New Delhi: Concerned over illegal trade in human organs, specially kidneys, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has written to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chief Ministers of States and Union Territories suggesting remedial measures to check the pernicious practice.

"The practice of organ purchase has acquired the dubious dimensions of organ trade with touts operating as middlemen and creation of allegedly false records of a compassionate donation," NHRC Chairman Justice A S Anand said in a recent letter to the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers.

While several steps were reported to have been initiated in Karnataka to make the review process stricter, in the media there were disturbing reports of the pernicious practice being widespread in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and a number of other States, he said.

"This illegal trade in human organs is unethical and is a serious violation of human rights," Justice Anand said, adding illegal trade in human organs often involved exploitation of poor people.

The Commission came across a number of instances in which the "compassionate donor" provision in Organ Transplantation Act was being abused, he said.

In many cases, donor was an unrelated and unacquainted person who was lured into donating an organ such as kidney by financial offers made by or on behalf of the prospective recipient, he said.