While increasing poaching has given the opposition a major weapon to take on Congress, about 30 NGOs under the banner of Assam Environment NGO Forum (AENF) added another dimension to the debate on conservation by declaring on Wednesday that it is categorically against the proposal to trim rhino horns. It alleged that the government has adopted a diversionary tactic before the polls to turn attention away from the rising number of rhino deaths.
From Wednesday, AENF launched a state-wide signature campaign criticizing the proposal. "It amounts to cruelty and insult to the state animal," the group said, adding, they would they would use the polls to build public opinion against the proposal.
"We made our position clear on March 6 during a meeting with the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife). The rhino is our national asset. Trimming cannot be supported given the state's current socio-political scenario," said AENF coordinator Mubina Akhtar.On the contrary, they have asked the government to strengthen its anti-poaching strategies, revive intelligence gathering networks and win the support of locals by forming an eco-development fund.
The state government said it would carry out the proposal on an experimental basis, especially for rhinos which were trans-located to new habitats or strayed out of protected areas, and sought the opinion of the people, different organizations and institutions. It has formed a committee to ascertain the feasibility of the proposal.
Experts have found that rhino horn re-growth is rapid. In that case, many argued, once the horns grew again, there would be poaching. "Instead of spending large sums of public money on trimming exercises, it would make more sense to strengthen anti-poaching measures," said honorary wildlife warden Jayanta Kumar Das.
Soumyadeep Datta from the NGO, Nature Beckons, wondered why the proposal was made at a time when there was a spurt in rhino killings in the poll-bound state. "The government should first address the basic problems of poaching," he felt.
AENF members have also circulated opinions of international conservation activists. Quoting Dame Daphne Sheldrick, they said, "Trimming horns is like emasculating them, depriving them of their means of defense. They will lose their confidence and fertility."
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