NHRC ISSUES NOTICE TO UP, BIHAR OVER FLOATING BODIES

LUCKNOW : The National Human Rights Commission on Thursday issued notice to UP government over complaints related with bodies found floating in river Ganga. The NHRC also issued notices to the Bihar government and Centre on the issue. The development came on a day a plea was filed in the Supreme Court seeking an independent investigation into the incidents, supervised by a retired judge of the apex court. Meanwhile, days after bodies of suspected Covid-19 patients washed up on the shores of Ganga in Ghazipur and Ballia districts, four more unidentified bodies were found floating in Ganga in Dhanapur area of Chandauli on Thursday, claimed locals.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued notice to Uttar Pradesh government over complaints related with bodies found floating in river Ganga.

The NHRC also issued notices to the Bihar government and Centre on the issue.

“It (NHRC) has issued notices to the chief secretaries of both the states (UP, Bihar), union minister of Jal Shakti, today calling for an action taken report within four weeks,” said the NHRC in a statement issued on Thursday.

It seems the public authorities have failed to take concentric efforts in educating masses and checking the immersion of half-burnt or un-burnt bodies into the Ganga, said the NHRC’s statement.

The issue of bodies floating in river Ganga came to light on May 11 last in Bihar’s Buxar district. The district administration of Buxar fished out around 70 corpses from the river.

On the same day, locals of Buxar spotted 12 more bodies floating in river Ganga upstream in the neighbouring Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh.

After these two incidents, both the state governments ordered probe.

People are speculating that the bodies belonged to Covid-19 patients and were dumped in the river by their kin. The Patna high court has also taken note of the issue.