Fresh proposal in the works for dolphin sanctuary in Jharkhand's Sahibganj

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Forest Department is preparing a fresh proposal for the state government to designate a stretch of the Ganga in Sahibganj district as a dolphin sanctuary, aiming to protect the national aquatic animal and promote eco-tourism, an official said.

A team from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is scheduled to visit Sahibganj by the end of January or the first week of February to assess the dolphins' habitat, he said.

Dolphins, protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, are found along an 80-km stretch of the Ganga River in Sahibganj.

"The sanctuary area has not yet been finalised, but it will likely cover a 40-km portion, where most of the dolphins are found," Prabal Garg, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Sahibganj, told PTI.

There has been a long-standing demand for the establishment of a dolphin sanctuary along this stretch of the Ganga, connecting Bihar and West Bengal borders. It is proposed to be developed on lines of the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in Bihar, an official said.

The Sahibganj division had submitted a proposal to the state government for the sanctuary, around four to five years ago, he said.

However, the proposal got stalled due to concerns raised by various stakeholders, including the Inland Waterways Authority of India, over the regulation of riverine activities upon the sanctuary's declaration, he said.

Addressing the concerns, the department has decided to prepare a fresh proposal that excludes the waterways area, Garg said.

The Centre has already designated a national waterways route – a 1,390-km stretch between Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) and Haldia (West Bengal) – which passes through Sahibganj.

"We plan to exclude the main shipping channel from the sanctuary, as dolphins prefer shallow waters and do not typically reside in deep water. Our strategy is to focus on the side channels and backwater areas for the sanctuary, allowing the main channel to remain open for shipping," Garg said.

A Wildlife Institute of India survey conducted in 2023 estimated a population of about 120 dolphins along the Ganga stretch in Jharkhand.

"Current estimates suggest the stretch is home to between 120 and 140 dolphins, but based on our observations, we believe the number could be closer to 150," he said.

Garg said the WII team slated to visit Sahibganj will assess the habitat, providing essential data to finalise the proposal.

Once the sanctuary is declared, the forest department plans to promote eco-tourism in the region.

Former state wildlife board member D S Srivastava voiced concern over the delay in setting up of the sanctuary, noting that it posed a threat to the dolphin population.

He stated that in 2021, two dolphins were recovered from the house of a suspected poacher in Sahibganj.

“The establishment of the sanctuary will help conserve aquatic species and curb illegal fishing practices,” Srivastava said.

In April 2022, the state forest department had also submitted a proposal to the Centre to create two stretches of the Ganga River in Sahibganj as a 'dolphin safari.'

The department had identified Singhidalan in Rajmahal and Ojhatoli in Sahibganj as potential sites for the safari project, but the Centre’s approval is still pending, a senior official of the department said.