NMCG Approves Conservation Project for Indian Skimmer and Sandbar-Nesting Birds in Ganga Basin

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved an important biodiversity conservation project for protecting the breeding habitats of Indian Skimmer and other sandbar-nesting birds in the Ganga Basin.

The project was approved at the:

68th meeting of the Executive Committee of NMCG

held on:

24 December 2025.

The meeting was chaired by:

Rajeev Kumar Mittal, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga.

The Government announced the major decisions of the meeting on 29 December 2025.

The project is particularly significant because it extends Ganga conservation beyond water quality and traditional aquatic species towards the protection of vulnerable riverine bird communities and their breeding habitats.

The project will combine:

Scientific Monitoring + Nest Protection + Community Participation + Stakeholder Coordination + Conservation Planning

to safeguard some of the Ganga Basin's most vulnerable riverine bird habitats.

What Has NMCG Approved?

NMCG approved a project titled around the objective of:

Safeguarding Breeding Habitats of Indian Skimmer and Sympatric Sandbar-Nesting Birds in the Ganga Basin.

Its central purpose is to protect riverine sandbars that serve as breeding and nesting habitats for the Indian Skimmer and several other threatened or conservation-important birds.

The initiative is aligned with:

Namami Gange Mission-II.

Instead of focusing only on individual birds, the project adopts a habitat-based conservation approach.

This is important because protecting a sandbar used by the Indian Skimmer can simultaneously benefit several other species that depend on the same habitat.

Why Are River Sandbars Important?

Riverine sandbars are temporary or semi-permanent deposits of sand created by river processes.

During suitable seasons, exposed sandbars provide critical breeding habitat for several bird species.

These birds often:

• nest directly on exposed sand,

• lay eggs in shallow depressions,

• depend on relatively undisturbed stretches,

• require suitable river-water levels, and

• use open sandbars to raise their chicks.

Unlike birds that build nests high in trees, sandbar-nesting species place their eggs and chicks close to ground level.

This makes them particularly vulnerable to disturbance.

Which Birds Will Benefit?

The official NMCG project identifies several riverine birds associated with these habitats.

They include:

Indian Skimmer

Black-bellied Tern

River Tern

River Lapwing

Little Tern

Little Pratincole

and

Great Thick-knee.

The Indian Skimmer is the project's most prominent flagship species, but the conservation programme is designed to protect a broader community of sandbar-nesting birds.

Indian Skimmer – Key Species of the Project

The most important species associated with the new project is:

Indian Skimmer

Scientific name:

Rynchops albicollis

It is an extraordinary riverine bird distinguished by its unusual bill.

Its:

lower mandible is longer than the upper mandible.

This specialised structure allows the bird to feed in a distinctive manner.

Why Is It Called a “Skimmer”?

The Indian Skimmer flies low over the surface of water while keeping its elongated lower mandible in the water.

As it moves, the bill effectively:

skims the water surface

to capture small aquatic prey.

This specialised feeding behaviour gives the bird its common name:

Skimmer.

For examination purposes:

Indian Skimmer → Rynchops albicollis → Lower mandible longer than upper mandible

Conservation Status of Indian Skimmer

The Indian Skimmer is considered a globally threatened species.

Its IUCN Red List status is:

Endangered (EN).

This makes the protection of its remaining breeding areas particularly important.

The species was once distributed much more widely across South and Southeast Asia, but its present distribution has contracted substantially.

India now supports a very large proportion of its remaining breeding population.

More Than 90% of Breeding Population in India

According to NMCG's official project information:

more than 90% of the Indian Skimmer's breeding population occurs in India.

This gives India a particularly important responsibility for the species' long-term survival.

Loss of breeding habitats in Indian river systems could therefore have consequences for the species at the global level.

Why Does the Indian Skimmer Need Sandbars?

Indian Skimmers generally nest on:

exposed sandy islands and riverine sandbars.

