Locals complain government for neglecting dolphin conservation

By Avinash Chaudhary,Dhangadhi, Aug. 24: Local conservationists have complained that the government has not been paying attention to protecting the rare Gangetic dolphins.

Although communities in Kailali have been active in conserving dolphins found in local rivers, they said that the government has remained indifferent.

According to them, governments at no level -- local, provincial, or federal -- have supported conservation efforts or even declared a dolphin conservation area.

“We have long been calling the river basin areas where dolphins are found a protected zone. We demand that the government officially declare these rivers as a dolphin conservation area. But the government has shown no interest,” said Bhojraj Dhungana of Tikapur-7, who is active in dolphin conservation. "

Most dolphins are spotted in the Karnali, Mohana, Kadha and Kandra rivers, particularly in Tikapur-7 and Bhajani-3 and 8. 

Locals want this area to be declared a conservation zone and a dolphin breeding centre. This year, they said, more calves have been seen than in previous years. Dhungana said around 25 dolphins, including nine calves, have been recorded this season, adding that dolphins usually give birth and raise their young during the monsoon.

Locals also said that the government has shown little interest in building infrastructure to promote dolphin tourism. Both domestic and foreign visitors come to observe dolphins, but road access to the viewing sites is poor. “The prerequisite for tourism development here is road construction,” said local Narendra Regmi.

He stressed the need for blacktopped roads and a concrete bridge from Tikapur-7 to the Dhungana Tole dolphin area, and from the Hulaki Highway in Bhajani-8 to the Kadha River. 

Similarly, roads are needed from Bardawaphanta to Dailekhi Tole in Bhajani-3, and from Kusumghat to Nayabasti dolphin area. Locals believed these roads would make it much easier for tourists to visit.

Another long-standing demand is for a suspension bridge at the confluence of the Patharaiya and Kadha rivers in Bhajani-8 and Tikapur-7. Locals said that the bridge would not only ease daily travel but also serve as a dolphin viewing platform. Although surveys of the bridge have been carried out twice, it has not yet been built.

Meanwhile, erosion by the Mohana River has threatened settlements in Kusumghat and Nayabasti of Bhajani-3. Locals have repeatedly asked for embankments, but their calls have gone unheard. Dhungana warned that without strong river control measures, the settlements could be washed away. 

“People in this area have been engaged in conservation for a long time. But if the government does not protect their homes, they may question why they should continue conservation efforts,” he said.

Locals also stress that the government should launch livelihood programmes for riverside communities. They believe such support would further strengthen conservation efforts.