Which state government in India, in collaboration with WWF India, conducted the first organised census focused on the conservation and population estimation of the endangered Indus river dolphins within its territory?

Introduction / Context:
The Indus river dolphin is an endangered freshwater dolphin species found in parts of the Indus river system. Conservation of such rare aquatic mammals requires accurate data on their numbers and distribution, which is obtained through organised census and survey efforts. In India, a particular state government, working together with WWF India, conducted the first organised census specifically for Indus dolphins. This question tests knowledge of environmental initiatives and state level conservation efforts.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on the first organised census for Indus dolphins in India.
• The census was conducted jointly by WWF India and a state government.
• The options list four Indian states, plus an extra decoy, including Punjab.
• We assume awareness of current affairs related to wildlife conservation in India.

Concept / Approach:
Indus river dolphins are mainly associated with the Indus river and its tributaries. In India, they are found in stretches of the river Beas, which flows through the state of Punjab. Because the species is highly localised, any organised census in India would logically involve the state in which the dolphins occur. Various news and environmental reports have highlighted that the Punjab government, together with WWF India, conducted the first detailed census of Indus dolphins in the Beas river as part of a conservation initiative.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the habitat of the Indus river dolphins in India, which is mainly the Beas river. Step 2: Recall that the Beas river flows through the state of Punjab. Step 3: Remember reports that Punjab joined hands with WWF India to conduct a scientific census of Indus dolphins. Step 4: Compare this knowledge with the list of states in the options. Step 5: Select Punjab as the state where this first organised Indus dolphin census was conducted.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification method is to think about which states have large stretches of the Indus or its tributaries within India. While Jammu and Kashmir and parts of other northern regions have connections to the Indus system, news about Indus dolphin conservation in India has repeatedly mentioned the Beas river stretch in Punjab. There is no similar headline related to states like Kerala, Maharashtra, or Odisha, which are associated with other rivers and marine species. This supports the conclusion that Punjab is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: Maharashtra has important rivers but is not known as the main habitat of Indus river dolphins in India, and it was not reported to have carried out this specific census with WWF India. Option B: Kerala is associated with rich biodiversity in the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea coast, but not with Indus dolphin populations. Option D: Odisha is known for olive ridley turtles and other marine life along the Bay of Bengal coast, not for Indus river dolphins in the Indus river system. Option E: Gujarat has marine national parks and whale shark conservation initiatives but was not the state linked to this first Indus dolphin census with WWF India.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates often confuse different aquatic conservation stories, such as river dolphin projects on the Ganga or Brahmaputra, turtle conservation in Odisha, and marine projects in Gujarat or Kerala. Another pitfall is to guess based on the general environmental reputation of a state rather than associating the species with its actual geographic range. To avoid such confusion, it is helpful to link each endangered species with its specific natural range and the key state level initiatives associated with it.

Final Answer:
The first organised census for conservation and population estimation of Indus dolphins in collaboration with WWF India was conducted by the state government of Punjab.