Guwahati: All Assam Students Union (AASU) has opposed the state government’s move to dehorn the rhinos to prevent their poaching.
“With this bid, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and the forest department have engaged themselves in a nefarious deal to eliminate the state emblem. It needs mention here that rhinoceros is the state animal of Assam,” the AASU said in a statement.
The AASU. apex students’ body, has already stated in a written statement, presented before the committee set up for examining the issue of dehorning the rhinos, that it will oppose the move vehemently.
The government has proposed to dehorn those rhinos which would be translocated to other forest areas from their Pabitora habitat.
“The forest Department has proposed this move only to cover its failure to prevent poaching of this precious animal. We have also demanded to provide the security arrangements in those forest areas to which the Pabitora rhinos are being shifted. Security should be beefed up instead of dehorning the translocated rhinos,” the AASU said.
The AASU also called for steps to implement the suggestions put forward by the meeting of the nature-lovers organised by it in Guwahati on December 13 last.
“The state government must take the indigenous peoples living in the fringe areas of Kaziranga, Pabitora, Manas and Orang protected forest areas into confidence in its bid to protect the rhinos,” it added.
As rampant poaching of rhinos continued in the state with more than 10 already killed this year, the Assam government had on March 20 formed a committee to examine the feasibility of trimming the horns of translocated and stray rhinos in the state. (UNI)
