After Ganga, ‘living entity’ status to be given to Narmada river

People swimming in the Narmada river to cool themselves on a hot day, in Gwarighat. (Source: PTI)

A month after the Uttarakhand High Court declared Ganga and Yamuna and their tributaries as “living entities having the status of a legal person”, Madhya Pradesh government has decided to give similar recognition to Narmada river by passing a law in the state assembly tomorrow.

Last week, Union Minister Rajnath Singh had suggested that the Madhya Pradesh government should bring a bill in the state assembly in order to give a living entity status to river Narmada. Responding to the suggestion, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had assured that his government would introduce a bill to that effect immediately.

While giving the “legal status” of living humans to the country’s two of the most sacred rivers, the court had said the Director, Namami Gange project for cleaning and rejuvenating the river, the Chief Secretary and the Advocate General of Uttarakhand would act as the “legal parents” of the holy rivers. The court also said they have been tasked to work as the human face to protect, conserve and preserve them and their tributaries.

With inputs from ANI