On 18–19 June 2026 West Bengal announced plans to establish two dolphin parks — one along the Hooghly and one at Kanthi — as part of Namami Gange-linked river rejuvenation measures.
The Proposals
- Locations: One park on the Hooghly River; one in Kanthi, East Midnapore.
- Implementation: Phased development in coordination with central agencies and local authorities under the Namami Gange programme.
Pollution-control and infrastructure
- Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs): Union Ministry of Jal Shakti proposes five new STPs in Kolkata to prevent discharge of untreated wastewater into the Hooghly.
- Industrial measures: State is considering water meters for commercial/industrial users and mandatory filtration for treated effluent before discharge.
Species, status and population data
- Species: Ganges river dolphin, Platanista gangetica.
- Conservation status: Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List; protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; designated India’s national aquatic animal.
- Population survey: 303 Ganges river dolphins recorded in the Bhagirathi‑Hooghly system in 2022–23.
- Research: Observer Research Foundation (Feb 2026) examined impacts of inland waterways in West Bengal and reported higher dolphin counts in the Bhagirathi‑Hooghly during the 2022–23 dry season.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Namami Gange: Central programme for Ganga rejuvenation administered by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- Indicator species: Ganges river dolphin is used as a freshwater ecosystem health indicator in riverine conservation planning.