Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has asked the state Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) department to widely publicise the detailed guidelines issued by the department in connection with treatment to dead bodies by hospital officials at the health care institutions across the state. The commission also instructed that the urban and rural local bodies should also publicise the guidelines at their respective institutions as well.
The commission issued the directions while hearing a case regarding allegations of disrespect to a body of minor pregnant girl in Bolangir May 26, 2016. The commission had earlier asked the authorities to give compensation to the next of the kin of the deceased minor girl which was paid recently.
Meanwhile, the Executive Officer of Bolangir Municipality Tuesday personally appeared before the commission. He informed the rights panel that the bodies which were used to be buried earlier are now being cremated with all dignity.
Notably, following the shameful Dana Majhi episode that sparked resentment across the state, the H&FW department issued a guideline on the procedures to be followed while dealing with dead bodies October 5, 2016.
The guideline says that in no condition the body should be allowed to be carried on shoulder. It also says that the body should not be transported in any manner that compromises with the ‘dignity of the dead’. It asked the officials to ‘ensure that proper procedures are followed at all times in disposal of dead bodies‘.
Similarly, the DGP had also issued a circular August 26, 2016 asking the police officials to dispose of the body ‘in proper dignity’. The commission had instructed to sensitise the field officials of the H&FW department, local bodies and Police department in this regard.