They lay their eggs on the ground.

The open sandy environment can provide suitable breeding conditions, but it also creates significant risks.

A nesting colony can be affected by:

• people walking through it,

• livestock trampling nests,

• dogs and other predators,

• sand mining,

• recreational disturbance, and

• sudden flooding.

Therefore, successful conservation requires protecting not just individual birds but the physical river processes and habitats on which breeding depends.

Major Threats to Sandbar-Nesting Birds

The NMCG project identifies several important threats.

Human Disturbance

People entering nesting sandbars can unintentionally destroy nests or disturb breeding birds.

Repeated disturbance can cause adults to leave eggs or chicks exposed.

Sand Mining

Removal of sand can alter or destroy nesting habitat.

It can also change the physical characteristics of river channels and sandbars.

Livestock Movement

Cattle and other livestock moving across sandbars can accidentally trample:

• nests,

• eggs, and

• chicks.

Predation

Eggs and chicks are vulnerable to predators, including free-ranging animals.

Sudden Water-Level Changes

Rapid changes in river levels can flood nesting areas.

This is particularly important because birds may establish nests on sandbars exposed during relatively low-water periods.

Why Water Releases Matter

The project also recognises an important connection between:

Bird Conservation and River-Water Management.

A sandbar may initially provide an excellent nesting site.

However, a sudden rise in water level can submerge:

• nests,

• eggs,

• chicks, and

• entire breeding colonies.

The project therefore seeks better coordination with:

irrigation and water-resource authorities

to reduce adverse effects of water releases on nesting sites wherever feasible.

This demonstrates why river-bird conservation cannot be separated from wider river management.

Where Is Monitoring Already Taking Place?

The project will build on existing conservation monitoring in:

Chambal

and

Lower Ganga.

These landscapes are already important for Indian Skimmer conservation.

The Chambal River in particular is one of India's important remaining breeding landscapes for the species.

New Monitoring Areas

Systematic monitoring will now be initiated or expanded in important additional stretches including:

Bijnor

Narora

and

Prayagraj.

NMCG's detailed project information also identifies the wider project landscape as including:

Chambal River

Upper Ganga – Bijnor and Narora

Ganga-Yamuna confluence at Prayagraj

and

Lower Ganga around Vikramshila.

Thus, the programme seeks to connect conservation efforts across several important sections of the Ganga river system.

Prayagraj – Ganga-Yamuna Confluence

Prayagraj is especially important because it lies at the confluence of:

Ganga and Yamuna.

The confluence and surrounding river stretches contain sandbars and riverine habitats that can support important bird populations.

Monitoring here can help scientists understand:

• nesting distribution,

• breeding success,

• seasonal habitat use, and

• human pressures.

Vikramshila and the Lower Ganga

The project also covers the Lower Ganga landscape around:

Vikramshila.

This region is already important for aquatic and riverine biodiversity.

Protecting sandbar-nesting birds here complements broader conservation work across the Ganga ecosystem.

Community-Based Conservation

One of the strongest elements of the project is:

local community participation.

People living close to rivers often possess extensive knowledge about:

• changing river channels,

• seasonal water levels,

• bird locations,

• human activities, and

• threats to nesting sites.

Instead of treating local communities as separate from conservation, the project intends to involve them directly in protecting nesting habitats.

Nest Guardians

NMCG's official project framework proposes trained community members called:

Nest Guardians.

Their role will include helping protect vulnerable nesting colonies from threats such as:

• human disturbance,

• trampling,

• predation, and

• other local pressures.

This approach can provide continuous local protection during sensitive breeding periods.

River Watchers

The project also envisages:

River Watchers.

Together with Nest Guardians, these community-based conservation participants can strengthen monitoring and provide information from breeding sites.

This is particularly useful because government officials or researchers cannot remain continuously present at every nesting colony.

Monitoring and Research

The first major project objective is:

Monitoring and Research.

