In April 2025, Union Minister Chandrakant Raghunath (C.R.) Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) chaired a review meeting of key projects implemented by Dehradun (Uttarakhand)-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and supported by MoJS under the aegis of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)in New Delhi, Delhi.
- Union Minister appreciated the work being carried out by NMCG and WII in restoring marine biodiversity, enhancing river health, local capacity building, and engaging communities in conservation efforts.
Key Initiatives Launched:
i.During the meeting, Union Minister launched an important digital platform i.e. information dashboard https://www.rivres.in/. The platform is developed under MoJS and WII.
- The newly launched dashboard is part of the Ganga Aqualife Conservation Monitoring Centre/National Centre for River Research.
- The platform will serve as comprehensive digital hub providing ecological information on physiography, biodiversity, and community engagement activities across major Indian rivers like: Ganga, Barak, Mahanadi, Narmada, Godavari, Cauvery, and Pamba.
ii.He also launched a series of knowledge products developed under various initiatives. Some of the newly launched products are: Hydrophytes: Green Lungs of Ganga Volumes I & II and Protocols for collection, storage and transportation of biological samples of freshwater macrofauna.
- These publications reflect the robust scientific foundation and practical relevance of MoJS’s biodiversity conservation efforts.
Other Key Initiatives for Conservation of Biodiversity:
i.A structured and multidisciplinary conservation plan was initiated by WII under the aegis of NMCG. The project aims to set up a science-based aquatic species conservation strategy for the Ganga river based on 6-pronged approach: to create a dedicated conservation monitoring center, to plan restoration of aquatic species, to build institutional capacity,
- to set up rescue and rehabilitation centers, to initiate community-based conservation programs, and to educate about biodiversity conservation.
ii.Community engagement has played a pivotal role in conservation of biodiversity. Various stakeholders like: forest officers, veterinarians and local communities have been trained through over 130 capacity-building programs.
iii.Large-scale river survey, covering more than 12, 000 kilometers (kms) across 22 rivers, was conducted using modern technologies like: Global Positioning System (GPS)-based data collection, Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR)-based depth profiling.
iv.Project Dolphin was launched in 2020 . It aims to conserve dolphins and their habitat and also aims to support local livelihoods through eco-tourism and other initiatives.
About Wildlife Institute of India (WII):
It is an autonomous body established in 1982 under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Director- Dr. Dhananjal Mohan
Headquarters- Dehradun, Uttarakhand
About Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS):
Union Minister- Chandrakant Raghunath Patil (Constituency- Navsari, Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS)- V. Somanna (Constituency- Tumkur, Karnataka); Raj Bhushan Choudhary (Constituency- Muzaffarpur, Bihar)
