From: ravi
bhadauria
To: Rajesh Bedi
Sent:
Subject: Gharial
report
My dear Rajesh
As promised I am attaching a short report based on my findings regarding
Gharial tragedy in Chambal river.
Best wishes.
R.S.Bhadauria
“Chambal river which has hitherto
been nursery and cradle for juvenile, hand reared Gharials (Gavialis
gangeticus) released under Gharial Rehabilitation
Programme, is now turning into graveyard for this highly endangered species.
Starting from
Autopsy conducted and water
analysis done, so far do not lead to any conclusive evidence of epidemic of any
kind. Chambal still happens to be the cleanest river in the country. However
one undeniable fact, which I know from my past administrative association with Chambal
Sanctuary since its inception in 1979, till I retired in 1996, is the lure of illicit
netting for fish and turtles, to make money. As long as the protection by sanctuary
staff remained tight by intensive river patrolling,
the illicit fishing remained under control and Gharial casualties by getting
entangled in the net and suffocated, were only occasional. But of late the protection
level declined drastically, river patrolling became casual and at places the
staff either reduced in number or they abandoned Chowkis
built for them. This slackness in protection prompted fish mafias to move in
and illicit netting has increased leading to Gharial causalities. Mass dying of
Gharials over a particular stretch of river and during a short span of about
three weeks appears to be the handiwork of fish mafia, using some kind of
poison in the form of flour-pellets to kill fish and eventually killing
Gharials also. The act of burying dead Gharials in
the sand proves human hand in the killing.
This holocaust of Gharials, needs to be fully investigate by world renowned
Gharial Biologists and Gharial specific vets. To stop further decimation as
this, nearly extinct species, could be saved with great difficulty and efforts.”
R.S. Bhadauria IFS (Retd)
Ex- PCCF U.P.
Ex- Chief Wild Life Warden U.P.