http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100622/jsp/northeast/story_12590476.jsp
Haul raises spectre of tiger poaching
ROOPAK GOSWAMI
Guwahati, June 21: Forest officials in the Northeast are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that the upcoming tiger census will throw up a larger count of the big cats.
The 2005-08 estimate had pegged the tiger population in Assam at 70.
Sources said though there was no confirmed case of poaching of tigers in Assam, the situation in the Northeast’s other tiger reserves was not that too rosy.
Three tiger reserves in the region have been graded as “poor”. These are the ones at Manas in Assam, Dampa in Mizoram and Namdapha in Arunachal Pradesh.
Tiger reserves at Kaziranga in Assam and Pakke in Arunachal Pradesh have earned “good” status tag while the one in Nameri in Assam has been graded “satisfactory”.
The grading is done by the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
The latest haul of tiger bones by the customs has aggravated fear that the tigers are being hunted. Guwahati customs recently seized 10.2kg skulls and bones of full-grown tigers.
“There is some network and support in the protected area but once out, the tigers are at risk,” Rajesh Gopal, a member secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, told this correspondent.
“Once they stray out from Kaziranga to Karbi Anglong, all animals face threats,” Firoz Ahmed of Aaranyak, an NGO, said. During floods, many animals seek refuge in the highlands in Karbi Anglong and adjacent reserve forests like Panbari, Bagser and Kukurakata close to the park’s boundary.
Chief wildlife warden, Assam, Suresh Chand, said there had not been any instance of confirmed tiger poaching in the state.
The executive director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, Belinda Wright, said there was admiration for the authorities of Kaziranga for the protection measures initiated by them, but little could be done when the animals venture out of the safe zones.
“Tiger poaching is done surreptitiously and it is difficult to track the people who are in this trade,” Wright says, adding that one must not forget Sariska and Panna national parks. In a recent incident of straying, a tiger was spotted in Upper Assam after killing two persons. It was later rehabilitated in Manas National Park.
An official of Kaziranga National Park said: “It is not easy for the poachers to target tigers here unlike the rhinos. The thick grasses of the national park are a deterrent.”
it is a foolproof process, says assam forest
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100628/jsp/northeast/story_12601930.jsp
‘Foolproof’ tag on horn shift
- Animal part safe in treasury, claims forest department Guwahati, June 27: The Assam forest department is of the opinion that the process of collection of a rhino horn from its recovery spot and depositing it with the treasury is a “foolproof” one, ruling out any element of doubt.
A divisional forest officer confirmed this at a time doubts are being raised from different quarters about the authenticity of rhino horns which are to be burnt.
“The process is a foolproof one …It is checked and cross-checked and hence there cannot be any doubt,” the officer said. A number of officials concurred with him on this count.
According to the official, once a horn is removed from a rhino carcass, it requires to be boiled and dried in the sun to remove the organic particles along with the meat and also to eliminate the stench.
The boiling and drying process, before a horn is weighed, takes about three to four days.
The TRAFFICEast/Southern Africa — an wildlife trade monitoring network in the world — in its publication Rhino Horn Stockpile Management: Minimum Standards and Best Practices from East and Southern Africa says that measurement of the length and weight of a horn is necessary to avoid confusion. It also helps in calculation of the total weight of the horns stockpiled. A label is then put on the horn providing information, including the place and date of its recovery along with its weight.
It is then stored in the strongroom of the range office where details about the horn are put in a horn register. Registration of all horns is the most important part of stockpile management to ensure that all related information has been accurately recorded.
The divisional forest officer then forms a committee headed by an assistant conservator of forests who is assisted by a range officer for sending it to the treasury.
“As there is no point in sending one horn, we wait for some time so that more horns are collected,” the official said. The range officers of a particular forest division where a horn is found put their signatures on it. The horns are then sealed and packed in a trunk to be sent to the treasury with security. A list is prepared by the DFO which is deposited with the treasury.
