Dolphin census begins in Uttar Pradesh

Touted as the first of its kind, the state-wide 'My Ganga My Dolphin' survey being conducted by WWF-India and Uttar Pradesh Forest department will be carried out from October 5 to October 7, official sources said.

It was flagged off today by the state's transport minister Mahendra Aridaman Singh here, they said.

On the occasion, Singh stressed on the need for paying attention to the danger that unplanned development can cause to the ecosystem.

The detailed survey would be carried out in all major rivers in the state, including Ganga, Ken, Betwa, Yamuna, Chambal, Geruwa, Ghaghra and Son, covering a distance of approximately 2,800 kilometres, the sources said.

It will involve voluntary organisations, riparian communities, government departments, village panchayats, environmentalists and experts, they said.

The main objective of the campaign is to create awareness towards the conservation of the species.