Nearly 2500 rhino horns, stored in treasuries across Assam, will be destroyed.
The Assam cabinet on Thursday approved destruction of the rhino horns.
These rhino horns were kept in state treasuries since 1979.
These horns were either recovered from dead rhinos or seized from poachers.
“The cabinet has decided to destroy 2479 horns,” Assam forest minister Parimal Suklabaidhya said.
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There are a total of 2623 rhino horns stored in treasuries across Assam.
Of these 2623 horns, 50 can’t be destroyed as they relate to pending court cases.
Moreover, 94 rhino horns will be preserved for educational purposes.
In August, the Assam government had started the process of verification of the rhino horns, which are stocked at the treasuries of the state.
The process of verification of rhino horns began on August 18 at the Morigaon treasury.
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The verification exercise was conducted by seven zonal committees and one technical panel constituted by the Assam chief wildlife warden.
The horns are mostly retrieved from rhinos that die of natural causes.