The verification of nearly 2,500 rhino horns seized from different poachers, smugglers or extracted from dead animals over the last four decades has been started. These were safely stored in government treasuries across some of the districts of Assam.
Amit Sahai, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Assam has disclosed that the verification process of the rhino horns stored in the districts of Kamrup, Barpeta and Morigaon districts have been completed. However the same is underway in Sonitpur, Nagaon, Golaghat and other district treasuries.
A total of 261 horns have been verified so far and 241 have been marked for destruction and 18 for preservation. Various stakeholders, including media persons and non governmental organisations are involved in the ongoing verification of rhino horns, elephant tusks (ivory) and body parts of protected animals stored in the district treasuries to ensure transparency. The entire operation was also being screened live for transparency. The process was being conducted by the seven zonal committees and a technical panel constituted by the Chief Wildlife Warden.
The destruction of the animal articles will be carried out in conformity with a relevant sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. The Environment and Forest department is planning to dispose of the marked rhino horns on the National Elephant Appreciation Day .
“Barring the rhino horns linked to court cases and some good samples of horns for showcasing in museums and for scientific and academic purposes, the rest of the horns will be destroyed,” the PCCF (Wildlife) said.
M K Yadava, the Chief Wildlife Warden said the Forest department will take a final decision on destroying the horns after a public hearing on August 29. It will also be based on recommendations of a state-level committee constituted last month for the purpose.
The state government had constituted a panel, Rhino Horn Verification Committee in 2016, following allegations that fake horns were being used to replace the real ones in the treasuries. The last state wide inspection of rhino horns was conducted in 2016 and a total of 2,020 horns were found across 12 treasuries of the state.
Image Courtesy : Morung Express
