Disposition exercise of rhino horns commences; first public hearing on August 29

RHINO HORNS IN TREASURIES

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has started the process of disposing of rhino horns currently being kept at various treasuries across the State. While the majority of such horns will be burned, some of them will be preserved for the purpose of future research and biological references.

The State Forest department will carry out the exercise of disposing rhino horns under the Section 39 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972. Before conducting the horns-disposing exercise, the department will, however, conduct public hearings as per directive of the Gauhati High Court. The first such public hearing will be held at the Assam Forest School campus at Jalukbari on August 29.

A State-level experts committee was constituted to verify the status of rhino horns in the treasuries. The State-level committee set up seven zonal committees covering different districts. Veterinary doctors, NGO workers, forest department officials and other stakeholders are members of the zonal committees. The verification exercise completed five days on Monday.

Rhino horns deposited or kept at treasuries in Barpeta, Morigaon and Mangaldoi have already been verified. During verifications conducted so far, the zonal committees have recommended 241 horns for disposition and 18 for preservation.

During the verification exercise conducted in Kamrup (Metro) district on Monday, the zonal committee had found rhinoceros horns that were deposited in the treasury way back in 1961. A horn weighing 2.56 kg was also found during the exercise. A Forest official said that this horn of 42.5 centimeters height could be the highest in the country.

The verification exercise involves forensic investigation to check the originality of horns, collection of samples for genetic study, keeping aside 5% of horns with unique character for preservation and horns with Court cases are kept in separate sealed boxes. To ensure transparency, the entire exercise is video graphed.

A Forest department official present during the verification exercise said that since rhino horn always evokes public sentiment in Assam the department is giving the highest importance on taking public consent before going for the disposing exercise. He also said that as per the Central government rules and laws, the horns should have been disposed or burned several years ago.

"Keeping horns in treasuries for so many years is full of challenges and also poses security threats. Disposition or burning of horns under the complete public glare will also do away with many false beliefs, ideas and medicinal prejudices associated with rhino horns," added the official.

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