New Delhi, June 2: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Centre and four states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to take immediate steps to remove the bodies found floating in river Ganga amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The petition, which referred to reports of bodies found floating in river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, urged the SC to issue guidelines or formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) for proper and dignified cremation or burial of bodies of victims of coronavirus as per the rituals.
The plea, filed by Youth Bar Association of India, sought directions to the chief secretaries and district magistrates to ensure that no dead body is allowed to be thrown in any river on any ground and to take stern action against the culprits.
“It is the duty of the state to protect the rights of the deceased, which also includes the right to decent burial/cremation,” said the plea, filed through advocate Manju Jetley.
It said the Ganga originates from Uttarakhand and flows down to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and floating of corpses in the river would cause environmental hazards.
The plea said the authorities should be directed to take appropriate measures for ensuring removal of bodies from the Ganga and other rivers. (PTI)