On receiving the horns, the treasury officer and the person who goes to deposit the horns put their signature. “If we get a fake horn which we recognise immediately, we do not mix it with the real ones,” the official said. “If somebody wants to replace the horn, the seal will have to be broken,” the official said. Former principal chief conservator of forests M.C. Malakar said the process was foolproof.
eom
which way
where is the northeast india today. nowhere or going ahead. for those who are saying going ahead, but which way. can we have our own way or will we be forced to imitate. is the civil society that strong so that we can have our own way.
hope for export
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100623/jsp/northeast/story_12595914.jsp
Cold storages for four states
- Farm export body to set up facilities in region’s airports  |
Guwahati, June 22: The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will set up four cold storage facilities at airports in four states of the region to store perishable commodities for export.
The airports where these facilities will come up at are Agartala, Dimapur, Aizawl and Imphal.
A senior official of APEDA in Guwahati said the move would help in export of commodities from the region to other places, as there is a big market and can be used by exporters.
“It will take some time to operate the facilities, as two memoranda of understanding has to be signed — one with APEDA and the other one with Airports Authority of India,” the official said.
Not only that, the state government will have to nominate an agency which will run the cold storage facility.
The capacity of each of these facilities will be of 10 metric tonnes each. APEDA was established by the government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December 1985. At present, the APEDA has a cold storage facility at the Guwahati airport. The facility is mainly being used by Zopar Exports, which exports flowers overseas.
“There are plans to upgrade the facility into a centre for perishable cargo and the area has already been allocated at the airport,” the official said. The centre for perishable cargo will have a capacity of 30 metric tonnes. The official said farmers in states like Mizoram and Meghalaya, motivated by the ready market, are going for floriculture in a big way in the region and may soon find a prominent place in the international flower market.
In Mizoram, more than 300 farmers are earning their livelihood from anthurium cultivation and there is a huge scope for export. Flowers produced in Mizoram like anthuriums, roses and dendrobiums have already hit the market in Dubai.
“Exporters will have to keep their flowers fresh and for this, cold storage facilities would be required,” the official said, adding this is more useful in hilly regions where flights get cancelled.
Not only flowers, there are other commodities like pineapple, ginger, lemon which can be exported. Tripura is known to grow excellent varieties of pineapples. The redeeming feature of the region is that many products are organic, which command a premium price in international markets.
APEDA has been popularising agricultural commodities like joha rice, bamboo pickles and ginger at expos outside the country.
more pressure on rhino horns
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100619/jsp/northeast/story_12580130.jsp
Public hearing on horn burning
ROOPAK GOSWAMI
Guwahati, June 18: Under pressure from civil society groups to make the process of rhino horn burning transparent, the Assam forest department has decided to conduct a public hearing on the issue.
A senior official of the state forest department said the venue for burning the rhino horns could be either Guwahati or Kaziranga and the modalities would be chalked out soon.
Information on the proposed programme would be given in the newspapers, notifying the place and date.
“We will discuss the issue before the committee members on how to go about the entire process,” the official said.
Principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force (Assam) V.K. Vishnoi has been made chairman of the 11-member state-level committee, which will oversee and monitor the entire process.
Several non-governmental organisations have urged the government to make rhino horn burning a transparent procedure.
With rhino being the state animal, the department is trying its level best to make the programme a success.
“This is, in fact, for the first time in the country that rhino horns will be destroyed and hence there are no set guidelines for it,” the official said.
The ministry of environment and forests has provided the state forest department with guidelines issued by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on the process of marking of rhino horn and product stocks. It calls for measurement of rhino horns (both weight and length) and making horn registers.
The international body has also provided guidelines on security and storage of horns. To cite an instance, it talks on whether the location of all horns (and products) is known (even if kept confidential for security purposes).
The state forensic science laboratory has already informed the forest department that rhino horn is a modified form of hair composed of keratinised protein and its burning will produce only carbon, which will not pollute the environment.
