Skip to content Skip to navigation

'Needed in rhino horn verification'

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.

Add new comment

Random Stories

CM orders probe into alleged scribe misbehaviour

2 Feb 2015 - 9:17pm | Abdul Gani
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday ordered a probe following the alleged misbehaviour of a woman scribe by cops.The CM asked Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Bora to inquire into matter...

Gogoi calls BJP a balloon

28 Mar 2014 - 2:09pm | AT News
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday called BJP a balloon to be air-pumped in the time of elections.Campaigning for Bijoy Krishna Handique at a meeting in Sivasagar, the chief minister said that the...

Three arrested in connection with City blast

2 Sep 2007 - 10:46am | luitneildon
GUWAHATI: The City Police has arrested three persons in connection with yesterday's bomb blast in Bamunimaidam in which one person was killed and 24 others were wounded. A senior police official...

Modi to open investment summit in Guwahati

3 Feb 2018 - 8:13am | AT News
GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to Guwahati on Saturday to open the global investment summit in the premier north eastern city. Modi is scheduled to arrive in Guwahati by 10 in...

Other Contents by Author

Defying the diktat of separatist militants in northeast India, the media fraternity of the city has celebrated the 64th Republic Day of India at Guwahati Press Club. Following the tradition, the media persons and other patriotic citizens had assembled in the campus of the pioneer press club of the region in the morning today and hoisted the national flag. Social worker and a former legislator of Assam, Ajay Dutta unfurled the tricolor in presence of the media persons and paid his heartfelt tributes to the martyrs of India’s Freedom movement.In his brief speech, Dutta remembered the contribution of thousands of martyrs for their sacrifices which finally brought the freedom to India. He paid...
The Delhi government has agreed to set up a statute of Chaolung Sukapha in the national capital. The assurance came from Delhi Chief minister Sheila Dixit who talked to her Assam counterpart Tarun Gogoi. Before that Gogoi in a letter requested Dixit to consider the proposal to set up the first Ahom king in the national capital. The initiative assumes significance after the government invited unprecedented criticism for not giving due status to the Ahom king.
Local residents in Goalpara district beat him a suspected militant to death on Saturday night. Three motorcycles suspected to have been used by the militants were recovered from the area.One bomb is suspected to be concealed in the MLA's house and a bomb disposal squad of the police reached the place, they added. Another IED went off at Jaleshwar High School. The other explosions in Goalpara district took place at Moriakichi Bazar, Gaurnagar, Porahita and Jamadar Bazar areas. In Dhubri, the areas hit by the blasts are Airketa, Sirajkuthi and Metarteri.
A series of low intensity blasts has forced the security forces to fan in lower Assam on Sunday. Suspected ULFA militants on Saturday night set off eight IED blasts in a space of 90 minutes targeting the house of an AIDUF MLA and crowded markets in Goalpara and Dhubri districts. There, is, however, no report of casualty.ULFA, along with some other insurgents group, gave a call for boycotting the Republic Day celebrations. The first blast took place inside the residential complex of Moinuddin Ahmed, MLA of All India Democratic United Front, at Jaleshwar in Goalpara district.
Over 20 people have been injured when a passenger bus slipped into deep gorge in near Guwahati on Saturday.The accident took place at around 2-30 in the afternoon when the passenger bus was on its way to Kamakhya and suddenly it lost control and fell on a gorge where several people were rescued by police and local residents. 
Governor J B Patnaik said that the government's counter insurgency operations have fetched dividends where the republic day boycott call was defied. In his address after unfurling the national flag in Khanapara in Guwahati, he said that steps are being taken to bring about overall socio-economic development in the state. He said that the government is leaving no stone unturned to put Assam on a track of rapid development process. Patnaik also said that government was committed to fighting corruption. The N-E insurgent outfits had called for boycott of Republic Day Celebrations from 1am to 5 30 in the morning.
Normal situation prevailed on Republic Day on Saturday. Trains and air services operated as usual though long distance and city private buses kept off the roads as the transport operators gave holiday to their staff on account of R-Day. National flags were seen fluttering in banks, educational institutions, etc., remained closed. Buses, private taxis and autorickshaws of state-run Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) plied as usual. Private vehicles and large number of people on foot were also seen making their way to the various R-Day celebration venues across the state.The N-E insurgent outfits had called for boycott of Republic Day Celebrations from 1am to 5 30 in the morning.
Defying militant diktat, Republic Day was celebrated across the stat with much fanfare and cultural extravaganza. Tight security was put in place to ensure peace during the Republic Day and accordingly there was no report of any untoward incident so far. Assam governor JB Patnaik unfurled the national flag and took salute of the armed forces and school children at Khanapara in presence of Chief minister Tarun Gogoi. Besides march pasts by the state police and central security forces, there were also dance performances by different ethnic groups of the state upholding the spirit of the republic. Similar functions were organised by the government at district headquarters addressed by cabinet...
Dispur Vidyalaya Alumni Association is going to organize second alumni meet at the premises of Dispur Government Higher Secondary School on Sunday, 27th January, 2013. The meet will a platform for all the Dvians to come to a common ground and devise ways to better the educational and extracurricular activities for the present set of students studying in this historical school.It is to be noted that the first chapter of the alumni meet was held last year on 29th January, 2012. The meet helped to forge a bond of community among Dvians from as many batches and a sense of commitment to the betterment of the school. While a website of the school, www.dispurvidyalaya.org, was...
The media fraternity of the city will hoist the national tricolor tomorrow (Jan 26) at Guwahati Press Club. The program will begin at 11 am sharp. Every one is requested to participate in the program with an aim to pay tributes to the martyrs of India’s Freedom Movement.