Kota mugger crocodile deaths & banned pesticide Aldrin : GS TIMES IAS-PCS

An investigation has revealed that the banned organochlorine pesticide Aldrin was responsible for the deaths of mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) in the Chandraloi River in Kota district, Rajasthan.

A joint committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) detected traces of Aldrin in the river water during its investigation.
The Rajasthan Forest Department, in its response to the NGT, accepted the findings regarding the presence of Aldrin but denied responsibility for the contamination.

About Aldrin

Aldrin is an organochlorine pesticide that persists in the environment for long periods, contaminating soil and water and accumulating through the food chain (bioaccumulation).
Due to its severe impacts on the nervous system of humans and wildlife and its long-term environmental persistence, the Government of India banned the manufacture, import, and use of Aldrin in the 1990s.
The detection of Aldrin in the river raises concerns regarding the source of contamination, the duration of its presence, and accountability for illegal use or disposal.

About the Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)

The Mugger Crocodile, also known as the Marsh Crocodile, is a medium-sized freshwater crocodile with the broadest snout among all living species of the genus Crocodylus.
It is primarily distributed across the Indian subcontinent, occurring in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Iran.
The species inhabits a wide variety of freshwater ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, marshes, reservoirs, irrigation canals, man-made ponds.
It can also occur in coastal saltwater lagoons and estuaries, although it is predominantly a freshwater species.
The Mugger is a hole-nesting crocodile, laying eggs during the annual dry season, and is known to dig burrows for shelter, particularly during extreme weather conditions.
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable.