No information on number of Covid bodies dumped in Ganges, govt tells Rajya Sabha
India Today
The government has said that it had no information on how many Covid-related dead bodies were dumped in River Ganges last year.
The sight of dead bodies floating in River Ganges had shocked the nation during the peak of second Covid-19 wave in India. Not only did it raise doubts about data on real Covid death toll in the country but also caused concerns regarding possible water contamination and further spread of virus.
Ten months later, the government has told Parliament that it has no information on how many dead bodies were dumped in the Ganges. Answering a question asked by TMC MP Derek O'Brien, Jal Shakti Ministry said that 'information regarding number of Covid-19 related dead bodies estimated to have been dumped in the River Ganges is not available'.
In his two part question, the TMC MP had also asked about the measures taken to remove these bodies and dispose off them as per Covid-19 protocols. To this, the ministry replied that the Centre had coordinated with states to ensure proper disposal of bodies with Covid-19 protocols.
"The incidents of “unclaimed/ unidentified, burnt or partially burnt dead bodies, found floating in river or on grounds, in the shallow depth, on the banks of the river Ganga”, were reported form certain districts in the States of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, in the media," the ministry's response said.
"National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) sought from concerned state governments, a report on the dead bodies found floating and action taken or contemplated for ensuring proper handling, management and disposal of dead bodies by the state authorities for ensuring the protection of the River Ganga," it said.
The government said that several advsiories were issued by both NMCG and the ministry to concerned officials in of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal and District Ganga Committees for ensuring proper handling, management and disposal of dead bodies by the State authorities following Covid-19 protocol and ensuring the protection of the River Ganga.
"All the actions taken has led to coordinated action at state level towards cremation of dead bodies as per Government of India protocols, providing necessary financial assistance to deserving families for cremation of dead bodies, regular patrolling of river channel and river banks," it said.
