Puducherry government to honour organ donors

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.

Feature of the Puducherry Organ Donation Honours Scheme 

• Under the scheme, the Puducherry government will honour the deceased who has donated organ/organs to other needy patients.
• A human can donate six organs: kidney, heart, lung, liver, pancreas, and intestine.
• A competent official of the Puducherry government will lay a wreath or garland on the mortal remains of the donor. The wreath or garlands will be laid at the time of the donor's last rites performance at his/her residence. 
• The members of the donor will be invited by the Lieutenant Governor or the Chief Minister on the occasion of the Republic Day and Independence Day functions, respectively.
• The Lieutenant Governor or the Chief Minister will honour the family members publicly on such occasions.

Organ Donation in India 

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.

Indian Organ Donation Day 

• In India, the 3rd of August is observed as the Organ Donation Day.
• This day is observed to mark the first successful heart transplant in the country from a deceased donor on 3 August 1994.
• July of every year is observed as Organ Donor Month in the country.

About Puducherry 

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