in the number of dolphins,
declared a national aquatic
animal by the Prime Minister,
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish
Kumar has ordered a strict
enforcement of the ban on its
hunting. Official sources said
Nitish has directed the
district magistrates of Patna,
Bhagalpur and Buxar to see
that the ban order has been
adhered to. Officials have
been asked to keep close
surveillance along the Ganga
river banks to stop the
hunting, the District
Magistrate of Patna, J K
Sinha, said. Patna and
Bhagalpur districts are the
two districts where dolphins
have been reportedly found
dead in the past The
decision to declare the Ganga
dolphin as an Indian national
aquatic animal was taken at a
meeting of the newly-formed
Ganga River Basin Authority
in New Delhi that called for
accelerated steps to clean up
the river. The meeting, which
took place early this month,
was chaired by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh..