Existing nesting sites will continue to be monitored while systematic surveys will be initiated in additional stretches.

Researchers will collect information about:

• breeding populations,

• nest numbers,

• nest survival,

• breeding success,

• habitat conditions, and

• threats.

Long-term data are essential because a single year's nesting success may not reveal broader population trends.

Nest Distribution Maps

An important project deliverable will be:

Nest Distribution Maps.

These maps will document:

• breeding colonies,

• nesting habitats, and

• important river stretches.

Such spatial information can help authorities identify areas where conservation intervention is most urgently required.

Baseline and Annual Monitoring Reports

The project is expected to generate:

Baseline Reports

and:

Annual Monitoring Reports.

These will provide systematic information on:

• breeding populations,

• nest survival, and

• changes across project sites.

Scientific evidence can then be used to evaluate whether conservation measures are actually improving breeding success.

Community Awareness

The programme will also conduct awareness and capacity-building activities involving:

• local communities,

• schools,

• government stakeholders, and

• other relevant groups.

This is important because many threats to ground-nesting birds may occur unintentionally.

A person walking across an apparently empty sandbar may not realise that camouflaged eggs are present.

Awareness can therefore prevent avoidable disturbance.

Conservation Planning

Another major objective is to prepare:

site-specific conservation strategies

and eventually a:

comprehensive conservation plan

for Indian Skimmer and other sandbar-nesting birds in the Ganga Basin.

Different river stretches face different pressures.

Therefore, conservation measures that work in Chambal may need modification before being used in Bijnor, Narora, Prayagraj or the Lower Ganga.

A Scalable Conservation Model

NMCG intends the project to develop a conservation approach that can eventually be:

scaled across the Ganga River system.

The model combines:

Scientific Data

with:

Community-Based Protection

and:

Government Coordination.

If successful, the approach can potentially be replicated at additional breeding sites.

Why This Project Is Different

NMCG's biodiversity programmes have historically included major conservation work involving aquatic species and river ecosystems.

Projects have addressed species such as:

• Ganga river dolphin,

• turtles,

• fish, and

• other aquatic biodiversity.

The new project is significant because it creates a dedicated conservation focus on:

riverine avifauna and sandbar-nesting birds.

Thus, conservation of the Ganga is increasingly being viewed at the level of the entire river ecosystem rather than only water quality.

What Is Avifauna?

Avifauna means:

the bird species of a particular region, habitat or period.

Therefore:

Flora → Plants

Fauna → Animals

Avifauna → Birds

For this project:

Ganga Basin Avifauna → Bird species dependent on Ganga riverine habitats

NMCG

NMCG stands for:

National Mission for Clean Ganga.

It functions under the:

Ministry of Jal Shakti

within the:

Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

NMCG plays a central role in implementing the Government's Ganga rejuvenation programmes.

Its work extends beyond sewage treatment to include:

• river ecology,

• biodiversity,

• wetlands,

• afforestation,

• public participation,

• knowledge management, and

• river conservation.

Namami Gange Programme

The broader programme associated with Ganga rejuvenation is:

Namami Gange Programme.

It was launched as an integrated conservation mission for the Ganga.

Its objectives include both:

Nirmal Ganga

and

Aviral Ganga.

In broad terms:

Nirmal → Clean/Unpolluted Ganga

Aviral → Continuous flow of the Ganga

Biodiversity conservation forms an important component of this larger river-rejuvenation approach.

Namami Gange Mission-II

The new bird-conservation project is aligned with:

Namami Gange Mission-II.

Its focus on long-term monitoring, evidence-based conservation and community participation demonstrates the expanding ecological scope of the programme.

The river is treated not merely as a channel carrying water but as a living ecosystem supporting diverse species and human communities.

68th Executive Committee Meeting

The project was approved during the:

68th Executive Committee Meeting of NMCG.

