Orissa government insists on use of propeller guards in all motorised boats operating in Chilka lake.

BHUBANESHWAR : In a bid to augment protection measures for Irrawady dolphins, the Orissa government has made use of propeller guards mandatory in all motorised boats operating in the Satapara area of the Chilka lake, official sources said.

           

               The direction had been issued by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.The order wuld be executed through the Chilika Development Authority and if anybody is found to be responsible for the death of any dolphin, he would face stringent action, the sources said.

                About 100 dolphins are known to inhabit the Sipakuda Mouth and Satapara areas of the lake, Asia's largest brackish water lagoon.

                 There are about 1,000 such dolphins in the world living in rivers and lakes of India, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia and Kampuchea.

                   The sources said that the Irrawady dolphins found in the Chilika attracted a large number of tourists which generated employment for about 500 people.