Conservationists to stop OIL's seismic study to save Dolphins

Guwahati, Oct 29 (UNI) The Conservationsist have started a campaign to save the Dolphins as Oil India Limited's (OIL) seismic survey to explore oil in the basin of the river Brahmaputra might pose danger to these creatures.

A campaign has been launched in this regard by the Gangetic Dolphin Research and Conservation Programme with the help of the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the International Whaling Commission(IWC).

''There are around 157 Gangetic river Dolphins in the Brahmaputra and an all out seismic survey may finish the entire breed,'' Project Director Dr Abdul Wakid said.

He and his colleagues have moved a petition before the Pollution Control Board(PCB), Asom and the latter have organised a public hearing tomorrow at Dibrugarh.

The OIL, before starting the seismic survey, has carried out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with the help of the Gauhati University but that was not enough to placate the agitating Conservationist.

However, the OIL's attempt to find new oilfields has displeased the conservationists, who are insisting that the OIL had taken up the study at haste. However, no steps have been taken to save the 157 river dolphins.

Dr Wakid said his team had surveyed the entire river last year and found 157 dolphins in the river.

Dr Wakid insisted that ''the OIL should at least carry out a detailed environmental impact study before starting the seismic survey.'' UNI MT JYN RD 1706