The meeting was held on:

24 December 2025.

It was chaired by:

Rajeev Kumar Mittal

who was serving as:

Director General, NMCG.

The Government publicly announced the meeting's major decisions on:

29 December 2025.

Other Areas Discussed at the Meeting

The meeting's agenda was broader than bird conservation.

It focused on:

Ecological Restoration

Biodiversity Conservation

Nature-based Solutions

Cultural Heritage Conservation

and

Infrastructure Project Execution.

This reflects the integrated approach increasingly being adopted for Ganga rejuvenation.

What Are Nature-Based Solutions?

Nature-based Solutions involve using or restoring natural processes and ecosystems to address environmental and societal challenges.

Examples can include:

• wetland restoration,

• floodplain restoration,

• ecological wastewater treatment,

• vegetation-based systems, and

• habitat restoration.

Instead of relying exclusively on conventional concrete infrastructure, Nature-based Solutions attempt to work with ecological processes.

Why Birds Are Indicators of River Health

Riverine birds can provide useful information about ecosystem conditions.

Successful nesting may depend on:

• suitable water levels,

• healthy food availability,

• intact sandbars,

• manageable disturbance, and

• functioning river processes.

A decline in specialised river birds can therefore indicate deterioration of habitat.

Protecting the Indian Skimmer can consequently support wider riverine biodiversity.

Indian Skimmer – Quick Facts

Project – Quick Revision

गंगा बेसिन में Indian Skimmer और रेत के टापुओं पर घोंसला बनाने वाले पक्षियों के संरक्षण की नई परियोजना

राष्ट्रीय स्वच्छ गंगा मिशन (NMCG) ने गंगा बेसिन में Indian Skimmer तथा रेत के टापुओं पर घोंसला बनाने वाले अन्य पक्षियों के प्रजनन स्थलों की सुरक्षा के लिए एक महत्वपूर्ण नई परियोजना को मंजूरी दी है।

इस परियोजना को:

NMCG की 68वीं कार्यकारी समिति की बैठक

में मंजूरी दी गई।

यह बैठक:

24 दिसंबर 2025

को आयोजित हुई थी।

बैठक की अध्यक्षता:

राजीव कुमार मित्तल

ने की, जो उस समय:

महानिदेशक, राष्ट्रीय स्वच्छ गंगा मिशन

थे।

बैठक के प्रमुख निर्णयों की सरकारी घोषणा:

29 दिसंबर 2025

को की गई।

यह परियोजना गंगा संरक्षण को जल की स्वच्छता से आगे बढ़ाकर नदी के संपूर्ण पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र और विशेष रूप से नदी पर निर्भर पक्षियों के संरक्षण से जोड़ती है।

परियोजना का मुख्य उद्देश्य

परियोजना का उद्देश्य गंगा बेसिन में:

Indian Skimmer और उसके साथ समान नदीय आवास का उपयोग करने वाले रेत के टापुओं पर घोंसला बनाने वाले पक्षियों के प्रजनन स्थलों की रक्षा करना

है।

यह परियोजना:

Namami Gange Mission-II

के अनुरूप है।

इसमें केवल एक पक्षी प्रजाति की रक्षा करने के बजाय उसके पूरे प्रजनन आवास को सुरक्षित करने पर जोर दिया गया है।

रेत के टापु क्यों महत्वपूर्ण हैं?

नदी के बहाव और अवसाद के जमाव से बनने वाले रेतीले टापु अनेक पक्षियों के लिए महत्वपूर्ण प्रजनन स्थल होते हैं।

कई नदी-आश्रित पक्षी खुले रेतीले स्थानों पर जमीन के निकट अपने अंडे देते हैं।

इस कारण उनके घोंसले:

• मानव गतिविधियों,

• पशुओं के आवागमन,

• शिकारियों,

• रेत खनन और

• अचानक बढ़ते जलस्तर

से आसानी से प्रभावित हो सकते हैं।

किन पक्षियों को लाभ मिलेगा?

