Around 150 marine animals stranded on Karnataka beaches every year: Report
Hubballi: Karnataka’s coastline witnesses the stranding of around 150 marine animals annually, with nearly half of them found dead, according to data collected by Reefwatch, a non-governmental organisation working in collaboration with the forest departments of Karnataka and Goa.
The majority of the reported strandings involve Olive Ridley Sea Turtles along the Karnataka's 340 km coastline, the study found, as cited by Deccan Herald on Friday.
In the last six years, over 1,800 stranded marine animals, including sea turtles, pelagic birds, and cetaceans such as dolphins, whales, and porpoises, have been documented along the coasts of Karnataka and Goa. The relatively lower rate of reporting from Karnataka is attributed to its largely secluded beaches, but growing awareness and improved networks among local fishing communities have enabled better response from forest officials in recent years.
“Monsoon and the weeks preceding monsoons tend to have a high percentage of stranding due to entanglement in ghost fishing gear and drowning due to trawl nets. We have also recorded a number of plastic ingestion, parasites and infectious cases,” DH quoted Shantanu Kalambi, Marine Veterinary Specialist and Project Manager of Reefwatch, as saying.
Human activities remain a significant cause of marine animal distress. The discharge of untreated sewage into sea, accumulation of plastic waste, and unregulated fishing in restricted zones are among the major contributing factors to the stranding events.
In a recent case, the Karwar division reported the stranding of four turtles since May 24, all of which were entangled in ghost nets. Thanks to timely intervention, all four were rescued and released back into the sea.
“Over the years we have improved our information network and gained the trust of local fishermen, who have been informing us about the stranded animals. With the help of an NGO, our staff has been treating the injured animals and monitoring them. Once they are fit, the marine animals are released into the sea,” DH quoted Karwar Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) C Ravishankar, as saying.
Anthony Mariyappa, DCF Mangaluru, stated that with the introduction of species recovery programme on Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, the forest department has been able to take local fishermen into confidence and address the stranded species effectively.
However, challenges persist. Sources in the department reportedly mentioned that shortage of staff is hindering the conservation activities. Currently, the department veterinaries deputed from animal husbandry department, who have been dealing with mammals, and not with marine animals.
“We need at least one marine expert in each of the division so that rescue efforts could be sped up, today we have one veterinary doctor for three-four divisions,” DH quoted one of the senior officers as saying.
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Delhi Police announces Safe City expansion, new facilities on 79th Raising Day
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police announced a series of infrastructure and technology upgrades under the Safe City Project, including the expansion of surveillance systems and construction of new facilities, on the occasion of its 79th Raising Day.
Officials said that under the project, the Command and Control Centre will be further strengthened and several CCTV cameras have already been installed across the national capital. The surveillance system is equipped with advanced features such as hand-gesture recognition, facial detection and overcrowding alerts to enhance real-time monitoring.
"Mobile command vehicles will also be deployed to improve on-ground coordination during emergencies and major events," a senior police officer said.
The Special Cell headquarters will be constructed in Lodhi Colony to bolster operational efficiency. In addition, three new police stations and six police chowkis will be set up.
A seven-floor hostel for women police personnel will be built in Rohini, with accommodation capacity for 132 staff members, officials said.
