Prominent wildlife organization of Assam, Nature’s Beckon and Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) welcome the recent initiative of Assam government to protect the wildlife in general and conserve the one-horned rhinoceros in particular.
The two organizations, while appreciating the latest initiative to start the process of verification of rhino horns kept in the custody of forest department and different treasuries in the State, urge strongly the government to make public the number of rhino horns in its custody since 1980.
The people of Assam also must know how much rhino horns were there in the custody of the forest department and the treasuries of Assam till 1980 (those recovered before the year), said a statement issued by Nature’s Beckon and JFA.
The issue of one-horned rhinos and rhino horns are not only an environmental affair but also a social concern involving a number of conservation and civil society groups; and hence Nature’s Beckon and JFA demand to the State government to reveal the modalities or mechanism to be followed while verifying the rhino horns kept in the custody.
The Rhino Horn Verification Committee instituted by the State government recently in a press statement mentioned that while the process of verification of rhino horns will continue, only those rhino horns lead to suspicion regarding its authenticity and only those horns would be sent for forensic examination. However, the two organizations argue that each and every rhino horn should be authenticated by the forensic test.
“We also appeal to the State government to inform the people of Assam about the credentials of the members of the Rhino Horn Verification Committee. Since the issue of rhino horn has been a social and emotional issue, the people should know the credentials about the individuals engaged in the process of verification of rhino horns,” added the statement.
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The Directorate of Cultural Affairs under the Assam government marked its 53rd anniversary with a historic event celebrating the recognition of Asomiya (Assamese) as a classical language. Held at the iconic Rabindra Bhawan, the evening highlighted the significance of this achievement and charted a roadmap for the language's preservation and growth in written and colloquial forms.
The courtyard of Rabindra Bhawan, adorned with vibrant decorations and a podium beneath lush Bokul trees, hosted an enthusiastic audience of dignitaries and scholars. As the sun dipped below the Brahmaputra’s horizon, the program commenced with three distinguished panelists sharing their insights.
The...
Tensions escalated in Manipur’s violence-hit Jiribam district on Sunday night as clashes between security forces and protesters turned deadly, officials reported. A young protester, identified as 21-year-old K. Athouba, was fatally shot amid the chaos. A police official confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine who fired the fatal shot, while protesters allege that a Manipur Police special commando unit was responsible. Two others were reported injured in the incident.
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