NEW DELHI, May 13: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday taking note of bodies floating in the river Ganga on Thursday issued notices to the centre and the Uttar Pradesh and Bihar state governments asking them to take prompt actions.
The NHRC has asked the concerned authorities to submit the action taken report on the matter within four weeks.
Taking cognizance of a complaint about several bodies found floating in the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the NHRC issued notices to the chief secretaries of both the states and the secretary, Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation).
In the notices, the commission observed that the public authorities seem to have failed to make concentric efforts in educating the masses and checking the immersion of half-burnt or unburnt bodies into the River Ganga.
“The practice of disposal of dead bodies in our sacred river Ganga is clearly in violation of guidelines of the National Mission for Clean Ganga project of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation,” the NHRC noted.
The River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016, which relates to the measures for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in the river Ganga, states that “No person shall do any act or carry on any project or process or activity which has the effect of causing pollution in the river Ganga”.
The notices were issued based on a complaint that said that the recovered bodies were infected with Covid-19. “Hence, the disposal of dead bodies in such a manner may seriously affect all those persons, who are dependent on the holy river for their day to day activities,” the complaint said.
It said even if these bodies were not of Covid victims, such practice/incidents are shameful to society as a whole, as that amounts to a violation of the human rights of even deceased persons.” The complainant requested the intervention of the commission for strict action against negligent public authorities, who have failed to prevent such incidents.
The authorities are yet to confirm if the bodies found floating in Ganga were of Covid patients.
(Manas Dasgupta)