The foundation stone of India's first dolphin research centre will be laid in Patna on October 5, after a delay of eight years.
D.K Shukla, the senior officer from Bihar's Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said" It was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi in state Assembly that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would lay the foundation stone of the National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) on October 5 on the bank of river Ganga in the premises of Patna University."
" The development is good news for the conservation of the endangered Gangetic river dolphins in the country," he added.
According to Gopal Sharma, a senior scientist at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the population of the endangered Gangetic river dolphins was stable along nearly 1,000 km stretch of the Ganga and its two major tributaries, Gandak and Ghaghra.
Earlier this year, about 1,500 dolphins were spotted by three teams of experts and scientists who counted the species. The main objective of NDRC is to strengthen conservation efforts and help in research to save the endangered mammal.
Another officer said, "the NDRC remained stuck for over four years due to refusal of Patna University give its land for it." When Nitish Kumar threatened last year that the NDRC might be shifted to Bhagalpur, the University finally gave its clearance.
(With inputs from agencies)
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