NMCG Launches Tech-Driven Push To Tighten Protection Of Ganga's Wildlife, Wetlands
Real-time monitoring systems will digitally watch several stretches of the river remain under ecological stress
New Delhi : The National Mission for Clean Ganga has rolled out real-time monitoring systems, digital wetland tracking and scientific tools to protect endangered species linked to the river. Officials said the move marks a shift toward data-backed decision making at a time when several stretches of the river remain under ecological stress.
A big rollout has come at the Garaita Centre in Uttar Pradesh's National Chambal Sanctuary, where the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has introduced SMART patrolling -- a system that records field activity digitally and tracks species such as gharials, turtles, skimmers and dolphins in real time.
A new SMART lab is now mapping the patrol routes, analysing field data and flagging gaps, which officials said is improving the response time and tightening accountability among the frontline staff.
Wetlands along the Ganga are being put under continuous digital watch using GIS and remote sensing, they said.
These tools are helping to identify encroachments, detect changes in land use and assess whether restoration work, such as desilting or vegetation recovery, is taking effect.
Scientists involved with the project said the new system will help agencies plan interventions more precisely, instead of relying on fragmented field surveys.
The mission is also deploying high-end tracking systems of radio and acoustic telemetry, PIT tags and GPS devices to study movement, survival and habitat use among the endangered species.
Remote sensing tools are being used to map turtle nesting grounds and identify dolphin hotspots that require stricter protection.
Officials said wider public participation is crucial given the pressure on riverine ecosystems from unregulated sand mining, industrial activity and habitat loss.
Nalin Kumar Srivastava, deputy director general at NMCG, said the new systems are meant to bring clarity to gaps that earlier went unnoticed.
"Technology is helping us strengthen what has always been our core mission -- protecting the Ganga and its ecological heritage with scientific precision and community participation," he said.
The mission has also introduced GPS-linked protocols for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, creating a digital registry that tracks rescued animals and helps authorities monitor their recovery, Srivastava said.