The total weight of the horns was 997kg at the time of recovery.
Public hearing on horn burning
ROOPAK GOSWAMI
Guwahati, June 18: Under pressure from civil society groups to make the process of rhino horn burning transparent, the Assam forest department has decided to conduct a public hearing on the issue.
A senior official of the state forest department said the venue for burning the rhino horns could be either Guwahati or Kaziranga and the modalities would be chalked out soon.
Information on the proposed programme would be given in the newspapers, notifying the place and date.
“We will discuss the issue before the committee members on how to go about the entire process,” the official said.
Principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force (Assam) V.K. Vishnoi has been made chairman of the 11-member state-level committee, which will oversee and monitor the entire process.
Several non-governmental organisations have urged the government to make rhino horn burning a transparent procedure.
With rhino being the state animal, the department is trying its level best to make the programme a success.
“This is, in fact, for the first time in the country that rhino horns will be destroyed and hence there are no set guidelines for it,” the official said.
The ministry of environment and forests has provided the state forest department with guidelines issued by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on the process of marking of rhino horn and product stocks. It calls for measurement of rhino horns (both weight and length) and making horn registers.
The international body has also provided guidelines on security and storage of horns. To cite an instance, it talks on whether the location of all horns (and products) is known (even if kept confidential for security purposes).
The state forensic science laboratory has already informed the forest department that rhino horn is a modified form of hair composed of keratinised protein and its burning will produce only carbon, which will not pollute the environment.
The total weight of the horns was 997kg at the time of recovery.
peacocks--- the best gifts for b'days
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100619/jsp/northeast/story_12581396.jsp
Girl gets peacock for birthday
A STAFF REPORTER
Guwahati, June 18: Peacocks have suddenly become the best birthday gifts for kids.
After seven-year-old Tejas Hazarika adopted a peacock on his birthday, it’s the turn of an eight-year-old girl residing in Calcutta.
Rheana Hazarika, who stays in Calcutta, was born on June 16 but the party will be on June 20, a Sunday. The gift is from her grandparents who reside in Guwahati.
“We were thinking of the gifts to be given on her birthday but then these do not last long and thought of giving her something which will help in instilling some values too,” Shankar Hazarika, a retired top-ranking officer of Nabard, today told The Telegraph.
“I asked her what she wanted. She said an elephant but then that would be too expensive,” Hazarika said.
The cost of adopting an elephant is around Rs 2 lakh whereas that of a peacock is Rs 4,000.
The peacock that has been adopted is 10 years old.
Hazarika said they then saw a news report in The Telegraph, “Birthday boy adopts peacock”, which inspired them to get her the bird.
“She later agreed to a peacock and is happy,” Hazarika said.
He said they had not informed the girl’s parents and would like to keep it a surprise.
The divisional forest officer of Assam State Zoo, Narayan Mahanta, expressed his happiness at the move.
“It seems that awareness on wildlife conservation has picked up in the right tempo and should intensify,” he said.
Mahanta said the cost of adopting a tiger was nearly Rs 3 lakh, a rhino around Rs 2 lakh and golden langur Rs 38,000.
To adopt birds, visitors can choose between a parakeet, which will cost Rs 1,800 and a mynah Rs 3,000.
Girl gets peacock for birthday
A STAFF REPORTER
Guwahati, June 18: Peacocks have suddenly become the best birthday gifts for kids.
After seven-year-old Tejas Hazarika adopted a peacock on his birthday, it’s the turn of an eight-year-old girl residing in Calcutta.
Rheana Hazarika, who stays in Calcutta, was born on June 16 but the party will be on June 20, a Sunday. The gift is from her grandparents who reside in Guwahati.
“We were thinking of the gifts to be given on her birthday but then these do not last long and thought of giving her something which will help in instilling some values too,” Shankar Hazarika, a retired top-ranking officer of Nabard, today told The Telegraph.
