GOLAGHAT, Aug 10 - The verification of rhino horns, stored in various treasuries of Assam since 1980, will start from tomorrow. The verification includes checking genuineness besides updating the complete inventory of rhino horns in the custody of the Assam Government.
The first treasury to be opened is Golaghat, which has the highest number of rhino horns stored in government custody. Almost all these rhino horns are of Kaziranga National Park. The Rhino Horn Verification Committee under the chairmanship of the former Assam State Information Commissioner and former PCCF (Wildlife), Assam, Mohan Chandra Malakar, assembled at Golaghat today for the process that will start at 10 am tomorrow in a secured room inside the Golaghat Circuit House.
The 12-member committee has four wildlife experts, two representatives from media, one RTI activist, one forensic scientist, besides four top officials of the Assam Forest Department.
The trunks containing the rhino horns will be carried in batches from the treasury to the Golaghat Circuit House under heavy security. In this regard special security arrangements have been made by the district authorities, both for the transportation as well the verification process.
The trunks will be opened only in front of those Forest officials, who had actually signed and sealed at the time of depositing the trunks, to check the genuineness. This is noteworthy that every trunk, containing rhino horns, was sealed in the presence of four to five forest officials before it was deposited in the treasury.
