In a decisive move, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has spotlighted two critical environmental issues: the declining Indian fish population in the Yamuna and the endangered dolphins of the Ganga.
The tribunal, spearheaded by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and expert Dr. A Senthil Vel, identified clear breaches of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Environment Protection Act in both instances.
Triggering this action were reports from Amar Ujala and Mongabay-India. The first report, drawing on a 2021 survey by the Central Inland Fisheries Research Centre (CIFRI), uncovered a worrying trend: a dip in native fish species in the Yamuna, overshadowed by a rise in foreign species.
Meanwhile, the second report highlighted a perilous decline in the Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica) population. These dolphins, vital to the Ganga’s ecosystem, have seen their numbers shrink to an estimated 2,500-5,000, particularly in the river’s upstream stretches.
The NGT has issued notices to key environmental bodies. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), CIFRI, and the District Collector of Agra are to address the Yamuna fish population issue on September 20. In the case of the Gangetic dolphins, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and CPCB are summoned for a hearing on September 24.
The tribunal’s actions underscore the urgency of these environmental challenges, emphasizing the need for strict compliance with ecological norms to safeguard India’s aquatic life.
