Amarinder gives nod to declare endangered Indus River dolphin as state aquatic animal

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday gave approval to declare the endangered Indus River dolphin, found only in the Beas River in the country, as the state aquatic animal, an official statement said here.

Chairing a meeting of the State Board for Wildlife here, Singh said the Indus dolphin, a rare aquatic mammal, would be the flagship species for the conservation of the Beas River ecosystem.

The chief minister also gave approval to declare the Kanjli Wetland and the holy Kali Bein River as a wildlife conservation reserve to mark the historic 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev.

The sacred Kali Bein river was associated with the life of the Sikh Guru, who got enlightenment while taking a dip in the holy river, the release stated.

The chief minister said that the declaration of the area as a conservation reserve would contribute to maintaining the region's ecological balance and also to the cleanliness of the river, which had become polluted with ...