Bhubaneswar, Oct. 3: The state government has decided to make efforts to stop the burial of deceased children in riverbeds, especially in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, to avoid soil pollution and to safeguard human rights.

The move came after a directive by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to the state government last month. The NHRC asked the government to conduct awareness camps to stop the practice.

The matter came to light during the commission's investigation into the deaths of children at Sishu Bhavan in 2015. Fifty-five infants had died at the Cuttack medical facility in 11 days.

The commission had then asked the state government to form a high-level committee to probe into the deaths during which it became known that the parents had buried the children in river beds of Kuakhai and Daya.

'We had submitted a detailed report on the deaths of the children at Sishu Bhavan where we mentioned about the practice of people burying the dead children in the river beds. The commission took this into consideration and found it a violation of human rights,' said an official of the health department.

She said the practice of burying children in the river beds also poses a threat to the environment.

'We have got the directives and will chalk out a plan to sensitise people on the issue since we can't ask them to stop the practice at once,' the official said.

The health and family welfare department officials are also planning to take the help of the local administration and other voluntary organisations to sensitise the people on the issue.

'We are ready to collaborate with the officials for the purpose. It is indeed a matter of concern,' said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

Burying of the bodies of dead infants in river beds has been in practice in the state for centuries.

'We have been taught that infants should not be cremated but buried in the riverbed for the peace of their soul,' said Benudhar Mohanty, a resident of Nayapalli.

Alok Kar, a social worker, said various communities dealt with dead infants differently.

'Some of them bury them while others cremate. However burial in riverbed is not a good idea. They should be taken elsewhere and buried if they don't want to violate their religious norms and beliefs,' he said.