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SC approves tweaked Covid-19 protocols for Parsi funeral

Reported by:  PTC News Desk  Edited by:  Shgun S -- February 04th 2022 08:45 PM -- Updated: February 04th 2022 08:47 PM
SC approves tweaked Covid-19 protocols for Parsi funeral

SC approves tweaked Covid-19 protocols for Parsi funeral

New Delhi, February 4: After the government of India and members of the Parsi community reached an amicable settlement of the controversy, the Supreme Court on Friday approved the tweaked protocol for disposing of the dead bodies of the Parsi Zoroastrian Covid-19 victim. The Gujarat High Court ruling, which had refused to offer any relief to the community, was overturned by a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant, who agreed to the revised protocol for disposing of the dead bodies of Covid-19 victims of Parsi Zoroastrians. At the outset, senior lawyer Fali Nariman representing the petitioner told the bench that parties have settled it with the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as to how the dead will be interred in a tower of silence. The Solicitor General told the court that petitioners have consented to install an iron grid and net over the tower of silence so that birds do not come to feed on remains and the bodies are primarily disposed of by intense sun rays. The top court stated in its ruling, "Since dispute has been amicably settled and that proposal conforms to the faith and adheres to Covid-19 concerns. We appreciate the fair stand adopted by both sides. The protocol is accordingly accepted and order is passed in pursuance of the joint statement and thus the Gujarat High Court order is set aside." Also Read | UP Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav, Jayant Chaudhary booked for violating Covid-19 norms Earlier, the Supreme court had asked the Central government to consider tweaking the protocols for the disposal of dead bodies of Covid-19 victims to accommodate funeral rites for Parsi Zoroastrians as per their rituals. It was proposed that a virtual meeting be held between senior counsel Fali S Nariman, Central government officials and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, where suggestions could be made and protocols tweaked. The Central government also filed an affidavit with the apex court, stating that keeping corpses exposed without burial or cremation is not a permissible method of disposing of dead bodies of Covid-19 positive patients and that proper handling of dead bodies of Covid-19 victims is therefore critical from a public health standpoint. "The dead bodies of such patients are likely to get exposed to environment and animals, if not buried or cremated properly. The OIE World Organization for Animal Health has also observed that the people who are suspected or confirmed to be infected with the Covid-19 virus should minimize close direct contact with animals, including wildlife," read the affidavit by the government. It further added that the virus introduction to a new animal species from a dead body might accelerate its evolution, which could potentially impact surveillance and control strategies. The top court had sought the assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to find an amicable solution in resolving the issues of the Parsi community, which is unable to perform the traditional last rites of Covid-19 victims. Nariman, representing the Surat Parsi Panchayat Board, had asserted that the Parsi community is the only community in the country that has professional pallbearers. Existing guidelines do not allow for burial as is done in the Parsi community, read the plea seeking a traditional burial for Parsis who died of Covid-19. The plea sought to protect the fundamental right to perform the last rites of the Parsi Covid-19 victims under the tradition of Dokhamanshini and not cremation. In the Dokhamanshini tradition, the body is kept at a height on a structure referred to as a well or the tower of silence, to be eaten by vultures, and the remains are left to decompose under the sun. Also Read | Punjab reports 1,514 fresh Covid cases, positivity rate at 4.37% -PTC News


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