NMCG की आधिकारिक परियोजना जानकारी में निम्न पक्षियों का उल्लेख है:

Indian Skimmer

Black-bellied Tern

River Tern

River Lapwing

Little Tern

Little Pratincole

और

Great Thick-knee

इनमें Indian Skimmer परियोजना की सबसे प्रमुख प्रजाति है।

Indian Skimmer

Indian Skimmer का वैज्ञानिक नाम है:

Rynchops albicollis

यह एक अत्यंत विशिष्ट नदी-आश्रित पक्षी है।

इसकी सबसे महत्वपूर्ण पहचान है:

इसकी निचली चोंच ऊपरी चोंच से लंबी होती है।

यह संरचना इसके भोजन प्राप्त करने के विशेष तरीके से जुड़ी हुई है।

इसे Skimmer क्यों कहते हैं?

Indian Skimmer पानी की सतह के बहुत निकट उड़ता है और अपनी लंबी निचली चोंच को पानी में रखता है।

इस प्रकार वह पानी की सतह को काटते हुए छोटे जलीय जीवों को पकड़ता है।

इसी व्यवहार के कारण इसे:

Skimmer

कहा जाता है।

परीक्षा के लिए:

Indian Skimmer → Rynchops albicollis → निचली चोंच ऊपरी चोंच से लंबी

संरक्षण स्थिति

Indian Skimmer की IUCN Red List स्थिति है:

Endangered (EN)

अर्थात यह एक संकटग्रस्त प्रजाति है।

इसके ऐतिहासिक वितरण क्षेत्र में काफी कमी आई है।

आज इसकी वैश्विक आबादी के संरक्षण में भारत की भूमिका अत्यंत महत्वपूर्ण है।

90% से अधिक प्रजनन आबादी भारत में

NMCG की परियोजना जानकारी के अनुसार Indian Skimmer की:

90% से अधिक breeding population भारत में पाई जाती है।

इसलिए भारत में इसके प्रजनन स्थलों की सुरक्षा वैश्विक स्तर पर इस प्रजाति के अस्तित्व के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है।

प्रमुख खतरे

रेत खनन

रेत निकालने से पक्षियों के घोंसले बनाने वाले स्थान नष्ट या परिवर्तित हो सकते हैं।

मानव हस्तक्षेप

लोगों की आवाजाही से पक्षी घोंसला छोड़ सकते हैं या अंडे क्षतिग्रस्त हो सकते हैं।

पशुओं की आवाजाही

मवेशी खुले रेतीले क्षेत्रों से गुजरते समय अनजाने में अंडों और चूजों को कुचल सकते हैं।

शिकारी जीव

अंडे और चूजे विभिन्न शिकारी जीवों के लिए आसान शिकार बन सकते हैं।

अचानक जलस्तर बढ़ना

तेजी से बढ़ता नदी जलस्तर पूरे घोंसला क्षेत्र को डुबो सकता है।

जल प्रबंधन और पक्षी संरक्षण

इस परियोजना का एक महत्वपूर्ण पक्ष है:

Water Resource Authorities के साथ Coordination.

नदी में अचानक छोड़ा गया पानी घोंसला बनाने वाले रेतीले टापुओं को डुबो सकता है।

इसलिए परियोजना जल संसाधन और सिंचाई विभागों के साथ बेहतर समन्वय विकसित करने का प्रयास करेगी ताकि संवेदनशील प्रजनन अवधि में घोंसलों पर पड़ने वाले प्रभाव को कम किया जा सके।

कहाँ पहले से Monitoring हो रही है?

