirmal Dhara and Aviral Dhara — to clean up the polluted stretches of the river and to have an unfettered flow. Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari recently made it clear that cleaning the river is a bigger priority. The study has recommended ecological restoration and increasing the protected areas to help the river's flow and conserve fauna.

The WII study assessed the conservation challenges across different stretches of the river, ranging from the stretch in Himalayas to the plains and delta near Bengal. It stated that significant structural changes have occurred in the fragile upper Ganga due to 16 hydroelectric projects in Bhagirathi and Alaknanda basins."The physical habitat of the river is further threatened by 14 projects under construction and 39 proposed projects in Bhagirathi and Alaknanda basins," the study said.

It also cautioned that further changes to river in the Himalayan stretch would undermine its ecological integrity. The middle stretches, it said, was threatened due to sand mining, pollution and intensive agriculture. The lower stretch, meanwhile, has been affected due to the Farakka barrage and the changes in salinity has affected aquatic species.

Basins In Trouble

  • Significant structural changes have occurred in fragile upper Ganga due to 16 hydroelectric projects 
  • Further threatened by 14 projects under construction and 39 proposed projects