Guwahati, March 12: Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi has introduced a private member's bill in the Lok Sabha to constitute a National Rhino Conservation Authority.

The Kaliabor MP introduced the private member's bill to insert a new chapter, Chapter 1V D into the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and to provide a National Rhino Conservation Authority. The bill was introduced on Friday.

A statement issued by the MP said the National Rhino Conservation Authority should comprise members from the ministries concerned, expert groups and states of rhino reserves (Assam, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh).

He proposed that this authority should have exclusive powers for the protection, conservation and management of rhinos in the country and the power to issue guidelines on management of reserves by establishing a rhino conservation foundation in the state.

"Assam is home to more than 90 per cent of the country's rhino population and 70 per cent of them reside only in Kaziranga National Park, which is under my constituency. With a population of 3,333 of greater one-horned rhinos left in the world (India and Nepal) they are featured on the Red List of IUCN and also listed in Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flaura and Fauna). This indicates the existing extent of threat for the species," he said.

He said poaching was one of the major reasons for the decreasing rhino population in the world. There is a great demand for rhino horns in some Asian countries like Vietnam and China. With highest population of rhinos residing in Kaziranga, there is an increasing pressure on the park.

Last year, 19 rhinos were killed by poachers at Kaziranga National Park alone and without proper protection and conservation, greater one-horned rhinos will soon face extinction.

The rhino task force report of the National Tiger Conservation Authority said rhino poaching is an organised crime, involving national and international gangs, which work in close coordination. It has components of arms smuggling, money laundering, cross-border smuggling, terrorism and international illegal wildlife trade.

"The rhino trade, as revealed during interrogation of arrested poachers, is multi-layered and trans-national," it said. It added that action within the park boundaries may result in only partially eliminating the menace by killing poachers, seizure of arms or injuring poachers. The efforts inside the national park, must, therefore, be supplemented by equally strong action outside its boundaries.

Conservationists have been asking the government to have a national rhino conservation plan for India as the policies are at the state level at present.