Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has now been equipped with a specialised National River Research Centre (NRRC) to strengthen scientific knowledge on rivers and freshwater ecosystems and promote their conservation in the country. Union Minister of Jal Shakti CR Patil formally inaugurated the centre on Tuesday at WII campus in Dehradun.
After inaugurating the National River Research Centre, CR Patil said the objective of the centre would be to “strengthen scientific knowledge related to rivers and freshwater ecosystems in India and to promote their conservation.”
He shared that NRRC at WII will have the facilities of ecotoxicological analysis, spatial ecology and aquatic ecology to generate high-quality scientific knowledge on riverine and freshwater ecosystems. The information created by NRRC will apply for evidence-based policy making as to river rejuvenation, water-resource development and biodiversity conservation.
Patil stated that the centre’s key functions would be river health and ecological monitoring, biodiversity assessments, applied research and capacity building of institutions and stakeholders engaged in river conservation.
Apart from this, the centre will strengthen community and institutional involvement in protecting rivers and associated freshwater ecosystems through participatory research, stakeholder engagement and livelihood-linked conservation initiatives.
Other responsibilities bestowed upon the centre will be to provide scientific and technical advice to support national and state-level decision-making on river basin management. A strong outreach and awareness programme will be led by the centre to highlight the ecological, social and economic importance of rivers and freshwater biodiversity.
Interestingly, about 100 researchers are presently working in the centre that runs MSc courses in Freshwater Ecology and Conservation.