NEW DELHI: Days after over 100 dead bodies suspected to be Covid-19 fatalities washed up on the banks of the Ganges in UP and Bihar, the National Human Rights Commission said it has taken cognisance of the complaints received in this regard and issued notices to the chief secretaries of both states and to secretary of the Union ministry of Jal Shakti, calling for an action taken report within four weeks.
Issuing the notices, the Commission observed that public authorities failed to take steps to educate masses against the immersion of half burnt or unburnt dead bodies into 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 Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation,” the Commission’s order observed, raising concerns over pollution of the Ganges.
The Commission’s order, however, remained silent on how the large scale deaths may have occurred, or on the stretched health and cremation mechanisms due to the unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases in rural areas of both UP and Bihar.
Citing the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016, NHRC said the guidelines lay down comprehensive principles to be followed for rejuvenation, protection and management of River Ganga. “No person shall do any act or carry on any project or process or activity which, notwithstanding whether such act has been mentioned in this Order or not, has the effect of causing pollution in the River Ganga,” the Commission said, quoting the order.
NHRC acted on complaints based on media reports and expressed apprehensions that if the dead bodies were of Covid victims, their disposal may also seriously affect those persons dependent on the holy river for their day to day activities. Seeking the Commission’s intervention, the complaint said that even if the dead bodies were not of Covid victims, such practice is “shameful to the society as a whole as that amounts to violation of human rights of even deceased persons”.
View More | Source: Times of India