(IN) ; River Dolphin in throes of danger

[Guest guest]

LINK : http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070025997

 

 

River Dolphin in throes of danger

 

Kishalay Bhattacharjee

 

Thursday, September 13, 2007 (Guwahati)

 

The river dolphin is truly in danger as traditional medicine vendors are

selling dolphin oil openly in Guwahati's streets.

 

Brahmaputra is one of the last habitats of the gangetic river dolphin, which has

been battling for survival.

 

Travelling down the Brahmaputra one is rarely able to spot them a few times,

which is but a fading proof of there existence.

 

A few yards away from the riverbank a different story presents itself, an

inconspicuous display of traditional medicine.

 

Not an uncommon sight anywhere in India, but Lila Kanta's exhibit is quite

extraordinary, a white eagle's claw, tiger bones, skulls and various parts of

animals but a shocking revelation was the open sale of dolphin oil.

 

NDTV: What is it used for?

 

Vendor: For pain and gout and such things. This dolphin oil is good but better

still is the mixture of dolphin and tiger oil.

 

NDTV: How easily do you get this stuff?

 

Vendor: Very difficult, we have to tell them in advance. They charge about

Rupees 500-600 for a bottle.

 

While several organizations, NGO's, enforcement agencies claim they are trying

to protect the river dolphin found in the Bramhmaputra, right on the banks of

the river, within the premises of the Deputy Commissioner's office, one comes

across Lila Prasad's shop, a makeshift shop of traditional medicine where one

can find dolphin oil.

 

Lila Prasad's son is a policeman. He himself was in the police in the 5th

battalion and he has been running this lucrative trade of commodities illegally

purchased for 36 years.

 

But this could well be a fake.

 

''Even if its a fake it has criminal intent and this is punishable under law,

carrying fake rhino horns for example. It shows that dolphin oil has demand,''

said Bihab Talukdar, Secretary, Aranyak.

 

Just as Lila Kanta's display was a revelation, NDTV also came across Babul in

the main market area of Guwahati selling the same oil. He said, that he procures

the oil from Dehukakhana, Mongoldoi, an hour's journey from Guwahati.

 

If the trade on dolphin is so open this could be the one of the last stories on

the amazing dolphin.

 

 

 

 

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.