Guwahati, Sept 19 : Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA) has expressed it support to the initiative to dispose off wildlife parts including the rhinoceros-horns kept in State treasuries for decades, but it demands full transparency in the process.

The forum of nationalist citizens urged Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to ensure that only the certified genuine horns are burnt in presence of distinguished personalities in full public view.

“We expect only the scientifically proved rhino horns are disposed in presence of wildlife experts, environment enthusiasts, eminent personalities from various other field of activities,” said a PPFA statement adding that the process must not give an ample scope for corrupt officials to illegally sell the syphoned away horns from the consignment for their personal gains.

Moreover, it added, the government should not hurry for the process certainly to evade any post-event controversy.

Assam govt to destroy 2479 Rhino horns

It may be mentioned that the State Cabinet recently resolved to destroy 2,479 rhino horns, out of 2,623 horns stored in various treasuries. The State forest and environment department has already conducted the verification process to identify probable fake horns among the real ones in 12 treasuries across Assam as allegations surfaced that a section of corrupt forest officials would destroy those fake horns and later smuggle the real ones into international markets.

Asia-Pacific Forum demands verification of real horns

Earlier, the Dhaka based Asia-Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists welcomed the initiative to speared the message that rhino horns do not carry any aphrodisiac quality, for which the gigantic animals are poached across the world, but it also put forward a condition that those must be scientifically confirmed as real ones.

It highlighted that the horns could fetch a million dollar in illegal markets spread across east Asia and, hence, the issue should be resolved amicably.

Assam home to over 2650 one-horned Rhinos

Officially known as the greater one-horned rhinoceros and found primarily in India and Nepal, the rhinos are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. Assam alone gives shelter to over 2650 one-horned rhinos in its forest reserves.

Kaziranga National Park is widely known for its over 2,400 rhinos along with other precious wildlife.

The people of Assam are also obsessed with the rhino as a pride and continue raising voices for its scientific conservation.

Accusations of selling Rhino horns by forest officials

Years back, Northeast India’s active conservation group Nature’s Beckon claimed that the State forest department used to sell rhino horns even after India adopted the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972.

The department allegedly sold 13 horns during 1972-73, 19 in 1973-74, 40 (1974-75), 18 (1975-76), 27 (1976-78),42 (1977-78), 63 (1978-79), 63 (1978-79), 61 (1979-80), etc.

The group asserted a large share of wildlife parts from the department’s stocks were sold in