Conservation groups demand transparency in rhino horn verification process Guwahati: Prominent wildlife organization of Assam, Nature’s Beckonand Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) welcome the recent initiative ofAssam government to protect the wildlife in general and conserve theone-horned rhinoceros in particular.The two organizations, while appreciating the latest initiative tostart the process of verification of rhino horns kept in the custodyof forest department and different treasuries in the State, urgestrongly the government to make public the number of rhino horns inits custody since 1980.The people of Assam also must know how much rhino horns were there inthe custody of the forest department and the treasuries of Assam till1980 (those recovered before the year), said a statement issued byNature’s Beckon and JFA.The issue of one-horned rhinos and rhino horns are not only anenvironmental affair but also a social concern involving a number ofconservation and civil society groups; and hence Nature’s Beckon andJFA demand to the State government to reveal the modalities ormechanism to be followed while verifying the rhino horns kept in thecustody.The Rhino Horn Verification Committee instituted by the Stategovernment recently in a press statement mentioned that while theprocess of verification of rhino horns will continue, only those rhinohorns lead to suspicion regarding its authenticity and only thosehorns would be sent for forensic examination. However, the twoorganizations argue that each and every rhino horn should beauthenticated by the forensic test.“We also appeal to the State government to inform the people of Assamabout the credentials of the members of the Rhino Horn VerificationCommittee. Since the issue of rhino horn has been a social andemotional issue, the people should know the credentials about theindividuals engaged in the process of verification of rhino horns,”added the statement.
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