Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan on Monday called for an immediate stop to the practice of giving away the bodies of sadhus to the Ganges for “Jal Samadhis” to save the river from further pollution. There must be more construction of electrical and wood crematoria for efficient and environment friendly cremation of bodies.
In a written reply to a question in the lok Sabha on Monday, she said the Haridwar district administration is having meetings with various group of saints (Akharas) and public representatives to create a consensus on stopping the Jal Samadhis. The impact of decomposition of dead bodies and resultant deterioration of the quality of river water is yet to be ascertained by the Central Pollution Control Board.
She pointed out that these activities will be taken up in various towns covered under the Ganga Action Plan and National River Conservation Plan for abatement of pollution of rivers in the country.
The issue, though sensitive in nature, has been taken up by the environmentalists time and again. Most of the ashrams and temples of the sadhus have been built on the banks of the Ganges and some even on the river itself.
They alleged that hundreds of bodies of sadhus are given ‘jal samadhi’ every year in the holy river. Further, a large number of bodies from the other parts of the city/ country are consigned to flames near the banks of the river in the crematoria at Haridwar and Kankhal. In keeping with the Hindu systems and traditions, large amount of left overs of rituals including garlands, and flowers, ash urns etc are thrown in the river, further aggravating the situation.
The issue of rising pollution of the Ganges had been vociferously raised by Saint Nigmanand, who died after a prolonged fast. Swami Saanand and GD Agarwal, former professor in the IIT, Kanpur, also observed fast last year to save the river from pollution.