The government of the Union Territory of Puducherry has decided to honour the organ donors as a mark of respect for their life-saving contributions. The Puducherry government has done this to increase awareness about organ donations and support the families of organ donors.
India ranks third in the world in Organ transplantation, but in most cases, the donors are family members or relatives.
The Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994 is the primary law that regulates the removal, storage and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for the prevention of commercial dealings in human organs.
It provides for organ donation by a person who has been declared as Brain stem dead by a competent medical body.
The consent for organ donation is mandatory, and it is given by the family members of the Brain stem dead patient.
It prescribes the procedure to be followed if a living relative or non-relative donates organs to a patient.
It also prescribes the procedure for harvesting, storing, transportation, and transplanting the organ to the recipient.
The Union Territory of Puducherry was a French colony in India.
It officially became part of the Indian Union in 1963.
It comprises four territories- Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.
Puducherry and Karaikal - surrounded by Tamil Nadu from three sides and by the Bay of Bengal
Mahe - situated on the Malabar coast on the Western Ghats and surrounded by Kerala.
Yanam is situated along the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
It is also known as 'India's Little France' and 'The French Riviera of the East'
Puducherry has a 33-member Legislative Assembly, of which 30 members are elected, and the central government nominates 3 members.
Chief Minister :N Rangaswamy