Shocking visuals of half-burnt and decomposed bodies floating in the Ganga river triggered panic among the residents. The dead bodies are discovered at various places of Uttar Pradesh. 71 bodies have been fished out from the holy Ganga river in the Buxar district of Bihar. Over 25 dead bodies were discovered in the neighboring Ghazipur district.
Taking note of the deteriorating situation of the State, Allahabad High Court has decided to intervene and has sought a status report from the Uttar Pradesh government in connection to the supply of oxygen and daily testing of the COVID.
Allahabad HC questioned the state government about the decline in the rate of Covid-testing in the State. The HC bench has asked the government to disclose the number of tests in the 5 districts of the State from March 31st, 2021.
After these horrifying visuals went viral on social media, the Uttar Pradesh government has been criticized for handling the current Covid-crisis. However, the authorities have not clarified anything about whether these are the dead bodies of the Covid-patients.
The Centre took note of the ongoing issue of dumping dead bodies into the Ganga river. Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday tweeted, “Floating bodies in Ganga in Buxar, Bihar is unfortunate. It is surely a matter of investigation. [Narendra] Modi government is committed to maintaining piety and continuity of mother Ganga. States [Bihar and UP] concerned must take cognizance of the matter immediately.”
We have taken serious note of the issue of dumping dead bodies in River Ganga and instituted measures for the prohibition of the same.
The Centre through the NMCG and district authorities will ensure all unidentified bodies are disposed as per the protocol. pic.twitter.com/lfKBiGA0vE
— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) May 11, 2021
He stated that the government will ensure with the help of NMCG and District authorities, the unidentified bodies are disposed of as per the protocol.
He further added to his tweet, “We have taken serious note of the issue of dumping dead bodies in River Ganga and instituted measures for the prohibition of the same. The Centre through the NMCG and district authorities will ensure all unidentified bodies are disposed of as per the protocol.”
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) Director-General Rajiv Ranjan Mishra has also expressed his concern in a letter to the State Ganga Committees. “Ensure strict vigilance along the length of the river within territorial jurisdiction of the district to prevent and check such future incidences of people dumping dead bodies in Ganga and its tributaries and of any other activity hazardous for river Ganga and health and hygiene of the area,” the letter says.
On Tuesday, the Allahabad High Court noted that the State government must grant at least Rs 1 crore as the ex gratia compensation to the families of the polling officers who died on duty due to Covid-19.
“It is not a case that somebody volunteered to render his/ her services during election but it was all made obligatory to those assigned with election duty to perform their duties during election even while they showed their reluctance,” observed a division bench of Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ajit Kumar.