निगरानी पहले से जारी है:

Chambal

और

Lower Ganga

क्षेत्रों में।

इन क्षेत्रों में प्राप्त अनुभव का उपयोग नई जगहों पर संरक्षण कार्यक्रम विकसित करने में किया जाएगा।

नए Monitoring Areas

अब निगरानी का विस्तार किया जाएगा:

Bijnor

Narora

और

Prayagraj

में।

विस्तृत परियोजना क्षेत्र में:

Chambal River

Upper Ganga – Bijnor और Narora

Prayagraj का Ganga-Yamuna Sangam

और

Vikramshila के आसपास Lower Ganga

शामिल हैं।

Nest Guardians

परियोजना की सबसे महत्वपूर्ण विशेषताओं में से एक है स्थानीय लोगों को:

Nest Guardians

के रूप में प्रशिक्षित करना।

ये लोग संवेदनशील घोंसला क्षेत्रों की रक्षा में सहायता करेंगे।

उनका कार्य मानव हस्तक्षेप, पशुओं से होने वाले नुकसान और अन्य स्थानीय खतरों को कम करने में सहायता करना होगा।

River Watchers

परियोजना में:

River Watchers

की भूमिका भी प्रस्तावित है।

स्थानीय लोगों की भागीदारी से लंबे समय तक निगरानी करना अधिक प्रभावी हो सकता है।

इससे वैज्ञानिकों और सरकारी अधिकारियों को स्थानीय स्तर पर नियमित जानकारी भी मिल सकती है।

वैज्ञानिक Monitoring

परियोजना में नियमित रूप से:

• Breeding Population,

• Nest Numbers,

• Nest Survival,

• Breeding Success,

• Habitat Condition और

• Threats

का अध्ययन किया जाएगा।

इससे यह पता लगाने में सहायता मिलेगी कि संरक्षण उपाय वास्तव में पक्षियों की प्रजनन सफलता में सुधार कर रहे हैं या नहीं।

Nest Distribution Maps

परियोजना के अंतर्गत:

Nest Distribution Maps

तैयार किए जाएंगे।

इनसे महत्वपूर्ण breeding colonies और nesting habitats की पहचान की जा सकेगी।

ऐसी जानकारी भविष्य में संरक्षण की प्राथमिकताएँ निर्धारित करने में उपयोगी होगी।

Baseline और Annual Reports

परियोजना के प्रमुख परिणामों में:

Baseline Monitoring Reports

और:

Annual Monitoring Reports

शामिल होंगे।

इनसे अलग-अलग वर्षों में पक्षियों की संख्या और breeding success में होने वाले बदलावों का अध्ययन किया जा सकेगा।

Community Participation

स्थानीय समुदाय परियोजना के केंद्र में रहेंगे।

उन्हें:

• Nest Protection,

• Bird Identification,

• Awareness,

• Monitoring और

• Habitat Protection

से संबंधित प्रशिक्षण दिया जा सकता है।

इस प्रकार परियोजना:

Science + Community Stewardship

का मॉडल विकसित करती है।

Avifauna का अर्थ

Avifauna का अर्थ है:

किसी क्षेत्र या आवास में पाई जाने वाली पक्षी प्रजातियाँ।

याद रखें:

Flora → वनस्पति

Fauna → जीव-जंतु

Avifauna → पक्षी समुदाय

NMCG क्या है?

NMCG का पूरा नाम है:

National Mission for Clean Ganga

हिंदी में:

राष्ट्रीय स्वच्छ गंगा मिशन

यह:

Ministry of Jal Shakti

के अंतर्गत:

Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation

से जुड़ा प्रमुख संस्थागत निकाय है।

इसका कार्य केवल गंगा में प्रदूषण कम करना नहीं है।

इसके कार्यक्षेत्र में नदी के:

• पारिस्थितिक पुनरुद्धार,

• जैव विविधता,

• जलीय जीव,

• आर्द्रभूमि,

• जनभागीदारी और

• प्राकृतिक आवास

का संरक्षण भी शामिल है।

Namami Gange

गंगा के संरक्षण और पुनर्जीवन से जुड़ा प्रमुख सरकारी कार्यक्रम है:

