UP CM orders patrolling by SDRF, PAC after another 14 bodies found floating in Ganga

Lucknow: In a bid to stop people from disposing of bodies in rivers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday ordered patrolling by the SDRF and PAC. The CM's directions have come as a number of bodies were found floating in the Ganga recently, triggering suspicion that the abandoned corpses could be those of COVID-19 patients.

Days after dozens of dead bodies found floating in river Ganga in eastern districts of Ghazipur, and Ballia, six unidentified bodies were found floating in the river in Chandauli district and another eight bodies were found in the river in the neighbouring Varanasi on Thursday.

More than 100 corpses that have washed up on the banks of the river Ganges in recent days suggest the situation is equally dire villages in the country. In Unnao district dozens of people have been buried in shallow sandy graves by the river, AFP reported on Friday. Locals say there is not enough wood for funeral pyres meaning they are forced to leave bodies in the river, but officials dispute there is a shortage. The Uttar Pradesh government also insists it has a "relentless and aggressive campaign to trace, test and treat Covid patients".

Meanwhile, the CM ordered the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) to patrol rivers and ensure that no bodies are disposed of in rivers.

He said in areas on banks of rivers, committees including village development officers and village heads should be formed to ensure that no one dumps bodies in rivers.

"All those who died deserve cremation with respect. The state government has already sanctioned funds for performing the last rites," the CM said.

"No one should be allowed to dispose of bodies in rivers due to religious traditions," the CM added, stressing that if need be, a fine may be imposed at the local level to prevent it.

"The rivers get polluted due to bodies of human beings and animals. The government is also running a special campaign for the cleaning of rivers. Home, urban and rural development departments should make a policy to prevent it," he added.

The government has been under fire from the opposition over the issue recently.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday demanded a judicial probe headed by High Court judge into it, saying what is happening is inhuman and criminal.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too had said the UP government must be held accountable for "failing" its people badly.

"Bodies found floating in the Ganga are not statistics, they're someone's father, mother, brother and sister. What has transpired shakes you to your core. He had said.

Two more bodies found lying on the banks of the Ganga were cremated by the Ballia district administration, after a video of a few stray dogs dragging and mauling the corpses went viral on social media. Fefna SHO Sanjay Tripathi said he got the information about the corpses on Thursday afternoon, following which a team of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Rajesh Yadav reached Sagarpali village and cremated the bodies.

It appears that the bodies were left in the river by family members after completing rituals, he said. According to Ballia residents, at least 52 bodies were seen floating at the Ujiyar, Kulhadia and Bharauli ghats in the Narahi area.

However, the district authorities did not tell the exact number of bodies found there.