Responding to TMC MP Derek O'Brien's allegations that the dead bodies of the Covid-19 patients being dumped in the holy river of Ganga, the Centre in the parliament on Monday said that there is no data on the number of bodies of Covid-19 victims that were dumped in the Ganga river during the deadly second wave of the pandemic.
The TMC MP had asked the Minister of Jal Shakti to state the number of Covid-19 related bodies estimated to have been dumped in Ganga adding what measures is the Central government is taking to remove these and dispose off them as per Covid-19 protocols.
Responding to the question raised by O'Brien, Minister of State (MoS) for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu said, "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 from certain districts in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, in the media. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), 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."
During the second wave of Covid in April-May last year, several bodies, suspected to be of Covid-19 patients, were found floating in the Ganga, sparking a political row.
During the time, social media posts claimed bodies being dumped into the river in Patna to reduce the official Covid-19 death count take a different dimension altogether.
During the time of the second Covid wave, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav after a number of bodies were seen floating in the Ganga in the past few days, targeted the government saying that the government must be held accountable for "failing" its people badly.
Incidentally, hundreds of bodies had washed up on the banks of river Ganga in parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In the Buxar district, 71 bodies were retrieved from the riverbank.
(with sources inputs)