Namami Gange Programme

इसके दो महत्वपूर्ण विचार हैं:

Nirmal Ganga → प्रदूषण-मुक्त गंगा

Aviral Ganga → अविरल प्रवाह वाली गंगा

Indian Skimmer परियोजना यह दर्शाती है कि गंगा पुनर्जीवन में अब नदी के पूरे पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र की रक्षा पर जोर दिया जा रहा है।

68वीं Executive Committee Meeting

NMCG की:

68वीं Executive Committee Meeting

24 दिसंबर 2025 को आयोजित हुई।

इसकी अध्यक्षता:

Rajeev Kumar Mittal

ने की।

बैठक में प्रमुख विषय थे:

• Ecological Restoration

• Biodiversity Conservation

• Nature-based Solutions

• Cultural Heritage Conservation

• Infrastructure Project Execution

Indian Skimmer और अन्य Sandbar-Nesting Birds की परियोजना इसी व्यापक पारिस्थितिक दृष्टिकोण का हिस्सा है।

परीक्षा के लिए महत्वपूर्ण तथ्य

1. Project: Sandbar-Nesting Birds Conservation

2. Region: Ganga Basin

3. Flagship Species: Indian Skimmer

4. Scientific Name: Rynchops albicollis

5. IUCN Status: Endangered

6. Approval: 68th Executive Committee Meeting of NMCG

7. Meeting Date: 24 December 2025

8. Government Announcement: 29 December 2025

9. Chairperson: Rajeev Kumar Mittal

10. Position: DG, NMCG

11. Existing Monitoring: Chambal + Lower Ganga

12. New Monitoring: Bijnor + Narora + Prayagraj

13. Lower Ganga Site: Vikramshila region

14. Community Model: Nest Guardians + River Watchers

15. Programme: Namami Gange Mission-II

16. Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti

17. Indian Skimmer Feature: Lower mandible longer than upper

18. Major Threats: Sand mining, disturbance, livestock, predation and water-level changes

19. Indian Share of Breeding Population: More than 90%

20. Avifauna: Bird fauna of a region

Frequently Asked Questions

Which organisation approved the new sandbar-nesting bird conservation project?

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

At which meeting was it approved?

The 68th Executive Committee Meeting of NMCG.

When was the meeting held?

24 December 2025.

Who chaired the meeting?

Rajeev Kumar Mittal, Director General, NMCG.

Which is the flagship bird of the project?

Indian Skimmer.

What is the scientific name of Indian Skimmer?

Rynchops albicollis.

What is its IUCN conservation status?

Endangered.

Where is existing monitoring taking place?

Chambal and Lower Ganga.

Where will monitoring be expanded?

Bijnor, Narora and Prayagraj, along with the wider identified project landscape.

What are Nest Guardians?

Trained local community members who help protect vulnerable bird-nesting sites.

Under which broader mission is the project being undertaken?

Namami Gange Mission-II.

Quick Revision

NMCG → 68th EC Meeting → 24 December 2025 → Rajeev Kumar Mittal → Ganga Basin → Indian Skimmer → Rynchops albicollis → Endangered → Sandbar-Nesting Birds → Chambal + Lower Ganga → Bijnor + Narora + Prayagraj → Nest Guardians + River Watchers → Namami Gange Mission-II

Conclusion

The new NMCG project for the Indian Skimmer and other sandbar-nesting birds represents an important expansion of biodiversity conservation in the Ganga Basin.

Instead of protecting only individual species, the project focuses on safeguarding the fragile riverine sandbars on which an entire group of birds depends for breeding.

Its combination of scientific monitoring, community-based Nest Guardians, coordination with water-resource authorities, habitat protection and long-term conservation planning makes it an ecosystem-based approach to river conservation.

The project also reinforces a fundamental principle of the Namami Gange programme:

A healthy Ganga is not simply a clean river—it is a functioning ecosystem capable of supporting its characteristic biodiversity.