Lahore:
In order to ensure the protection of the Indus blind dolphin near the Tunsa barrage in the Indus River, Punjab Wildlife has tightened the monitoring process, while the five Indus blind dolphins rescued two days ago are also being monitored and the fish in the Tunsa barrage buffer zone are being monitored. A complete ban on hunting is in place, with Punjab Wildlife, Fisheries and WWF staff removing fishing nets.
Officials of Punjab Wildlife, Fisheries and WWF have rescued 5 Indus blind dolphins trapped in some parts of Taunsa Barrage downstream due to low water level and shifted them to the deep water of the river.
Muhammad Hussain Gashkuri, Deputy Director of Punjab Wildlife Dera Ghazi Khan, told Express News that he received a report from the NGO and local wildlife staff on Friday that the Indus in the Tunsa Barrage downstream of the Indus River. The blind dolphins are trapped, they travel 200 km to the Taunsa barrage where wildlife, fisheries staff and WWF workers are also present.
Mohammad Hussain Gashkuri said that the water level is very low in some areas downstream of the Taunsa Barrage, he examined about two kilometers along the river where the water level was low and five blind dolphins, including two adults and three juveniles, Could not move due to low water level.
He said that these dolphins were safely moved to deeper water and now all the dolphins are safe, here he has personally observed 6 dolphins and expressed hope that their number may be more than 10.
Punjab Wildlife and Fisheries staff have also removed fishing nets in different parts of Taunsa Barrage.
Officials said that hunting of fish is prohibited here, but sometimes hunters go out with nets in the dark of night.
Mohammad Hussain Gashkuri said that thanks to Allah the dolphin was not caught in the net, but due to any such danger in the future, all the nets were removed from here. And the monitoring process has been made more stringent.
He further informed that Taunsa barrage upstream and downstream are buffer zones under the Wildlife Act and hunting of any kind of aquatic life is strictly prohibited here.
On the other hand, it came to know that these dolphins were trapped in the low water level when Khadim Hussain, a worker of Sindhu Bachautrala Foundation, along with his colleagues came here to survey the Indus blind dolphins. Ditched the dolphins that couldn’t move.
Khadim Hussain said that he immediately informed WWF and Punjab Wildlife officials about this, whose timely action has saved these dolphins.