“I asked her what she wanted. She said an elephant but then that would be too expensive,” Hazarika said.
The cost of adopting an elephant is around Rs 2 lakh whereas that of a peacock is Rs 4,000.
The peacock that has been adopted is 10 years old.
Hazarika said they then saw a news report in The Telegraph, “Birthday boy adopts peacock”, which inspired them to get her the bird.
“She later agreed to a peacock and is happy,” Hazarika said.
He said they had not informed the girl’s parents and would like to keep it a surprise.
The divisional forest officer of Assam State Zoo, Narayan Mahanta, expressed his happiness at the move.
“It seems that awareness on wildlife conservation has picked up in the right tempo and should intensify,” he said.
Mahanta said the cost of adopting a tiger was nearly Rs 3 lakh, a rhino around Rs 2 lakh and golden langur Rs 38,000.
To adopt birds, visitors can choose between a parakeet, which will cost Rs 1,800 and a mynah Rs 3,000.
rhino horns to be destroyed
Rhino horn burning to bust a myth - Move aimed at telling poachers that body part has no medicinal value | ||
| ROOPAK GOSWAMI | ||
Guwahati, Feb. 22: Finally, Assam is fighting fire with fire. Nearly 1,500 rhino horns — lying in different treasuries and strongrooms across the state — will be burnt next month, possibly in the presence of members of international conservation agencies. The public burning of such a huge quantity of rhino horns — which ironically is the biggest enemy of the pre-historic and endangered mammal — was aimed at sending the message that the state “was fully committed” to rhino conservation. The most important message will, however, go out to the clandestine wildlife traders and believers of traditional medicines: the rhino horn really does not have any value in monetary terms and does not have any medicinal values as believed. The rhino horns have been lying in treasuries since 1978 when its sale in Assam was banned. S. Chand, chief wildlife warden of Assam, told The Telegraph today that the government had issued a notification stating that committees for each district had been constituted for disposal of all rhino horns in possession of the forest department except those required as exhibits in court cases. “The decision is in full consonance with wildlife laws of the country and international rules,” he added. There are at present 1,571 rhino horns lying in various treasuries and strongrooms of divisional forest officers across the state. The horns are lying in treasuries in 10 districts of the state — Jorhat, Nagaon, Kamrup, Sonitpur, Darrang, Lakhimpur, Nalbari, Golaghat, Barpeta and Kokrajhar. The eastern Assam wildlife division, which covers Kaziranga, has the maximum stock of rhino horns. The forest department has already informed the Centre about the decision to burn the horns. Chand said a foolproof process was now being chalked out in consultation with experts on proper disposal of the ashes after the rhino horns are burnt. “Once the process is finalised, guidelines will be circulated to the officers concerned to go ahead,” he said. Bibhab Talukdar, the secretary general of wildlife NGO Aaranyak said the decision taken by the state government “was a progressive step taken to send a strong signal to the international community”. “The whole event of burning of horns should be transparent and videographed,” he added. The Wildlife Protection Act says that “where any meat, uncured trophy, specified plant or part or derivative thereof is seized, under the provisions of this section, the assistant director of wildlife preservation or any other officer of a gazetted rank authorised by him on his behalf or the chief wildlife warden or the authorised officer may arrange for the disposal of the same in such a manner as may be prescribed”. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has asked the member countries to declare the status of any stocks of rhinoceros horns and derivatives. A comprehensive declaration form has been given in which the CITES has asked the countries to outline the policy on the disposal of seized horns (and products), summary of how rhino horns and product stocks are marked registered and secured. Besides, it has sought reports on the security and storage, registration and audits, trade and possession controls, rhino horns and other raw horn material in state possession and summary of horns sold (internally or externally), stolen or destroyed since 2000. The rhino horns are either seized from poachers and smugglers or collected from carcasses of rhinos which died a natural death. | ||
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