India to launch 10-year project to conserve Gangetic Dolphins

A decade after the Gangetic Dolphins were declared national aquatic animals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday on the occasion of the 74th Independence Day announced Project Dolphin to give a stronger impetus for conservation of the species in the lines of Project Tiger and Project Elephant.

It envisages to address conservation concerns and empower the stakeholders like the river-dependent population in reducing the river pollution and allowing sustainable fishery and river-based other livelihood options through scientifically oriented conservation methods, the ministry said.

"We will also launch 'Project Dolphin' for protecting ocean and Gangetic dolphins," he said from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has made elaborate plans to launch the 10-year project 'Gangetic Dolphin' led by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

The Gangetic River Dolphin is found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli River system of India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Platanista gangetica gangetica is a species of freshwater dolphins primarily found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

In India, these dolphins are sighted along deep river reaches in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

As per the assessment reports available, there are about 3,700 Gangetic River Dolphins in the Indian river systems.

River dolphins act as ideal ecological indicators of healthy riverine ecosystems. They are the flagship species for monitoring the conservation status of rivers and were declared National Aquatic Species in 2010.

Implementation of the "Project Gangetic Dolphin" envisions a healthy river ecosystem not only protecting the biodiversity of the river but also taking into consideration the wellbeing of the people depending on its resources.

"The project would also work in close tandem and cooperation and support of various Ministries/Departments/Scientific Organizations/Civil Society Organizations etc. like the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Rural Development, State Governments, etc," the ministry stated.

Several million people depend on the River Ganga for their sustenance. Conservation of Gangetic Dolphins will, therefore, benefit not only the survival of the species, but also, the people dependent on the river system for their livelihood.

Being an indicator species of river ecosystems, conservation of the Gangetic River Dolphin would also ensure controlling river pollution and thereby improving the availability of fishes and enhancing economies of local communities through sustainable fishery, eco-tourism and others. (IANS)

Source: https://southasiamonitor.org

Read More........→August 16, 2020

COVID-19: Scientists develop low-cost method to test mask effectiveness against viral droplets

AUG 09, 2020 WASHINGTON: Using widely available tools, scientists have developed a simple method to visualise how effectively different types of masks prevent the spread of droplets that could contain novel coronavirus particles, an advance which could aid small scale mask producers to optimise designs, and help community outreach organisations demonstrate proper mask fitting procedures. The technique, described in the journal Science Advances, is still in the early stages, and has so far only been tested in a small group of people, the scientists said. According to the researchers from Duke University in the US, the preliminary, proof-of-principle findings suggest that professional-grade N95 masks, surgical or polypropylene masks, and handmade cotton masks may all block much of the droplet-spray produced when wearers speak. However, they said bandanas and neck fleeces likely provide little protection, as the scientists observed that more droplets are expelled through these materials. They said this is likely because the materials break up larger droplets as they pass through the material. In the study, the scientists evaluated the effectiveness of 14 different types of masks and other frequently substituted face coverings, using a simple approach in which either one male speaker or, in some cases, four speakers wore each mask while standing in a dark enclosure. The speaker then uttered the phrase "stay healthy, people" five times in the direction of a laser beam, which scattered light from the droplets released during speech, the study noted. A cell phone camera recorded the droplets and a simple computer algorithm counted them, the scientists added. The setup, intentionally designed to be simple and inexpensive, can be replicated by non-experts, according to the researchers. They said the hardware it requires, including laser equipment, is commonly available and can be purchased for less than USD 200. While the researchers acknowledge the need for further testing, they suggested based on the findings that N95 masks without valves blocked droplet spread best, and surgical or polypropylene masks and handmade cotton face coverings were also effective. But the early findings suggested that bandanas and neck fleeces do not provide protection. "Our work was a demonstration of a simple measurement method, not a systematic mask study," noted Martin Fischer, the study''s corresponding author. "More work is required to investigate variations in masks, speakers, and how people wear them. We also want to extend our method to other droplet-generating actions, like coughing and sneezing. Further, we want to explore effects of incorrect placement and moisture saturation," Fischer said Copyright © Jammu Links News, Source: Jammu Links News

Read More........→August 15, 2020